Inclusive and Sustainable Fashion Product-Service System for Evolving Bodies during / after Pregnancy

Media and fashion systems have shaped ideal and stereotyped female bodies, imposing an unattainable aesthetic image based on extreme slenderness, perfection, and tone, thus causing social anxieties, and unhealthy self-relationships. In 2019, Mental Health Foundation showed that 66% of UK women were affected by body dissatisfaction due to their bodies’ changes during maternity. This paper investigates mothers’ relation with their body image during/after pregnancy through a user-centred design approach. We surveyed 97 mothers and interviewed 2 perinatal psychologists and 2 body experts to understand methods of confidence-building during pregnancy and experience with maternity clothes. Based on the received feedback, we designed and empirically tested Nawale, an inclusive fitting garment adaptable to female bodies during/after pregnancy via (i) flexible auxetic textile patterns, (ii) lacing, and (iii) interlocking systems (connectors) from laser-cutting technologies. Users can co-design the garments customising on body shapes and preferences at the online virtual fashion platform. It allows users to preview the custom garments in a virtual fitting room and set a networked ondemand production. The resulting project aims at (i) tackling body image change and dissatisfaction of pregnant women, (ii) boosting self-confidence, and (iii) increasing diversity in fashion, toward inclusivity, and social/environmental sustainability.