Communication-Wear: User Feedback as Part of a Co-Design Process

Communication-Wear is a clothing concept that augments the mobile phone by enabling expressive messages to be exchanged remotely, by conveying a sense of touch, and presence. It proposes to synthesise conventions and cultures of fashion with those of mobile communications, where there are shared attributes in terms of communication and expression. Using garment prototypes as research probes as part of an on-going iterative co-design process, we endeavoured to mobilise participants’ tacit knowledge in order to gauge user perceptions on touch communication in a lab-based trial. The aim of this study was to determine whether established sensory associations people have with the tactile qualities of textiles could be used as signs and metaphors for experiences, moods, social interactions and gestures, related to interpersonal touch. The findings are used to inspire new design ideas for textile actuators for use in touch communication in successive iterations

JENTIL: responsive clothing that promotes an ‘holistic approach to fashion as a new vehicle to treat psychological conditions’

This paper explores an ongoing interdisciplinary research project at the cutting edge of sensory, aroma and medical work, which seeks to change the experience of fragrance to a more intimate communication of identity, by employing emerging technologies with the ancient art of perfumery. The project illustrates .holistic' clothing called the JENTIL® Collection, following on from the Author’s SmartSecondSkin' PhD research, which describes a new movement in functional, emotional clothing that incorporates scent. The project investigates the emergent interface between the arts and biomedical sciences, around new emerging technologies and science platforms, and their applications in the domain of health and well-being. The JENTIL® Collection focuses on the development of .gentle., responsive clothing that changes with emotion, since the garments are designed for psychological end benefit to reduce stress. This is achieved by studying the mind and advancing knowledge and understanding of how known well-being fragrances embedded in holistic Fashion, could impact on mental health. This paper aims to combine applied theories about human well-being, with multisensory design, in order to create experimental strategies to improve self and social confidence for individuals suffering from depressive illnesses. The range of methodologies employed extends beyond the realm of fashion and textile techniques, to areas such as neuroscience, psychiatry, human sensory systems and affective states, and the increase in popularity of complementary therapies. In this paper the known affective potential of the sense of smell is discussed, by introducing Aroma-Chology as a tool that is worn as an emotional support system to create a personal scent bubble. around the body, with the capacity to regulate mood, physiological and psychological state and improve self-confidence in social situations. The clothing formulates a healing platform around the wearer, by creating novel olfactory experiences in textiles that are not as passive as current microencapsulated capsule systems generally are

Indoor off-body communication based on a textile multi-antenna system integrated in clothing for rescue workers

The paper presents a collection of slides that deals with indoor off-body communication based on a textile multi-antenna system integrated in clothing for rescue workers. It discusses the design and performance of circular-polarized and dual-polarized textile antennas

Tailored: Living through Wearable Design

Tailored is a graphic design experiment which explores clothing as communication. It tells the story of my life through my body and the “designed” skirts I wear. Clothing is a visual representation of who we are and what we do. Through Tailored I am pushing the boundaries of how people read what I wear. I have designed and made skirts that explicitly define (through words, fabric and image) the six main compartments of my life. This paper records and explores the visual experiences I create for those around me and myself. Tailored is a personal investigation of how clothing speaks about me through personally designed garments

A New Methodology for the Integration of Performance Materials into the Clothing Curriculum

This paper presents a model for integrating the study of performance materials into the clothing curriculum. In recent years there has been an increase in demand for stylish, functional and versatile sports apparel. Analysts predict this will reach US$126.30 billion by 2015. This growth is accredited to dramatic lifestyle changes and increasing participation in sports/leisurely pursuits particularly by women. The desire to own performance clothing for specific outdoor pursuits is increasing as it becomes more mainstream and affordable. There is a distinct blurring of lines as fashion/clothing designers enter the niche market of performance apparel. This results in a strong business case for embedding advanced product development and the study of performance materials into the undergraduate curriculum for mainstream clothing students. Traditionally modules within Higher Education are taught as discrete subjects. This has advantages since it enables students to develop knowledge and skills specific to each individual elements of the subject discipline. The expectation is that students will integrate, connect and make sense of all the discrete elements within the various elements of their learning during their studies. Whilst this is the ideal scenario, in practice often the first opportunity to integrate the various elements with a project occurs at final year, through a major project. The purpose of the model presented in the paper was to integrate sections of the curriculum previously taught as separate entities into a single element at second year, using a blended learning approach combining both practice and theory. Thus, providing the opportunity for student to synthesize the knowledge obtained in various elements of their studies and develop an understanding of emerging and new technologies relevant to the creation of specific end-products much earlier within their studies. A series of weekly guest lectures were provided with experts in relation to clothing comfort, advanced textiles, marketing, costing, garment realisation, advanced sewing technology, and innovative design. The students worked in teams to produce a range of garments for specific outdoor pursuits, underpinned by appropriate research. An integrated approach to teaching was adopted as the various team members simultaneously worked on testing performance materials, joining technically advanced fabrics, developing the design and specific stylelines based on ergonomics and investing novel construction methods. This challenged not only academic skills but also lifeskills - teamwork, organisation, communication, negotiation, and problem solving. Teams had to test, re-test and negotiate the most appropriate performance material, joining method, styleline and construction method to make the product fit for the selected advanced application. The model differs from others in its approach in a number of ways: firstly by utilising fully integrated team teaching, engaging a diverse range of subject experts which enabled the students to extend their network beyond the programme team, reinforcing research informed teaching and the teaching/learning nexus. Secondly active learning was employed as a means of challenging the learner, thus developing life/subject skills through establishing systematic connections of the different elements of their learning. Finally, in establishing knowledge-transfer thorough peer-support and networking, knowledge was exchanged between students as they progressed through the development stages. This paper presents a successful model of blended learning which integrates research, technology, design and practical skills underpinned by the advanced study of textiles which is essential to any clothing curriculum. Keywords: curriculum design, performance materials, product developmen

