"Because everybody does so, or in other words the unspoken rules of society so dictate." Comfort, with larger breast they can often be quite uncomfortable and cause back pain. "To hide nipples that poke through clothing." "Because I hate the thought of my breasts sagging so much." "I need to wear bras for my job since it's the dress code." "...wearing a bra... has no medical necessity whatsoever", If this is the case do we need certain technology or can it just be purley for fashion. "A mistaken popular belief maintains that wearing a bra strengthens your breasts and prevents their eventual sagging. But you sag because of the proportion of fat and tissue in your breasts, and no bra changes that." “I can’t get a bra that fits correctly, and if they do they don’t look very nice! They’re chunky and everything that made it delicate has been changed. “I have really small boobs and it’s just as hard to find a bra my size that fits right. I might aswell not wear one”
The design of the bra i will be creating is very important. I wanted to look a how different designs in order to come up with my own design of how i could create i universal bra that caters for every need in every size. I looked at the Curvessense bra. A new technology that no longer uses wire but foam to support the breast. This is something that will play a huge part into my reseach as it is a wireless bra i hope to create.
Aiming to create a design that used less less materials Nike has come up with “Fly Knit”. The result is an upper that felt like a sock but had the strength and support of the best running footwear. The shoe excelled in terms of both performance and sustainable design. This Technology could be transfered over to bra design to create a strong, supportive and comfy design.
Nylon/spandex satin knit: Satin knits are lightweight and commonly used to make panties. You may also find them in the costume or special occasion section of your local fabric store. Powermesh/powernet: Powermesh comes in many weights and qualities. Some women will need a heavier weight powermesh. I like medium weights if I can find them. They are soft and drape well but strong enough. Very lightweight powermeshes are useful as a lining for stretchier band fabrics but are really only good for the lightest of bras or even knickers. (The ladyshorts photo in my sidebar is made from a lightweight printed powermesh.) Mesh: Lingerie mesh is commonly used in panties, creating breathable, light and sheer panels. It is a light and delicate fabric that does not add much bulk, and can be used to provide light linings in bralettes, nighties, or panties. It can also be used to back lace, to maintain a sheer look while giving more strength and stability
Cups of Smart Memory Bra are made from special high- tech memory foam, which reacts to body temperature and moulds perfectly to the woman’s curves, thus fitting her individual, unique body shape. It moves with the woman’s body and feels natural, like second skin. When cold, the material stiffens, but upon touching your skin, it turns soft and comfortably pleasant again.
As part of my research i wanted to look into branding and how i could later market my concept to my audience. These are some of the images i collected of branding that interested me most. Some of these methods are very invete.
Creating a strong brand identity is just as important as the product. With each other neither can hope to excel to their best potential.
These are my developed design, specifically created to suit and mold to any shape breast. The elastic up the side will be used to mold the power net around the female bust. The reinforced powermesh will provide extra support for the bust. To save on the cost in the future lace motif and prints will change the look of the garments each season buit the basic shape will stay the same.
This is my material development experimenting weaving a metal fibre within the powermesh knit to make it stronger. This would then be bonded with a softer layer next to the skin for comfort.
This shows the structure of where the knit will be tighter.
Top Layer: Powermesh/ Metal fibre knited together allowing strecth around the bust Bottom Layer/ Nest to skin: Stretch bonding that will be soft next to the skin and also allows the fabric to keep its stretch.
For the areas of the breast that need more suppoort there are areas of the knit that could be made tighter. This drawing below shows how small sections of the knit could be tighter to provide more support.
Using lace motif means that with each season the designs can easily be changed to keep down cost, these are just a few designs of motif that can be used.
A collection of bras in both classic and colour with matching panties and nightwear created in a speacial knit that offers comfort and support. The collection is suited for all bra sizes in each shape. The strong knit gives the strength needed to support the wait of the breast, but also fit around those with a smaller bust. These delicate pieces will not only serve a purpose but also statisfy that all important purpose to please asthetically.
Reflecting on the group project of this module, it was very interesting and beneficial. The task at hand was very challenging and encouraged us to think outside the box away from just designing clothes. It also helped open my mind to new ideas from those with a different skill set. This also gave me the opportunity to learn about there skills set allowing me to expand mine. This module has developed my skills for working in a team with new individuals, it has advanced my skills to make group decisions and to respect and listen to everyone opinion in order to get the best outcome. From this task I have learned how to give and take constructive criticism from other members to help improve my work as both and individual and a group. With these skills and improvements I have successfully been able to develop in my individual project further than in previous years. Taking on board the opinions and criticisms from tutors but also fellow students has allowed me to excel on the areas I wasn’t able to improve on my own. From this task I have realised that I have strengths in the roles of leadership as I have good organization skills. I also enjoy listening to new ideas different to my own and figuring out ways these can be combined to get the best outcome. If we were to complete the group task again, I would suggest deciding on the roles for the team much sooner, the short time frame made it hard to achieve the best outcome. More time would have benefited us in both our research and as a team as some areas weren’t quite as focused as others. As something that affects me personally, I immediately know what I wanted to focus on for my individual project however, finding an area to begin my research proved difficult. I feel that although trying not to I ultimately think of the final outcome this was already in my head and this has may have hindered to possibility of developing more outcomes from my research.