Silke Hofmann

Re-thinking design aesthetics of post-mastectomy lingerie: developing fashion design strategies to assist physical and psychological trauma recovery

In my PhD thesis by practice, I am considering the roles product aesthetics and functionality might play in the physical and emotional recovery process of breast cancer patients. The research question, ‘how do female breast cancer patients experience currently available post-mastectomy lingerie', examines how these garments might pose ergonomic and aesthetic problems for the wearer.
My intrinsic interest is to consider the user perspective through calling on first-hand accounts. I would like to advocate user wishes and desires within the procedures of conventional fashion design processes, implementing concepts of inclusive design, co-design, participation and empathy.
To support affected women in envisioning better, more helpful clothing for their recovery process and beyond, I am developing a framework towards re-thinking the structure of fashion design prototyping and manufacturing procedures. Through this, my research aims to fill a neglected gap in existing clothing and fashion design knowledge.