study on shapewear preferences for women

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STUDY ON SHAPEWEAR PREFERENCES FOR WOMEN

IN HONG KONG INTIMATE APPAREL MARKET

LEUNG KIN PING JENNES

BA (Hons) Ssheme in Fashion and Textiles

(Intimate Apparel Specialism)

INSTITUTE OF TEXTILES & CLOTHING

THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

2012


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STUDY ON SHAPEWEAR PREFERENCES FOR WOMEN

IN HONG KONG INTIMATE APPAREL MARKET

A Thesis Submitted

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of

Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

in

Fashion & Textiles

(Intimate Apparel Specialism)

under the Supervision of

Dr. Tracy MOK

by

Jennes, Kin Ping LEUNG

ACE Style Institute of Intimate Apparel

Institute of Textiles & Clothing

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

March 2012


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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Tracy Mok, for her constant guidance,

invaluable advice, sustained interest as well as her motivational encouragement

throughout my preparation of the project work. She answered all of my questions and also

asked me particular questions that helped me to narrow my search. It was a very fruitful

learning experience. I am also grateful to Agnes for the technical support.

Moreover, I would like to express my heartiest thanks to my beloved family and friends

for their continuous encouragement throughout the years. Without whose love and

support, I would have not been able to finish this thesis.

Not forgotten to thank those who made this thesis possible, including all the respondents

who took time for answering my questionnaires and the subjects who participated in the

wear trial.


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CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

I hereby declare that this thesis is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge

and belief, it reproduces no materials previously published or written, nor material that

has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma, except where due

acknowledgement had been made in the text.

_____________________________________________________________ (Signed)

LEUNG Kin Ping, Jennes (Name of student)


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ABSTRACT

Every woman wants to have a beautiful figure for matching particular fashion

styles of the time or look their best in a special occasion. Nowadays, shapewear

regarded as an assisting tool for enhance a beautiful female body figure. It is the growing

trend in intimate apparel market. Shapewear comes in a variety of styles such as cut and

sewn style and seamless style; it also comes with different control levels, price, materials,

etc. There are many options let the consumers decide when they purchase shapewear

products. This project is thus focused on investigation of consumer preferences and

market tendency of shapewear.

In this study, market field research was conducted to find out the market tendency of

shapewear. The trend can be described as a simple design with seamless style, which

applied the circular knit technology and the no VPL seamless technology. Besides,

questionnaire survey about the consumer preferences and buying behavior for shapewear

products was conducted to collect the preferences from Hong Kong women, so as to find

out the preferred style of shapewear. It is found that when consumer makes buying

decision, they would consider both functionality and aesthetic performance. To

investigate the preferences validity and reliability, total of 3 shapewear samples were

examined by fitting trial. The shapewear preferences from questionnaire survey and

subjective feedback after wear trial evaluation are consistent in general. The result

showed that a seamless style with highlight design was preferable. Moreover, pressure

sensor system is used in the wear trial to measure the pressure values everted by the

samples. It is found that the pressure distribution is different in front, side and back parts,

as well as the waist girth and abdomen girth.


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CONTENTS

Page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

ABSTRACT

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of Study

1.2 Aim and Objective

1.3 Scope of Study

1.4 Methodology

1.4.1 Product development process

1.4.2 Literature review

1.4.3 Market field research

1.4.4 Consumer questionnaire survey

1.4.5 Wear trial

1.5 Chapter summary

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 The market of Shapewear

2.1.1 Various types of Shapewear in the Market

2.1.1.1 Upper body style shapwear

2.1.1.2 Hip and Thigh style shapewear

2.1.1.3 Waist style shapewear

2.1.1.4 One piece shapewear

2.1.1.5 Light, Moderate, Firm and Extra firm shaping

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2.1.2 Size system of Shapewear

2.2 Marketing needs for Shapewear

2.2.1 Shapewear market tendency

2.2.2 Customer dynamics on Shapewear

2.3 Definition of Consumer preference

2.3.1 Reasons of Studying consumer preference

2.3.2 Factors affecting the consumer preference

2.3.2.1 Cultural and Social factors

2.3.2.2 Personal factors

2.4 Body shape measurement

2.4.1 Body Mass Index (BMI)

2.4.2 Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR)

