Diabetic Women, especially insulin pump users, have to carry a lot of stuff. Diabetics need their supplies, back up supplies, and back ups for back ups. Regardless of whether a diabetic uses an insulin pen, syringe, pump, inhalor, or pill to treat her condition, she has got a lot to carry.
Insulin, alcohol swabs, emergency snacks, syringes, and pump site infusion sets are just a fraction of all the items diabetics must carry at all times.
Luxury and high-fashion bags designed for the specific needs of a basketball player or new mother are succesful products. They are specialized, functional, and fashionable. How might a bag for young diabetic women be designed to look more fashionable?
First things first: User Research
Below lies all of the supplies an insulin pump user might carry with them on a daily basis.
Some early ideations of fashionable diabetes bag.
After some early ideations, inspired by rolling bags used in military and camping, I quickly discovered how diffiult consolidating the wide variety of volumes into one bag might be.
In order to learn more about maximum consolidation a trip to REI was due. After testing suitcases, travel bags, camping gear, and mess kits, First Aid Kits proved the most productive case study to solving the volume configuration problem created by the varied shapes and sizes.
This diabetes bag would have to group and rank different supplies into function and importance. Still, the bag must allow enough flexibility for each user to personalize their supply organization system.
Some of the configuration explorations are shown below.
Design prototyping and exploration includes the following materials & processes: Paper, Felt, Canvas, Neoprene, Cellophane, Velcrow, Buttons, Zippers, Mesh, Margnets, Yarn, Spandex, Sewing, Hand Sticthing, Folding.
After developing the volume configuration, the design came too close to looking like a medical bag. The next step was to take inspiration from a high fashion, but practical, bag designer. I chose to take a close look at Kate Spade's bag design and flagship store.
Final Design: Illustrations and Photography by Ray Fontaine
Final Prototype: Pattern Development and Fabrication by Jessica Li http://jessicaliapparel.wix.com/portfolio