Reconstruction of Clothing Menak Sunda Media Planting Values Culture Local Wisdom Sunda

The scope of this study relates to the reconstruction of the Sunda ethnic clothing, especially in Bandung marvelous fashion with the intention to reinvest the values of local wisdom Sundanese culture. On Sunda marvelous fashion reconstruction used an experimental method with the following stages: a. Making fashion design Menak Sunda, b. Selection of materials/ material, c. Manufacture of clothing Menak Sunda/ Bandung. Experimental method used to reintroduce a form of fashion Menak Bandung to the public. The results showed that clothing menak Sundanese source can be found in museums Prabu GESAN Ulun is Menak Clothing Bandung. Reconstruction fashion Menak also functions as a medium in instilling the values of local wisdom of Sundanese culture, especially related to the fashion area of Indonesia. Clothing is a cultural phenomenon in a culture, because it is through the visual language/ visualization of clothing, it can be studied, explored and revealed the values contained therein. It also can be a communication medium that has a historical past and the meaning of positive values for the local culture then submitted at the present or future

The impact of brand communication on brand equity through Facebook

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to fill the gap in the discussion of the ways in which firm-created and user-generated social media brand communication impacts consumer-based brand equity metrics through Facebook. Design/methodology/approach: We evaluated 302 data sets that were generated through a standardized online-survey to investigate the impact of firm-created and user-generated social media brand communication on brand awareness/associations, perceived quality, and brand loyalty across 60 brands within three different industries: non-alcoholic beverages, clothing, and mobile network providers. We applied structural equation modeling techniques (SEM) to investigate the effects of social media brand communication on consumers’ perception of brand equity metrics, as well as in an examination of industry-specific differences. Findings: The results of our empirical studies showed that both firm-created and user-generated social media brand communication influence brand awareness/associations; whereas, user-generated social media brand communication had a positive impact on brand loyalty and perceived brand quality. Additionally, there are significant differences between the industries being investigated. Originality/value: This article is pioneering in that it exposes the effects of two different types of social media brand communication (i.e., firm-created and user-generated social media communication) on consumer-based brand equity metrics, a topic of relevance for both marketers and scholars in the era of social media. Additionally, it differentiates the effects of social media brand communication across industries, which indicate that practitioners should implement social media strategies according to industry specifics to lever consumer-based brand equity metrics

Studio Showcase - Perceptual Thinkers

Perceptual Thinkers draws inspiration from the behaviour and clothing preferences of people living with autism. Its clothing lines aim to give an insight into this specialist perception by using stimulating fabrics and playful design patterns to experience clothing as a sensorial phenomenon. It believes that the clothes are a means of communication - that the way we dress is the way we interact with other people. And that clothes are capable of serving many different needs, either completely ordinary or special ones. Because they follow the ethos of design for all, these clothes are as suitable for neurotypical people as for those who are affected by autism. They are not medical aids nor are they fully conceptual clothes - they aim for something in between. Their goal is to spread the notion of conscious shopping , so as much background information as possible is provided about the products

Fractal Antennas for Wearable Applications

This chapter focuses on the design and fabrication of different types of flexible and inflexible wearable fractal for modern wireless applications with body-area-networks (BANs). A wearable antenna is intended to be a part of clothing used for modern wireless communication purposes. Fractal technology allowed us to design compact antennas and integrate multiple communication services into one device. The proposed antennas were simulated and measured by CST simulator version 2017 and Agilent N9918A VNA respectively. Furthermore, these antennas were fabricated using folded copper. The measured results agree well with the simulated results

My knot : social design project for awareness of mental discomfort

My Knot is a social design project, which embrace various subjects like psychology, social design, semiotic language to define an artistic product that include clothing design and textile design, video design and set design. The project, wants to define a new social design activity, a visual and sound event, which aim is to represent mental discomfort through a new clothing design concept of responsibility and communicative action, where the choreography and video became non-verbal communication through a dance performance. The whole performance project and design products dwells on social communication and awareness through expressive language based on semantic codification of specific features and feelings of mental discomfort like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Therefore, semiotic analysis of Obsessive and compulsive body language, symptoms or emotions drove me to identify shapes, materials, images and rhythms that becomes referential symbols and metaphors to describe a range of mental discomfort issues. The performance is then, translator of emotions and awareness tools for social issue where, each product thus contributes to confer the whole performance the referential tools necessary to establish a common language between the inner discomfort and society (the audience). My Knot project and design features promote a new way of thinking about social design, where the issue is not physical issue but psychic and that awareness- raising action must be crated to enable the incentive to whole community to understand the issue and not just center around assisting the individual suffere