2.4.3 Overweight people in Hong Kong

2.5 Pressure and Comfort requirement of Shapewear

2.5.1 Wearing comfort of Shapewear

2.5.2 Causes of Clothing pressure

2.5.3 Pressure distribution and Pressure sensation

2.5.4 Factors affecting the wearing comfort and Pressure sensation

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Types of Data

3.2.1 Primary data

3.2.2 Secondary data

3.3 Primary data: Qualitative research methods

3.3.1 Lingerie market field research

3.4 Primary data: Quantitative research methods

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3.4.2 Wear trial test: Pressure evaluation of Body shapers

3.4.2.1 Selection of Samples

3.4.2.2 Selection of Subjects

3.4.2.3 Wear trial procedures

3.4.2.4 Wear trial timeline

3.4.3 Pressure sensing system

3.4.3.1 Objective comfort: Objective pressure test

3.4.3.2 Subjective comfort: Subjective assessment

CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Finding on Market research

4.1.1 Company background

4.1.2 Market tendency of Shapewear products

4.1.2.1 Shapewear categories

4.1.2.2 Styles: Design and Colours

4.1.2.3 Materials and Technologies used

4.1.3 Overall market shapewear preferences result

4.2 Results of Questionnaire

4.2.1 Survey response rate

4.2.2 Demographics profile of Respondents

4. 2.2.1 Age

4.2.2.2 Education Level

4.2.2.3 Occupation and Personal monthly income level

4.2.2.4 Buying behavior

4.2.2.5 Size

4.2.3 Shapewear preference of Respondents

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4.2.3.1 Style preference

4. 2.3.2 Categories preference

4.2.3.3 Material preference

4.2.3.4 Colour preference

4.2.3.5 Respondents choices in Lingerie brand

4.2.3.6 Factors concerning purchasing behavior

4.2.3.7 Others purchasing consideration

4.2.4 Reasons of Choosing existing shapewear products

4.2.4.1 Overall evaluation of Shapewear samples

4.2.4.2 Comparison in Functionality

4.2.4.3 Comparison in Material properties

4.2.4.4 Comparison in Design and Colours

4.2.4.5 Respondents choice

4.2.5 Results of Clerks and Service employees

4.2.5.1 Style and Categories

4.2.5.2 Colour

4.2.5.3 Price and Design factors in Purchasing behavior

4.2.5.4 Clerks and Service employees choice

4.2.6 Correlation

4.2.6.1 Correlation between purchasing considerations

4.2.6.2 Correlation when choosing samples

4.3 Basic results of Wear trial

4.3.1 List of Samples measurement

4.3.2 BMI value and Waist-to-hips ratio

4.3.3 Satisfaction of Body parts

4.3.4 Visual evaluation

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4.3.5 Body measurement

4.3.6 Objective comfort evaluation

4.3.6.1 Pressure distribution on Different samples

4.3.6.2 Pressure distribution on Different subjects

4.3.7 Subjective feedback

4.3.7.1 Satisfaction on Functionality

4.3.7.2 Satisfaction on Material used

4.3.7.3 Satisfaction on Aesthetic

4.3.7.4 Subjects choice

4.3.7.5 Preferred pressure range

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary of Outcomes and Implications

5.1.1 The rising trend of Seamless shapewear

5.1.2 Researched shapewear products preference

5.1.3 Proper pressure of Shapewear products

5.2 Limitations and Recommendations for Future research

5.2.1 Limitations

5.2.2 Recommendations

APPENDIX

REFERENCES

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LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 2.1: International size system for shapewear

Table 2.2: The international classification of adult according to BMI

Table 2.3: The difference of BMI cut-off points between Asian & European

Table 2.4: Acceptable levels for hip to waist ratio for women

Table 3.1: Lingerie brands visited

Table 3.2:General details of the shapewear samples

Table 3.3:Design details of the shapewear samples

Table 3.4:Procedures of the wear trial test on January 2012

Table 3.5:Points of the locations

Table 4.1: Target market and price range of selected brands

Table 4.2: Summary of shapewear types offered by brands (for HK market)

Table 4.3: Summary of shapewear design and colours offered by brands

Table 4.4: Summary of materials and technologies used in shapewear

Table 4.5: Age group of respondents

Table 4.6: Education level of respondents

Table 4.7: Occupation of respondents

Table 4.8: Personal monthly income level of respondents

Table 4.9: Monthly expense on intimate apparel

Table 4.10: Sizes of respondents

Table 4.11: Bra size of respondents

Table 4.12: Style preference of respondents

Table 4.13: Categories preference of respondents

Table 4.14: Material preference of respondents

Table 4.15: Colour preference of respondents

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Table 4.16: Popular lingerie brands among respondents

