Rethinking the Bra

THE CHALLENGE The traditional underwired bra can be uncomfortable and is not designed with the wearer in mind. Women are shifting to use comfortable yoga tops and bralettes, but these do not offer enough support or breathability. Women of a larger cup size are forced to sacrifice between comfort, support, and style. THE SOLUTION The partners are researching the needs of women by analysing the market, competitors and needs, creating a community of women that collaboratively provide suggestions and opinions. The results will combine, for the first time in a bra using cutting-edge 3D knitting technology with sustainable materials, the project intends to innovate the bra’s structure using seamless technology, adapting it to the user to create an extremely comfortable, breathable and sustainable bra without the traditional underwire structure. RETHINKING THE BRA is the goal of a team of three women who are on a mission to revolutionise bras. Essi is a service designer, researcher, and strategist, Stefanie is a bodywear designer and empowerment coach, Giulia is an interaction designer specialising in women’s healthcare and e-textiles. HOC LAB TECH is an innovation for footwear and textile development. It has been working since 2017, providing expertise in material development, design and innovation for different industries.