Why Emotional Wellbeing Belongs in Fashion
Part 2 of Ideas & Reflections.
Fashion has always shaped how we look. I think it's time we started asking how it could support how we feel.
That isn't to say clothing should replace healthcare professionals, therapists or human connection. I don't believe it can, or that it should. But clothing has always influenced our daily lives in ways that go far beyond appearance.
The clothes we choose can affect our confidence, our comfort and even how we move through the world. We instinctively reach for different garments depending on how we feel. A favourite jumper on a difficult day. A tailored outfit before an important meeting. Comfortable clothes when we're overwhelmed.
We already understand that clothing has an emotional role.
So why don't we talk about that more often when we design it?
Fashion has always adapted
Fashion has never stood still.
Over the years, we've developed waterproof clothing, high-performance sportswear, protective workwear, adaptive fashion and medical textiles. Each innovation has responded to a changing need.
Wearable technology feels like the next step in that evolution.
The challenge isn't simply adding electronics to garments. It's designing technology that feels like it belongs there—technology that respects the wearer, supports their needs and integrates so naturally that it almost disappears.
For me, that's where fashion design becomes essential.
Designing around people
One of the biggest lessons I've learned during my PhD is that successful wearable technology doesn't begin with the electronics.
It begins with people.
As designers, we spend a great deal of time thinking about comfort, movement, routine and experience. We ask how something feels to wear, not just whether it functions.
Those same questions matter when we're designing smart garments.
If clothing is uncomfortable, intrusive or stigmatising, people simply won't wear it. No matter how advanced the technology might be.
Human-centred design isn't an optional extra.
It's fundamental.
Emotional wellbeing deserves thoughtful design
When people hear the phrase emotional wellbeing, they often imagine apps, wearable devices or clinical environments.
I think fashion has an important contribution to make to that conversation.
Not because clothing can diagnose emotions.
Not because garments can replace professional care.
But because clothing is already part of our everyday lives.
If future smart garments can help people become more aware of physiological changes associated with stress, while remaining comfortable, discreet and familiar, they may offer a different kind of support—one that fits naturally into everyday routines rather than demanding additional attention.
That possibility is what motivates my research.
Looking ahead
We're still at the beginning of understanding what wearable technology might become.
Many of the technical challenges remain unsolved, and there are important questions around privacy, sustainability, ethics and accessibility that researchers continue to explore.
That's exactly why I believe fashion designers should have a seat at the table.
We're not simply designing garments.
We're designing experiences, habits and relationships between people and the things they wear.
Perhaps the future of fashion isn't just about helping us express who we are.
Perhaps it's also about supporting how we live.
Questions I'm Still Exploring
How can wearable technology become almost invisible within everyday clothing?
How do we design garments that people genuinely want to wear over many years?
What role should fashion designers play in the future of healthcare innovation?
How can we balance technological innovation with comfort, privacy and sustainability?