Subtle garment integration of technology: A case study of the business suit

Integration of technology into standard apparel poses many difficult problems: for the consumer, integration in such a way that technology does not create physical or social discontinuities, and for the manufacturer, development of a production process for integrating technology into apparel. In this paper, we seek to specify the component factors of these problems, and propose a solution within the confines of the business suit. The business suit represents a standardized garment system, containing pre-existing volumes created by padding or stiffening agents which create the 3-dimensional tailored shape. We propose exploitation of these volumes to house technology, without requiring a change in the aesthetic appearance of the individual garments or altering the user’s perception of the garment system. Creation of stand-alone technology units in the form of garment inserts removes the need for high-level integration of the apparel and technology production processes.