The Ultimate Fitting Checklist for Intimate Apparel Start-ups

Whether it is bras offering exceptional comfort or lingerie enhancing the body’s natural curves, a properly fitting garment can truly transform the intimate apparel sector. This is where a thorough fitting checklist becomes essential. The purpose of this article is to assist start-ups and entrepreneurs in the intimate apparel industry, helping them create the ideal fit for their products.

Setting the Foundation: The Correct Procedure

Before the exquisite details come into play, the foundation must be clearly laid. This begins with ensuring that the underband and straps are appropriately tensioned. By employing a 5-cm strap adjustment and fastening at the middle hook-and-eye position, you guarantee that the back wing panels sit horizontally and comfortably, with less than 1.5 cm above the back closure. Any adjustments made to strap length or underband tightness should be recorded. These are for future pattern alterations, creating an in-depth record of every fitting session.

Key Parameters for Assessment

A well-fitting bra is a harmonious blend of smoothness, shape, and support across all its components. This includes the cups, center panel, underwire, underarm, bottom band, shoulder straps, and fasteners. Imagine a bra that provides seamless wing panels, cups with a perfectly rounded shape, and breasts that are gracefully supported without any sagging. The interplay of these components is crucial in delivering ultimate comfort and confidence to the wearer.

To facilitate a thorough assessment, let’s delve into a checklist inspired by Yu’s (2011) compilation. This checklist covers not only static fit but also dynamic fit, acknowledging that wearers engage in a variety of activities throughout their day. This broader perspective helps evaluate how the bra performs under real-life scenarios:

• Cup Assessment: Examine the shape, neckline, cup bottom, underarm fit, strap platform, and apex.

• Cleavage Effect: Evaluate how the bra enhances or minimizes the cleavage, ensuring the desired effect is achieved.

• Strap and Band Tension: Check the tension of the strap, top band, and underband to guarantee optimal comfort and support.

• Breast Displacement: Assess how the breasts move during various activities, confirming that the bra provides stability.

• Posture Changes: Observe how the bra shifts as the model changes postures, ensuring consistent fit throughout movements.

• Gore, Back, Straps, and Wire Positions: Confirm that these elements maintain their designated positions for overall comfort.

Aiding the Fit Assessment: Fit Comment Template

To simplify the fit assessment process, a “fit comment template” can be utilized. This tool assists assessors in marking any symptoms of poor fit that may appear on different parts of the bra while worn on a model’s body. Even if the initial fit appears satisfactory, consistency must be assessed after the model has engaged in various activities. This template streamlines the identification of fit problems, fostering better communication between the fit team and customers. A fit can only be deemed acceptable when all checkpoints relating to tension, position, volume, and shape are met, without any sharp or rough points.

Recognizing Fit Symptoms

The following figure illustrates various fit symptoms that might arise. Such as bulging, wrinkling, gapping, riding up, “double breasts,” digging, wrong shape, lifting away, and hiking. These issues can stem from multiple factors, including incorrect use of fabric modulus, elastic bands, and wires, or even pattern and workmanship errors. The interconnected nature of these effects underscores the need for a systematic diagnosis by a professional fit team.

Achieving a perfect fit is both an art and a science. For start-ups and entrepreneurs aiming to carve their niche in this competitive field, mastering the fitting process is non-negotiable. By adhering to the comprehensive fitting checklist we’ve explored, undoubtedly you can elevate your creations to new heights of comfort and style. Enjoy the process of achieving that ideal fit!