Sportswear design and the human body

Considerations of the inter-relationship between the body and sportswear are an essential part of the design process, not just in terms of fit but how the clothes affect the body's ability to function.

To fully understand the needs of the end user you should have some knowledge of human movement to inform garment cutting. Aspects of human physiology to inform the types of material used in the design detail and material selection.

Once we have put on our clothes we don't feel them anymore, unless we think about them, this is the body adapting. It also occurs with people who wear contact lenses it sounds horrible but after a period of acclimitization, wearing them for longer and longer periods each day, they become desensitized to them.

The same should be true for the clothes you design for sports. They shouldn't cause any irritation in use, the sportsmen should feel that they haven't got them on!