Bridging measurement and cultural interpretation: Experiencing the form-giving of men’s briefs

Abstract

This article explores the first-hand experience of the diversity in styles of men’s briefs. It questions the standard categorization of briefs based on coverage and leg length. Due to the advent of internet-based sales channels, the scope for design has widened dramatically. The quality and experience of underwear styles is not captured in waistband dimensions and information on fabric. The article questions some ideas about designers’ ability to communicate product understanding given the tacit, non-verbal and haptic qualities inherent in briefs. It also raises questions about research paradigms common in industrial design research. This article is thus both about the subject (men’s briefs) and the means of research (research paradigm). The article combines aspects of design research used for industrial design and approaches such as wardrobe studies and interpretation used in fashion research.