Smart Wearables / Pearlfisher
Any young person will tell you that the way they dress is a crucial means
of self-expression and an assertion of their identity. Ask a disabled person
and they’ll say that the need for fashionable clothing increases in direct
proportion to the severity of disability and is a vital way of confronting
and overcoming prejudice. Pearlfisher
worked with a sharp and stylish young group of users who said what they
wanted in no uncertain terms. The result is a clothing collection that is
seriously hot and seriously cool and is a boon on a cold winter’s night
for people of all ages at risk of hypothermia. How Do They Work? The collection
features OUTLAST- a temperature regulating micro thermal fabric developed
by NASA which works in
the following way:
- Excess heat generated
by the body is absorbed by the fabric - Heat is distributed
throughout the fabric reducing hot and cold spots - When necessary
this stored heat is released back to the body so that the temperature
is always just right
Pearlfisher worked
with a group of young users with physical and visual disabilities to develop
a collection that is sharp, stylish, easy to wear and crucially easy to
put on and take off. Great attention has been paid to fastenings and openings
– zips are strategically placed for carer-assisted dressing and maximum
comfort for wheelchair users. Magnetic buttons and Velcro make fastening
garments a breeze for visually impaired consumers while LED and reflective
strip features add excitement and added safety when they are out walking.
Pockets have been integrated to allow mobile phones to be stored yet always
within reach. This modular collection includes both formal and informal
wear for all seasons and allows the wearer to flexibly chose their look
for the day and the occasion. The garments were highly praised by the
models for their style, inbuilt flexibility and lightweight qualities
and the crucial fact that they met both their emotional and functional
needs.
SOURCE : http://www.hhrc.rca.ac.uk/
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