Table 4.17: Factors affecting purchasing behavior (Functionality & aesthetic)

Table 4.18: Factors affecting purchasing behavior (others)

Table 4.19: Evaluation of Sample A

Table 4.20: Evaluation of Sample B

Table 4.21: Evaluation of Sample C

Table 4.22:Comparison in functionality

Table 4.23: Comparison in material properties

Table 4.24:Comparison in design and colours

Table 4.25: Respondents favorite shapewear

Table 4.26: Style preference of clerks and service employees

Table 4.27: Colour preference of clerks and service employees

Table 4.28: Price factor in purchasing behavior

Table 4.29: Design factor in purchasing behavior

Table 4.30: Clerks and Service employees favorite shapewear

Table 4.31: Correlation between purchasing considerations

Table 4.32: Correlation between estimation the performance

Table 4.33: BMI and WHR of selected subjects

Table 4.34:Satisfaction rating of body parts

Table 4.35: Body measurements of subjects before and after wearing the samples

Table 4.36: Pressure values on different body location of subject 1




Table 4.40:Satisfaction rating on samples functionally

Table 4.41:Satisfaction rating on fitting

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Table 4.42: Satisfaction rating on samples material properties

Table 4.43: Satisfaction rating on samples appearance

Table 4.44: Total scores of samples

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LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Fig. 1.1: Product development process

Fig. 1.2 Flow Chart of this study

Fig. 2.1: Shaping vest and Underbust shaper

Fig. 2.2: Shaping knicker, Thigh shaper and Slimming Legging

Fig. 2.3: Waist nipper

Fig. 2.4: Control Slip and Bodysuit

Fig. 2.5: Source: Global Consumer Shapewear Study2009 Strategic Insights

Fig. 2.6: Chart of Body Mass index

Fig. 2.7: Waist-to-Hip ratio

Fig. 2.8: Score scale of sensory evaluation

Fig. 3.1:Different view of the shapewear samples

Fig. 3.2:Inner view of the shapewear samples

Fig. 3.3: Points first marked on dummy before the test

Fig. 3.4: Hardware of Novel pressure sensor system

Fig. 3.5: Connection of sensor equipment

Fig. 3.6: Points for measuring garment pressures

Fig. 3.7: Sensing process

Fig. 3.8: Software interface of Novel Pliance pressure sensor

Fig. 4.1: Bonluxe store and Displays in Bonluxe store

Fig. 4.2: Satami store and Shaper from Satami

Fig. 4.3: Embry form store and Shaper from Embry form

Fig. 4.4: Bodibra store and Shaper from Bodibra

Fig. 4.5: Easy Shop store and Shaper from Easy Shop

Fig. 4.6: Shapers from Uniqlo

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Fig. 4.7: Wacoal store and Advertisement of Wacoals shapewear

Fig. 4.8: Triumph store and Advertisement of Triumphs shapewear

Fig. 4.9: Marks & Spencer store and Shapewear from Marks & Spencer

Fig. 4.10:Pictures of selected shapewear samples

Fig. 4.11: Measurement of samples

Fig. 4.12: Wear trial outcomes

Fig. 4.13: Pressure values of samples from subject 1




Fig. 4.17: Pressure values of sample A

Fig. 4.18: Pressure values of sample B

Fig. 4.19: Pressure values of sample C

Fig. 4.20: Subjects favourite shaper

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To my

Parents and

Sisters


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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1Background of StudyThroughout the human history, having a beautiful body shape is probably one of the

common dreams for all women in the world. Every woman wants to have a beautiful look

for matching particular fashion styles of the time as well as look pretty in a special

occasion. Evening gowns, party dresses and bridesmaid dresses call for slim silhouettes.

Of course exercise combined with eating right can help losing weight and building an

attractive body. However, people today are incredibly busy and it might be hard to do

exercise to keep fit. Thus, some women choose to achieve their ideal body figure by using

the reshaping garment, which are worn under clothing as the base of every outfit and

made functionality.

