KYLE POINTER
Product Design
A Functional Backpack for Young Women
The first project of my final University year was a ten week project of my choosing. I chose to design a backpack that took into the specific considerations of young working and student women.
I found through fellow course mates that there was a gap in the market for a functional backpack for young women that still remained fashionable and at an affordable price.
The specifications were to focus primarily around designing a functional backpack that considered the needs of young women, such as having adequate space for everyday items, suitable materials that reduce stains from make-up and food, private room for sanitary products and personal items, a suitable layout for organisation while allowing easy access and the feeling of security when wearing the backpack.
The product had to conform to fashion trends in a broad sense in order to maximise retail potential and remain within a student budget.
The project required a dense variety of research to direct design decisions later, so to begin with the workload consisted primarily of research. Market analysis of several major retailers in Nottingham Town Centre, along with public observations, gave insight into the current brands and bags on shop floors, which led to a product analysis.
Case studies of seven major fashion apparel brands helped define successful features of both the products and brands. These case studies were shown to four focus groups who shared their opinions on the brands and products, along with their own personal range of bags and preferences in terms of fashion and functionality.
The focus groups were the main form of research that led to design specifications for the development stage. Main points of importance included security, cleanliness, weight distribution, aesthetic, brand and space.
The first stage of development consisted of sketching the outer form and aesthetic of the backpack, followed by sketching the inner layout and exploring features with regular consumer feedback.
Once several concepts were agreed upon, I began modelling with material to explore types of pockets, layouts and how the backpack would be manufactured. The main findings here were how to actually sew the backpack efficiently with enough strength and aesthetic.
Sewing quickly became the integral stage of the project, as I explored different sizes and proportions, different layouts, and pocket types, a range of potential manufacturing orders and several materials until I was happy with the product and order of manufacture.
The final prototype is a black PU coated Polyester backpack with a faux leather base for durability. These materials were the best performing against make-up and food spills and the easiest to wipe clean. The straps are faux leather with padding for comfort and rigidity. All compartments are within the backpack for security, with a main zip access and zip cover.
The compartments consist of a main space for everyday items, with a laptop pouch against the back face. An elastic strap keeps bottles upright and a large open pouch at the top holds make-up and quick access items such as keys and cards. A second open pouch holds cables to avoid them tangling with other items, and a hidden zip pocket can hold personal items for security or sanitary products out of the way until they are needed.