Innovative Industry Project
Programme：Bachelor of Fashion Design Technology
Module：DST64604 INNOVATIVE INDUSTRY PROJECT
Semester：SEPTEMBER 2025 – JANUARY 2026
Lecturers：Dr.Alshaimaa Alanadoly & Ms.Tracy Vollbrecht
Student Name：WEI HONG BIN
Student ID：0367238
Week 1
In Week 1 of the Innovative Industry Project module, I was introduced to the overall structure, objectives, and expectations of Assignment I, which focuses on project and design research within the context of adaptive fashion. The lecture emphasized the importance of understanding adaptive fashion as a human-centred and inclusive design approach, particularly for people with disabilities.
This week’s content helped me gain a clearer understanding of the target user group, especially individuals with Cerebral Palsy, and highlighted the need to look beyond aesthetics when designing clothing. Key discussions focused on the physical, emotional, and social challenges faced by this group, as well as how clothing can impact comfort, independence, dignity, and self-expression.
I also learned that thorough consumer research, including demographic, psychographic, cultural, and environmental factors, is essential before moving into the design stage. The Malaysian context, such as climate and cultural dressing norms, was highlighted as an important consideration in adaptive fashion design. Overall, Week 1 laid a strong foundation for my research direction and helped me understand how this project will connect research insights to meaningful and functional design solutions in later stages of the module.
Week 2
This week focused on understanding the adaptive fashion market in greater depth. During the lecture, we explored the size of the adaptive market, different consumer groups, and the roles involved in the purchasing process. We also discussed current trends in adaptive fashion, both within Asia and at a global level, which helped me see how this sector is developing across different regions.
In the practical session, we worked in groups to identify potential target market segments and started initial research on user needs by reviewing existing adaptive fashion products. Through this process, I realised that identifying real user pain points requires more than general assumptions. It highlighted the need for clearer research parameters and more detailed market data to ensure that future design decisions are truly user-centred.
Week3
In Week 3, our lecturer organised a panel-style session where we had the opportunity to learn directly from staff members of GAPS Malaysia, an organisation that works closely with children with Cerebral Palsy. This session was especially valuable as it provided real-life insights into the daily challenges faced by individuals with CP when wearing regular clothing.
The speakers explained how limited mobility, muscle stiffness, involuntary movements, posture issues, and the use of assistive devices such as wheelchairs or braces make conventional clothing difficult to wear. They also highlighted common problems such as toileting difficulties and sensory sensitivities, including discomfort caused by seams, fabric textures, and heat. These challenges helped me better understand why standard fashion solutions often fail to meet the needs of this user group.
The session also clarified what makes clothing truly “adaptive”, such as the use of easy closures, open-back designs, soft and stretchable fabrics, and additional space for medical or assistive devices. Key design principles like accessibility, comfort, safety, dignity, and customisation were emphasised. Overall, this week deepened my understanding of adaptive fashion from a user-centred perspective and reinforced the importance of designing with empathy and real user needs in mind.
Week 4
This week focused on preparing for our upcoming field research. During the lecture, we learned how to structure interview questions and plan observation methods to collect meaningful and ethical user insights. This helped me understand the importance of careful preparation before conducting any fieldwork.
In the practical session, we worked in groups to design adaptive creative activities for children with Cerebral Palsy using tie-dye and stencil painting. We carefully selected non-toxic and skin-safe paints to ensure that the activities would not cause any harm to the children. In addition, we prepared simple and easy-to-use stencils, such as star and circle shapes, to encourage creative expression while minimizing physical difficulty. We also provided disposable gloves to maintain hygiene and make the activity more comfortable for the participants.
This experience made me more aware of how small design decisions can significantly impact accessibility and user comfort. It reinforced my understanding that effective design must balance creativity with practicality, and that attention to detail is essential when working with users with specific physical needs.
During this week, we also had the opportunity to visit children with Cerebral Palsy in person. I focused my observation on one child, Daniel, an eight-year-old boy with significant muscle stiffness. Daniel is unable to fully extend or raise his arms, which makes the dressing process particularly challenging. I observed that when caregivers help him get dressed, regular clothing often restricts movement and requires repeated adjustments, causing both physical strain and longer dressing time.
This direct observation made me realise that my earlier research lacked sufficient attention to real-life dressing habits and caregiver involvement. Seeing the challenges faced during the actual dressing process highlighted the importance of designing garments that support limited arm mobility and reduce dependency during daily routines. This experience revealed gaps in my previous research and showed me the need to further supplement my findings with more detailed, observation-based insights.
Week 6
This week, I was introduced to various methods and techniques used in adaptive fashion design. The lecture covered different approaches such as universal design, adaptive design, and clothing modification, which helped me understand how designers can respond to diverse user needs through different design strategies. We also discussed possible product development pathways and how research insights can be translated into practical design solutions.
During the tutorial session, Assignment II was introduced, marking the transition from research to design development. The task requires us to transform our research findings into functional adaptive clothing designs while exploring innovative design details. As I began developing my concepts, I found myself concerned about maintaining a balance between creativity and functionality. This made me realise that innovative ideas must still be grounded in real user needs and practical considerations.
Moving forward, I plan to study more successful adaptive fashion examples to better understand how designers resolve this balance and to ensure that my own designs are both creative and feasible.
Week 7
This week, our focus was on design development and careful consideration of user needs. The lecture highlighted key aspects such as fit, the dressing process, and accessibility, which are essential in adaptive fashion.
