Prototype Presentations

On Thursday, February 28, the students presented their first prototypes to faculty members and demonstrated their understanding of the interplay between the anatomy of the body and the garments.

First, Lauren presented her men's posture brace, assisted by her fit model. Her team's goal at the beginning of the semester was to create a product that focused more on rehabilitation (as opposed to the women's everyday bra) and improved posture. They made several changes to the original product including changing the fabric to a more athletic mesh, removing the channel / casing waistband to remove bulk, creating a wider outer cap sleeve, using elastic with silicone, increasing the length of the straps, and making it more manly. Their final prototype used a polyester / spandex blend for the main body part, 100% polyester side pieces, elastic with a silicone strip, and a velcro closure. Throughout the development process, the students realized the complexity and extensive time involved in prototyping. They also learned how important it was to work with the direction of the stretch in the fabrics in order to optimize key areas of the product.  Moving forward, the students would like to change the strap length to accomodate the small/medium/large size runs, use velcro as a way to adjust strap length, change the order of operations to be more productive, and make the straps wider (one inch rather than spaghetti straps). They would also like to accomodate a 10-inch height variable between sizes in order to account for varying torso lengths. The fit model also provided some insight (though the product was too small for him). He would like the product to keep the v-neck (rather than the scoop neck) and to be longer (reaching below his ribs). He also really liked the material.

Secondly, Curry, Morgan, and Laura presented their prototype for the women's posture bra. Their team's goal at the beginning of the semester was to create a bra that helps women with back and neck pain but is more aesthetically pleasing and fashionable without losing function. It was intended to be more preventive ("an everyday bra") than rehabilitative. Such a product would be more marketable, as it would appeal to a wider range of females. They made several changes to the original product including making a deep V-neck neckline, putting the straps closer together for more of a peek-a-boo shoulder, and making the breast cups more fitted. They also used fabric for the side panels that had less stretch than the front and back panels and a wide elastic band across the bottom (to fit closely to the body). The result was a sporty look that looks like a crop top and would definitely appeal to the athletic market. As they continue through the semester, the students plan to make a product that looks more like an undergarment (such as with lace overlays). They would also like to experiment with more structured cups (to make the chest look normal under everyday clothing). They will also need to work with grading in order to accomodate how body proportion affects garment fit. The class ended with a discussion on aesthetic and functional improvements; students and faculty debated the virtues of using silicone on the elastic, a thinner elastic band, a deeper V-neck, and a smaller front piece. Going forward, the students will need to work with more body types / proportions to test fit.