This year marks the 50th anniversary of Moon Boot, which was born in 1969, and the brand is celebrating with a capsule collection in white and gold at Pitti Uomo. An exclusive limited-edition model covered in Swarovski crystals was also unveiled at the Florentine trade show on Wednesday at the opening of a special exhibition. In honor of its 50th birthday, we unearthed five interesting facts you probably didn’t know about Moon Boot.

1. The original was inspired by the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing.

Brand founder Giancarlo Zanatta drew inspiration from the shape and technology of the astronauts’ antigravity boots that were worn by Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin.

2. The first prototypes were created using nylon and polyurethane foam.

Modern-day Moon Boot styles are constructed from a waterproof nylon shell and faux leather, lined in felt, trimmed in faux fur and set on thermoplastic rubber soles.

3. It’s considered to be something of an icon.

In 2000, a panel of artists and experts from the Louvre Museum judged Moon Boot to be significant design object in the 20th century.

4. More than 25 million pairs have been sold to date.

Which makes it a household item.

5. The brand has partnered with high-end designers.

Over the years, Moon Boot has collaborated with a roster of big-name brands, with the most recent being Jeremy Scott last year. The list includes Moncler, MSGM, Jimmy Choo and Chanel.

Interestingly enough, moon landings are in fashion this season. On Friday, at London Fashion Week Men’s, Band of Outsiders debuted a short film showing teenagers watching Alan Shepard’s landing in 1971.

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