![]() “We didn’t want to give carte blanche, though,” Ulrich says, “So we went back to the same standards of use for the Worm from the ’70s and ’80s as a nod to the designers.”Īccording to Ulrich, there has been a surge in the past year of usage requests for both logos. Ulrich brought the requests to the legal department, who authorized the Worm’s use for these collections. Until last year, the Meatball was the only licensed insignia of NASA, but, perhaps inspired by the nostalgia of a 1970s throwback, Vivienne Tam and Coach requested permission to use the Worm in their fashion designs. Danne & Blackburn labored to help NASA incorporate and embrace the new logo, but by 1992, the Worm was set aside and replaced by the beloved Meatball yet again. In turn, the Meatball was dismissed as being antiquated. A simple line design, with no crossbars on the As, transmitted a futuristic feel. The Worm design reflects the aesthetic of the time. But in 1974, then-President Richard Nixon decided that along with symbols of other government agencies, the NASA logo needed a makeover, and New York ad agency Danne & Blackburn was commissioned to design a new logo, which is how the Worm was born. Designer James Modarelli designed the seal, which includes white stars, an orbital path on a round field of blue, a red chevron meant to represent wings, and then the NASA lettering. There are two licensed logos, known colloquially as “The Meatball” and “The Worm.” The first, the Meatball, dates back to 1959 and was the first official insignia of the agency. These are sent out from time to time, but usually we just ask the company to make their use permissible.” ![]() ![]() So what happens if someone uses the logo without permission? Ulrich says, “I’ll send on to the legal department for a cease and desist letter. “I work a lot with our legal office,” Ulrich says, “and as a government entity, we don’t license out, but we have authority to approve designs because of the code of federal regulations.” The regulations for advertising requests are strict, but Ulrich willingly works with companies in order to have their requests improved. In order to obtain permission to use the logo, a company must submit designs to the Multimedia Division of NASA's Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington, where Bert Ulrich, multimedia liaison, reviews them. No share of profits makes its way to NASA.īut that’s not to say that anyone can use the NASA logo whenever they please. Like Topshop and Urban Outfitters before them, Coach incorporates the official logos of NASA into their collection while adding some original designs of their own, including Space Rexy, a whimsical Tyrannosaurus rex sporting a space helmet and jetpack.īut how do fashion brands get permission to use the NASA logos? Unlike other collaborations, there is no licensing process or licensing fee to be paid, since NASA is a government agency. Coach’s Space collection is the latest in a growing trend of fashion designers’ creation of NASA-inspired items from flight jackets to T-shirts to yes, fancy purses. Thanks to films such as Hidden Figures and The Martian, combined with a return of ’70s-inflected fashion, NASA-inspired clothing is popping up all over. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.Īlthough in recent years, the government has seemed less invested in sending men and women into space, the desire to dress like an astronaut is on the rise. The archives will remain available here for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |