Submitted by Modsocks
When they created their unique space socks, ModSocks shot for the stars and ended up hitting Mars.
The brand’s novelty socks are worn onscreen by actress Hilary Swank for her role as an astronaut on a mission to Mars throughout the new Netflix series “Away,” which premiered Sept. 4.
The fun space-themed socks appear on Swank’s feet in her lead role as Commander Emma Green. She wears ModSocks’ Solar System socks, which show the planets as they orbit the sun, as well as ModSocks’ Constellations socks, which depict a starry night sky.
“We were so excited to see them on the screen. These socks are really special,” said Urania Shaklee, owner and lead sock designer for the Bellingham, Wash.-based sock brand.
ModSocks sells more than 200 novelty sock designs. Among them are the now-famous Solar System socks, which are available in both knee high and men’s crew, and the Constellations socks, which come in women’s crew, men’s crew and knee high.
So how did ModSocks end up on Swank’s feet?
To research her role, Swank said she spent time with consultant Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut who has also appeared on “The Big Bang Theory.” Swank’s character Emma Green is a wife and mother who must leave her family behind for a dangerous mission in space.
Massimino was able to help Swank focus on getting the small details of the role just right, and made her realize that astronauts can be surprisingly down-to-earth.
“I think in the past, the idea of playing an astronaut was very specific and there was a stereotype of what we imagined, but Mike was so human,” she said in an article on CollectSpace.com. “For example, he had on these space socks. I loved that an astronaut was wearing space socks and they were funny. His socks really went with his personality. So I went and bought socks and that became part of my character.”
“Away” deals with themes of being isolated and missing your loved ones, something that seems especially relevant during the current pandemic.
For Shaklee, her designs are a way to bring people “the socks they’ve been missing.” Her brick-and- mortar store has closed temporarily due to COVID-19, but her staff has remained employed thanks to their website that sells ModSocks along with other novelty sock brands.
“It has been tough,” said employee Andrea Farrell. “We miss our customers and we know they are missing the human connection and the experience of buying socks in person.”
During its closure, the sock store has undergone remodeling, and is ready to eventually reopen bigger and better than ever. Farrell said she hopes this newfound notoriety will give the business a boost, both nationally and on a local level.
Swank’s choice of space socks that were designed in Bellingham hits close to home for the brand.
“Hilary Swank grew up here in Bellingham and the city is incredibly proud of her,” Farrell said. “The local ice cream parlor even has a flavor named after her.”
It seems that perhaps Swank’s choice of socks was written in the stars.
“My name ‘Urania’ actually comes from the Greek muse of astronomy, so I feel a special connection to space,” Shaklee said. “I made these socks to appeal to people like me, so all the details like the stars in the constellations or Saturn’s rings had to look just right. My assistant designer Camila Wilde and I put countless hours in the research and development of these styles, aiming to achieve the most accurate depiction of outer space possible on socks. I’ve already binged Away and it is clear the producers have a similar dedication to accuracy in their work.”
You can catch a glimpse of ModSocks’ stellar space socks in “Away,” which premiered on Netflix Sept. 4, but that might not be the last time you see them floating through a spaceship on somebody’s feet.
“Maybe one day the socks will actually be worn in space,” Farrell said.
