Sci-fi costume can be divided into the same two categories. Second, there are dystopian societies that have regressed to resemble a historical era. First, there are those that imagine the progression of society towards a brighter, technologically enabled future. Science-fiction films tend to fall into two categories. Perhaps as a result of this enthusiastic adoption by the fashion world, they have become more closely associated with the 60s and the space-race aesthetic than with the future.

When these materials were incorporated into fashion by designers including Mary Quant and Paco Rabanne, they represented the height of fabric technology. Costumes such as those worn by Jane Fonda in Barbarella (1969) featured fabrics that were perceived as futuristic at the time, including metallic fibres and plastics. The minidresses that have survived Star Trek reboots are a homage to the 60s – the decade of the original series.

The 'futuristic' visions of some 60s and 70s sci-fi now have a retro feel. In hindsight, many of these prove inaccurate. In science fiction, the costume designers can only speculate as to what the fashions of the future may be. It therefore seems likely that sci-fi costumes such as these reflect the logical progression of fashion. It has become progressively more acceptable to wear ever more form-fitting garments and to expose the skin. Historically, fashion has tended towards being increasingly revealing.

Formz sci fi