Assignment 2 - Ideation (Adoptive Clothes)

 

Griselda Jevon 

0353958

Bachelor of Fashion Design Technology (Hons) - Semester 4 

Adaptive Clothing (Taylor's University x NanoTextile)

Lecturers: Prof. Thomas Ong Poh Shing & Dr. Alshaimaa Alanadoly

To create final adaptive garments for people with disabilities, thorough research using both passive and active approaches is essential. It’s not enough to rely fully on online research, we must also explore the real market, understand the daily challenges faced by individuals, and determine the solutions needed. 

In week 7, Prof. Thomas organized a visit to a senior care facility for us to conduct site surveys and interviews. During this visit, we had to perform site surveys (passive approach) or conduct interviews (active approach) as outlined and identified in Assignment 1. The goal was to translate the results into functional design details. We were tasked with individually identifying and carrying out our assignments based on survey factors (passive approach) or interview questions (active approach) related to market acceptance and the lifestyle of our target group of people with disabilities. These activities directly impact our designs. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the visit because I was participating in Vietnam Junior Fashion Week. However, my friend helped me catch up on the information gathered during the visit. I also conducted in-depth research on the questions and solutions commonly addressed in this context.

Assignment Brief:

Investigation - Translating results into design 

• Survey/Interview based on factors or questions relating to the lifestyle, technicality and caregiving procedures
• All the factors or questions should be constructive and qualitative. They will be evaluated based on their technicality and purpose.
• Results (which are your findings or answers attained from either one of both types of approaches) are to be tabled including your judgment of your own design and its justification as to why you are designing it in the manner you conclude.
• Combining your ideations from Assignment 1 and further justified based on your results in Assignment 2, will affect your final design.

I started to do my research findings by collecting the frequently asked questions and doing deep research on the solutions I will propose on my garments. I divided the questions into three sections: lifestyle, technicality, and caregiving procedures. 

After compiling all the questions, I did research on what is on the market and what is missing and needs to be added. I compiled the responses/findings in the market along with the changes to my design and specifications I need to amend.

Overall Design Outcome 

Based on the findings, I summarize how the designs address the identified needs and preferences. The adaptive clothing collection includes: 

1) Men’s shirt with two-way openings using magnetic buttons on the center and collar-to-sleeve openings. (batwing sleeves).

2) Men’s pants with front opening and magnetic/snap closures, functional straps to assist caregivers in lifting thighs and legs.

3) Women’s vest with side and back openings using magnetic buttons. 

4) Women’s blouse with drawstring opening on neck and sleeves. 

These designs directly respond to the identified challenges and preferences, providing ease of dressing, comfort, and caregiver convenience. However, I made some changes to final garments 3 and 4 after consulting with my lecturer and getting feedback. Ms. Shaimaa said that the women's vest with the back opening is not functional, so we decided to change the opening to a stretchable neckline using ribbed fabric on the center front neck. While the last garment, I change the drawstring openings to zippers.

From this assignment, I learned how to adjust my garment designs based on the needs and solutions available in the market. It’s essential to conduct actual research on consumer needs, especially for people with disabilities, rather than designing based solely on our ideas. This research process has significantly improved the technical aspects of my garments, ensuring they meet the specific requirements of the target users.

Final Research Findings: