NASA logo sightings are everywhere. Although NASA is a space agency that has nothing to do with the fashion world, there are many people in various countries who apply it to fashion objects and accessories.
Especially in the United States (US), the country of origin of this space agency, at least on the streets around New York, it will be easy to find the NASA logo ranging from backpacks, t-shirts, sneakers, hats, smartphone cases, to jackets.
Bert Ulrich is the person who has a role behind this phenomenon. He is Multimedia Liaison at NASA, one of which is overseeing the use of the NASA logo in films, TV, clothing, and more.
Quoted from CNN, Ulrich said requests to put the NASA logo on clothes are still booming, at least based on the number of logo deals he has approved.
He's been in the role for over two decades, so he's seen the trend go up and down. Some of the latest sales spikes can be traced to the US luxury fashion brand, Coach. Ulrich said Coach began introducing NASA's "branded" clothing line in 2017.
Coach initially approached NASA to ask if they could use the NASA logo in the "worm" font, a retro design that the space agency used from 1975 to 1992.
NASA, which banned the use of logos with this design in the 90s, changed its mind. They eventually allowed Coach to use the logo.
And the classic logo, since its official return to use, reinforces NASA's growing popularity, at least among diehard space enthusiasts. After the "NASA" Coach clothing line was released, its popularity exploded even more.
A visitor wears a NASA bomber jacket during the London Fashion Week Men's event at Matthew Miller's on January 7, 2017 in London, England. Photo: CNN
"Before 2017, we did 5-10 (logo use approvals) a week. Now it's gotten to the point we average 225 (NASA logo use) approvals a week," Ulrich said.
He added that last year, there were more than 11,000 requests for approval to use the NASA logo. This figure is the highest of all time.
Not all of the requests were approved, Ulrich said. But the reason there's so much interest in sticking the NASA logo on everything from Vans sneakers to trucker's hats may have something to do with the fact that these companies don't have to license the logo. It's all free, and NASA doesn't charge a penny from it.
Use of this logo is not how the license agreement works. Because NASA is a government agency, most of its assets, including photos, logos, and even tech designs, are in the public domain.
If a company wants to print the NASA logo on a t-shirt or coffee mug, it only needs to send an email to NASA's merchandising department, according to legal requirements. Normally, the request would land in Ulrich's email.
Ulrich's job is simply to ensure that the logo is used in a manner consistent with the space agency's approved aesthetic guidelines. Don't use unapproved colors, and of course NASA needs to make sure its brand isn't used for unwanted purposes, for example to show that NASA endorses a particular company or product.
"If a company misuses the logo, NASA's law office will send a letter of termination and termination," Ulrich said.
After Coach released its NASA clothing line, other high-end designers including Heron Preston and more recently Balenciaga, released their own "NASA fashion" line. Pop singer Ariana Grande even has a song and a whole line of merchandising about NASA. In addition there are also Adidas, Swatch, Vans, and countless others in the last decade.
About nostalgia
According to Jahn Hall, creative director of the Brooklyn-based Consortium of design agencies that worked on designs and styles for various brands, long before Coach, young people were buying NASA t-shirts from vintage stores because they liked the nostalgic feel of a classic "piece of Americana." .
In his mind, wearing the NASA logo was more about accentuating what the logo represented than showing one's love for all things outer space.
"It represents classic American optimism that we can do anything. It's not politically affiliated, and it can be marketed to young liberals and conservatives to the countryside, reviving the same nostalgia," Hall said.
"People who work for brands like Heron Preston and Balenciaga are captivated by the fantasy of space travel. Nobody can resist that nostalgia, so it makes sense that these brands would want to include it in their own collections," he explains.
He added that this is also the case with other logos and franchises, such as Balenciaga, who has also worked on other fashion projects with "The Simpsons" or Coach with "Mickey Mouse".
"This timeless symbol speaks to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status. Not everyone can connect with Heron Preston, but everyone gets modern Americana brands like NASA, Disney, and The Simpsons," he concluded.