Masters Thesis

A Design Development of Racing Car Suits for Female Drivers

Competitive car racing is a high-risk sport which requires the protective racing suits to provide ideal protection for wearers. Since the sport still remains a male-dominated sport, the current available racing suits on the market are made based on a man's body type. With the fast-growing number of female racing car drivers, the needs of appropriate female racing suits are increasing. It is necessary to develop female-specific suits that can offer protection for female drivers. The study goal is to investigate female racers' clothing needs and propose several practical solutions to meet their demands. The study employed FEA Consumer Needs Model (Lamb & Kallal, 1992) and Functional Clothing Design Process (DeJonge, 1984) 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 showed that female racing athletes considered the expressive and aesthetic factors as important as functional factors. Compared to a unisex racing suit, a female-specific racing suit should feature a narrower shoulder and waist, allow more room in the chest, hip and crotch area to achieve a better fitting effect. Feminine details such as fancy stitching, floral patterns, and a princess line were suggested to improve the expressive and aesthetic attributes of the suits. This study created a prototype for a full hourglass body type female racer in size M. The research findings will help guide apparel designers to meet the unique needs of female racing car drivers.

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