A Design Development of Racing Car Suits for Female Drivers

Modern-day car racing remains a dangerous sport full of extreme injuries, collisions and fires. A protective racing suit as a safety measure plays a vital role in any professional racing sport. However, available racing suits on the market are claimed as unisex but created based on man's body type. This study is aimed at investigating female racing car drivers' special clothing needs and proposing several practical solutions to fulfill their expectations. The FEA Consumer Needs Model (Lamb & Kallal, 1992) and Functional Clothing Design Process (DeJonge, 1984) were adopted as a theoretical framework. An online survey and in-depth focus group discussion including interviews with professional female racers and brands sales representatives were conducted. Results indicated that compared to a unisex racing suit, a female-specific racing suit should be developed in narrower shoulder, waist width and allow more room in chest, hip and crotch area to better fit female racers' bodies. To fulfill female racers' expressive and aesthetic needs, feminine details could be added to the design such as fancy stitching, floral patterns and a princess line. This study developed a prototype for a full hourglass body type female racer in size M. The research results will help guide apparel designers and manufacturers to meet the unique needs of female racing car drivers.