During the practical tutorial, we moved into the collaborative design phase. Our group proposed experimental design solutions to address the pain points of our target users, exploring different details and creating initial prototypes. The lecturer also shared children’s measurement charts, including chest, waist, and other key dimensions, which helped us understand how to make our designs better suited to the actual body sizes of our target users.
Through this process, I realized that design is iterative: each adjustment or refinement is an opportunity to better meet the users’ needs. Testing and revising prototypes taught me that even small changes can significantly improve usability, comfort, and overall functionality.
Week 8
This week, I first confirmed my design solutions through one-on-one discussions and officially began the prototyping process. In the subsequent practical classes, I advanced the experimental phase of my individual design solutions. From creating the design sketches to selecting suitable materials, every step required carefully balancing functionality and aesthetics. During the process, we encountered material compatibility issues, which required repeated testing and adjustments.
By the end of the week, I had completed my design concept, including both a basic version suitable for an eight-year-old child and a modified version specifically for Daniel. My concept is inspired by a classic fencing jacket but transformed into a short-sleeved adaptive design. The front panel is detachable, and both short sleeves can be opened with zippers. This allows Daniel, who cannot fully raise his arms, to be dressed or undressed easily by his caregiver without causing discomfort.
Through this process, I realized that prototyping is essential for validating the design, and even small details—like sleeve openings or panel attachments—can make a significant difference in usability and comfort for the user.
This week, we completed our third and final interaction with the target consumers, testing the actual wearing effect of our design samples. We carefully observed how the garments performed, noted issues, and discussed possible directions for improvement. The process reminded me that design cannot stay on paper—it must be continuously refined based on real-life usage and user feedback.
I have now finished this set of adaptive clothing and am preparing for the next week’s visit to Daniel. During that session, he will have the opportunity to try on the garment, allowing me to see firsthand how well it works for him and identify any areas that might need further adjustment. This step will be crucial for ensuring that the final design is both functional and comfortable for the user.
Week 10
This week, Daniel had the opportunity to try on the adaptive garment I designed. Observing him wearing it, I could see that the design was indeed very convenient—both for putting on and taking off the clothing, which confirmed that the detachable front panel and zippered sleeves worked as intended.
However, the fitting test also highlighted a few areas for improvement. The neckline felt too tight for Daniel, whose neck muscles are stiff, making it slightly uncomfortable. Additionally, the sleeves could be shortened a little to allow for even easier movement and dressing. This feedback reminded me that even a well-functioning design can always be refined, and real user testing is essential to identify the small but important adjustments that make the clothing truly comfortable and practical.
Week 11
This week, I focused on refining the adaptive garments based on the feedback from Daniel’s fitting session. I made the necessary adjustments to the first set and also finalized the production directions for the second and third sets. Since other aspects of the designs were working well, I decided to concentrate on improving the sleeves for these new sets.
For the second set, I modified the sleeve openings by replacing the zippers with Velcro fasteners to see if this would make dressing even more comfortable and convenient. For the third set, I extended the short sleeves into long sleeves, also using Velcro, to better suit rainy weather or cooler indoor environments. I also created detailed technical drawings for both sets to guide the production process and ensure that all adjustments could be accurately implemented.
This week reinforced the importance of iterative design: small changes, like adjusting sleeve closures or length, can have a big impact on comfort and usability for the user.
Week 12
This week, I began working on the second set of adaptive clothing. While developing the garment, I noticed some issues with the pattern that made the fit less than ideal. To address this, I consulted Dr. Alshaimaa for guidance. With her feedback, I was able to adjust the pattern and make it more suitable for the target user.
This experience reminded me of the importance of seeking expert advice when facing challenges and reinforced that prototyping is an iterative process. Even small changes to the pattern can significantly improve comfort and usability, which is essential for adaptive clothing design.
This week, I completed the third and final set of adaptive clothing, which features long sleeves for cooler environments. During the construction, I made a mistake by adding too much Velcro on the sleeves, which caused them to feel stiff and uncomfortable for the wearer. To fix this, I removed some of the Velcro, reducing the coverage area, which immediately improved the flexibility and comfort of the sleeves. This experience reinforced the importance of testing every design detail and reminded me that even small elements, like the amount of Velcro, can have a big impact on usability. Iterative adjustment is essential to ensure that the garment is truly comfortable and practical for the user.
Additionally, Ms. Tracy conducted an online presentation session, during which I presented my design progress. I explained the challenges in the market, my proposed solutions, and the materials used in the garments. I also shared the Tech Pack (technical specification sheet) to demonstrate the construction details and ensure that my designs could be accurately produced. This session gave me valuable feedback and helped me reflect on how to communicate design ideas effectively to industry professionals.
This week marked the final week of the project. I completed all three sets of adaptive clothing and finalized the design concept, including the identified market gaps, the problems addressed, the proposed solutions, and the technical drawings and flat sketches for each garment.
I then had the opportunity to present my work to the caregivers at GAPS, who look after children with Cerebral Palsy. During the presentation, I showcased the garments and explained the design rationale, highlighting how each solution addresses specific challenges faced by the children and their caregivers. This session was very rewarding, as it allowed me to receive direct feedback from the people who will actually use or assist with the garments, and it reinforced the importance of designing with empathy and practicality in mind.
Completing the project has been an invaluable experience, helping me understand the iterative process of adaptive fashion design, from research and prototyping to user testing and final presentation.
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