Student
Apparel Technical Design Students Present Final Projects in Design Thinking Capstone Course
In their senior capstone course (MPDV 4850, Design Thinking: Implementation) taught by Louise Wallace, students in the Bachelor of Science in Apparel Technical Design Program presented their final projects last week. Over two consecutive project-based courses, students used design thinking to research a technical design issue that called for product innovation. Congratulations to students Joscelyn Leal, Kassidy Marciel, Sriti Atharwee, Richard Cordova, Daisy Bernabe, Haley Shannon, Alice Lee, Kennedy Delaney, and Radhika Sharma.
The students developed a complete business strategy for their product and linked it to a specific brand and target market. Their business strategy detailed specifications, prototypes, experimentation methods, budget and costs, described sourcing strategies including a production timeline, and identified potential business partners to support and help them in their launch.
Inspired by a visit to Disneyland with her 7-year-old nephew, student Joscelyn Leal created Zipit Back, a jacket that doubles as a backpack, with just a few cinches and snaps. She designed it to hold content that weighs up to five pounds—that would have held her nephews snacks and drinks with room to spare. Her tagline is “Zipitpack has your back!”
Designed with protection and security in mind for women, student Kassidy Marciel created Defense Denim, a brand that utilizes Dyneema® Denim. The anti-rip material is 15 times stronger than steel and is impossible to tear with bare hands. The jeans have speciality pockets to carry self defense tools.
After spending time with a young family member who was diagnosed with autism, student Sriti Atharwee was inspired to create a child’s weighted vest in fun prints, replete with fidget toys that attach with lobster clips.
Student Richard Cordova identified Fear of God, Rag & Bone, and Liberal Youth Ministry as the main competitors of his brand, Akasha (a Sanskrit word that means “primary substance”). His pants come in three colorways, baby blue, jet black, and snow white, and he talked about product expansion to the women’s market.
Daisy Bernabe addressed the discomfort of bodysuits in the creation of her product, a crotchless body top. With its 4-way stretch tummy control waistband and anti-slip silicone elastic, it tucks into skirts and pants.
Addressing the need for the lack of pockets in current jackets on the market, Haley Shannon engineered a 100% nylon ripstop jacket for women hikers and travelers. She pointed out in her presentation that the outdoor community is represented prominently on TikTok, so she included the platform in her marketing strategy.
Alice Lee brought her personal experience into her project of creating a new approach for women chef performance apparel. She works at the Coin De Rue bakery in Koreatown that has been in her family for several generations. Recognizing the need for an update on the traditional chef jacket, she incorporated a moisture wicking fabric into the design.
Looking for fashionable utility pants on the market and coming up short, Kennedy Delaney created a comfortable six-pocket durable pant with elevated construction details.
She sees herself “designing menswear for women to wear and feel cool, confident, comfortable, and sexy.”
Radhika Sharma developed a paneled maternity dress with the tagline, “Comfort at every stage.” With special zip sides, the dress can be worn during each stage of pregnancy as well as post-birth.
This course was a continuation of MPDV 4600, Design Thinking: Research & Ideation, where students were challenged to come up with a project to address opportunities found in underserved markets, emerging technologies, or in global supply chain management. In that course, students defined a problem, ideated their concept for resolving it, and identified potential risks to implementation before presenting their solution for review.
The Bachelor of Science in Apparel Technical Design Program prepares students for a career in design engineering and product development for the global fashion industry. With hands-on training using industry-standard equipment, students learn how to take a sketch to a finished garment and experience a sequential curriculum that fosters creativity, technical expertise, critical literacy, and knowledge of innovative technologies. Students graduate with proficiency in prototype development, fit analysis, and supply chain management.
Categories: Apparel Technical Design Student
