Functional Cuts
Our everyday life is becoming more active and the activities we perform influence the way we dress. Due to an increase in activities undertaken in an urban environment, demands are changing and the need for active wear that meets the new demands follow suit. The four characters represented in the research can be seen as a reflection of the functional features needed, including base layer, mid layer/insulation and shell.Despite the increase in activities, most of our clothes are still constructed on static dummies or drafted on a table in 2D and the main developments within the active sportswear field is driven by material innovation. By creating garments on a body in movement, my aim is to develop new functions and expression in active sportswear through construction.Construction methods in active sportswear are examined and understood through observations and reconstructions and constitute the foundation of a study of movement for a design recovery.The movement and features required for leading an active urban life sets the direction of the development of new func- tional garments. A series of trial and error sessions and draping fabric on a live model in movement created the prototypes used in functionality tests to establish their feasibility. The functionality of the fabric and the form needed in urban lifestyle is explored in terms of relationship to a reduced, intuitive construction to challenge the norm of aesthetics in active sportswear. Meeting the demands of the conscious urban inhabitants regarding sustainability and style challenges this further.