Transitions
performance maternity apparel
The final accumulation of the Master of Sports Product Design degree resulting in the creation of a collection that addresses a particular need in the market.
TRANSITIONS: Brand Promise
SEAMLESS
ADJUSTABLE
DYNAMIC
Provide female athletes with adjustable training garments that will accommodate the body’s growth, offer targeted support, solve for thermoregulation & provide comfort & style through all three trimesters & beyond.
Wool, a natural fiber, is used in our products for its abilities to manage moisture & body temperature while eliminating exposure to chemicals found in synthetic materials.
In an effort to extend the longevity of maternity apparel, these items have been carefully designed & constructed to adjust to a women’s changing shape to provide less product with more adjustability, style & versatility.
"The sports industry allows for men to have a full career and when women decide to have a baby it pushes women out at their prime."
Alysia Montana Middle Distancce Runner Team USA
“There’s so much risk involved with our jobs that I think it’s just an automatic assumption that if you get pregnant you’re not going to do what you do anymore.”
Kimmy Fasani Professional Snowboarder
gender
inequality
IN
SPORTS
THE ATHLETE
More women are choosing to start families at the height of their careers
"There's so much risk involved with our jobs that I think it's just an automatic assumption that if you get pregnant you're not going to do what you do anymore,"
Kimmy Fasani Professional Snowboarder
30
Peak age of female
marathon runners
36
Peak age of female
long course triathletes
39
Peak age of female
ultra runners
20-35
Biologically optimal
for child bearing
Having a baby does not end careers
Just ask these women
Paula Radcliff
16 year marathon world record holder
Kristin Armstrong
Most decorated U.S. female cyclist of all time
Mary Keitany
One of Kenya's most accomplished runners
Marit Bjorgen
Most successful cross country skier of all time
ATHLETE INSIGHTS
When it comes to performance maternity apparel there are just not good options
Gwen Jorgensen
"size was a major issue for swim suits.
I hate two pieces but was forced to wear them."
Julia Webb
"...I started to outgrow any long sleeve s
options so I started wearing my husbands..."
Tara Welling
"Maternity activewear is very hard to find.
I sized up but then nothing ever fits right."
Lauren Goss
"I'm finding that I need a good
bra with more support."
Sara Gross
"I wore a belly band but there is a lot
of room for improvement, its very basic."
THE PROBLEM
When it was once considered career ending to have a child, more pro athletes are proving that they can have both a successful career & a family. These hight performing mothers need hight performing training apparel. With no athletic companies fulfilling those needs there is an opportunity here. TRANSITIONS intends to fulfill those needs.
THE MATERNITY MARKET
Activewear is a hugely underrepresented category & has enormous potential for growth
$18.3
billion
Current maternity
market size
$24.5
billion
Predicted increase by year 2025
11%
Birthrate increase
for 30+ demographic
19.2%
Women in the US pop.
who exercise everyday
0
Sports companies
offering maternity
The Market Landscape
Identifying the areas of opportunity
INTENTION
This collection will provide female athletes with adjustable training garments that will accommodate the body's growth, offer targeted support, solve for thermoregulation & provide comfort & style through all three trimesters & beyond.
athlete outcome
Invest in yourself. Exercise is good for the mother & the baby. High quality, versatile exercise garments that can be worn for the entire pregnancy & beyond encourages women to commit to staying active through their pregnancies.
materials
Cut down on the waste created by the apparel industry & reduce exposure to toxins & chemicals found in synthetic fabrics
Wool is the Natural Choice
strength & resilience
Wool fibers can stretch up to 30% their natural length before breaking, making them both lightweight & durable
Better for the planet
Wool is natural as it is grown by sheep which means it is also renewable & biodegradable
Temperature management
The structure of wool fibers trap air which keeps the wearer warm & evaporation keeps the wearer cool
Sun Protection
Wool has natural built in sunblock that protects from UV & UVB rays with an SPF of +30
moisture management
The fibers have an extremely high absorbency that pulls moisture to the surface while still feeling dry to the touch
odor resistanct
Lanoline, an oil that naturally occur in wool is antibacterial, reducing the growth of odor causing bacteria
THE ACTIVITIES
Aerobic exercise recommended as safe to engage in while pregnant, also the three sports that make up a triathlon
swim
bike
recover
run
Mood / inspiration
Undulating lines created by built in structural support & adjustability creates its own aesthetic language
sketching ideation
Generating ideas around silhouette
prototype development
Working on a dress form to develop silhouettes that worked both on a body that was "pregnant" & "not pregnant"
FEATURES & BENEFITS
Detailed diagrams of each style
THE COLLECTION
swallowtail anorak / run
anglewing leggings/ run
skipper maillot / swim
"I started to outgrow any long sleeve options, so I started wearing my husbands...
"The band would always roll down below my belly which was a minor annoyance."
"I hate two pieces but
was forced to
wear them."
no need to wear your husband's clothing anymore.
stay dry.
keep warm.
crush miles.
74% Wool / 17% Polyamide / 4% Polyurethane
3 layers: bi-stretch Merino wool jersey at the interior, light polyamide water & wind resistant exterior bonded with a polyurethane membrane permeable to perspiration keeping the wearer feeling dry & comfortable when exercising.
78.9% Wool / 21.1% Nylon / Plated with Lycra
Machine knitted seamless construction offers better fit & comfort. The programable technology allows for less material waste & is a more economical way of manufacturing.
annoyance be gone, straps keep pants in place.
stays put
so you can
get moving.
This two piece is more like a one piece.
more coverage.
more comfort.
more confidence.
78.9% Wool / 21.1% Nylon / Plated with Lycra
Machine knitted seamless construction offers better fit & comfort.
Wool is naturally wicking, odor resistant & breathable while also having
built in UV protection.
gypsy jersey / bike
"You feel like you don't look that great. It fits over your belly but it's big everywhere else & no one wants to feel large."
luna bibs / bike
monarch foundation / recover
"...there is a lot of room for
improvement, it's very basic."
"...I need a good bra
with more support."
a jersey that is fit to be tied.
fits everywhere.
big difference.
51% Wool / 19% Polyamide / 30% Polypropylene (Dryarn)
Dryarn polypropylene microfibers in a jersey knit give the
material lightness, water repellency & next to skin dryness.
51% Wool / 19% Polyamide / 30% Polypropylene (Dryarn)
Dryarn polypropylene microfibers in a jersey knit give the
material lightness, water repellency & next to skin dryness.
room for improvement?
how about room for movement.
not your basic bibs.
this bra will have you doing a double take.
double layers.
double support.
double duty.
78.9% Wool / 21.1% Nylon / Plated with Lycra
Machine knitted garments offer seamless construction for better fit & comfort. Lycra gives the garment stability, compression & better elastic recovery to retain garment shape.
Validation
Athlete feedback on fit & styling
"The tie back option is great for accommodating different belly sizes...the open back means it doesn't pull on my shoulders."
"The adjustable strap on the back was nice for accommodating different torso sizes. The sleeves gave me room to bend forward & not pull..."
"It would be appropriate for the beach or the pool. I would be abl e to complete scripted workouts in it as it feels streamlined & close to the body."
"Wow, this actually feels really comfortable & it looks like it would work, although I don't have any experience with breast feeding,"
"The straps make it feel like the pants won't ride down."
"Love the two tone color. As far as aesthetics, the jacket was my favorite."
style
fit
adjustability
comfort
mobility
FUROSHIKI PACKAGING
Each item is lovingly swaddled in a soft organic bamboo & cotton cloth that can be used as a washable/resuable diaper