Since Renaissance, reshaping garments such as corsets and basques, have been regarded

as an assisting tool for enhance a beautiful female body figure. Women have long relied

on corsetry to help them achieve the fashionable figure. Over the years, corsetry has gone

through many transformations. Today, the reshaping garment, also called shapewear, is an

undergarment that designed to hold a part of the body in a particular form by exerting

certain amount of pressure to the body. As a result, the areas under pressure for a period


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of time can be reshaped.

Shapewear is the growing trend in enhancement undergarments which helps women to

reshape their bodies, smooth their bulges, lift what sags and straighten the posture. More

and more women are using shapewear to achieve their ideal figures. They use shapewear

to look their best and stand out from the crowd. The NPD (National Purchase Diary)

Reports on the U.S. Apparel Market stated that shapewear continue to stand outs in

women's intimates with over 7 percent growth in 2010. Furthermore, since the global

lingerie brand Wacoal launched their shaping pant product Cross Walker in 2005, they

recorded an incredible 13.8 million unit sales between 2005 and 2009. The improved

version of the line, called Cross Walker Shakitto, also sold 370,000 units in the five

months following its 2009 launch. It is shown that shapewear is the potential market.

Definitely, shapewear is the secret for radiance, beauty and confidence, and also the secret

weapon of women. Whatever they wear an evening gown or jeans with a T-shirt, the body

shaper underneath can invisibly optimize their figure for the fashion. It is said that

shapewear is "instant gratification". And it is a win-win situation for women who do not

want to starve themselves into fashion.

The rise in popularity and acceptance of shapewear has come over time. New


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technologies in fabrics and new manufacturing techniques are used in the latest

shapewear. New designs are giving women a double value of smooth curves and beautiful

fashion. Nowadays shapewear comes in a variety of styles; some of the products are still

using traditional cut and sewn style, while some of products have already applied the

seamless technology. Also shapewear comes with different control levels, price, and

materials, and shapewear products claimed to have different function such as providing

the control and toning abdomen and waistline. There are many options let the consumers

decide when they purchase these shaping garments. However, the market is saturated with

brands introducing shapewear, it is needed to have a point of difference. Therefore, it is

worthy to put more effort on studying women preferences on shapewear, hopefully this

study can find out the preferred style of shapewear and have a little help on shapewear

market when brands and manufactures produce different shapewear products.


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1.2Aim and ObjectivesThe aim of this study is, analyze market for shapewear in Hong Kong and investigate the

consumer preferences on shapewear products so as to develop an effective and comfort

shapewear design.

Specific research objectives are listed as follows:

1. To investigate the market and the needs of wearing shapewear

2. To find out the market tendency of shapewear

3. To explore the consumer preferences of choosing shapewear

4. To understand consumers perception of physical comfort, psychological comfort, and

aesthetic appearance, so as to find out the consumer s preferred style of shapewear

5. To examine consumer satisfaction with the shapewear in market

6. To examine the fitting effect of various styles of body shapers

7. To suggest improvement on current shapewear design


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1.3Scope of StudyThe study mainly focuses on the women age 18 or above who are the users of intimate

apparel products. The study is based on Asian market including China and Hong Kong,

which are considered as fast-growing consumption markets and in fact, the consumption

of intimate wear has been growing relatively fast in Asia. It should not be forgotten that

shapewear is primarily worn by slim and normal people. Thus the target group is the

women in size 10 and size 12 which are the common sizes in Asia. Although Asian

women are naturally slim, they still share the same figure flaws such as tummy bulges

and large stomachs that most women worry about, and they also want a shapewear

garment to help correcting the flaws. In order to collect the consumer preferences so as to

analysis which kind of shapewear products is the most popular, the questionnaire is

mainly distributed to Hong Kong women who had been educated and with purchase

power. And the wear trial is proceeded in Hong Kong; women who have experience in

wear shapewear are invited to participate in the wear trial. The existing shapewear

products in nowadays market are also studied, including the material and technology used

in enhancing the body shape.


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1.4Methodology overview

Fig. 1.1: Product development process

1.4.1 Product development process

Product development is the process of bringing a new product to the market. As shown in

figure 1.1, five phases are involved in the new product development process, including

Idea Generation

Design development

Prototype development

Evaluation and Refinement

Production Planning

Literature review

Market analysis

User analysis

Lingerie market field research

Trend analysis

Product analysis

Research

objective 1

Research

objective 2

Consumer questionnaire survey

Aesthetic performance

Style, Color and Fabric

Research

objectives 3, 4 & 7

Wear trial

Functional performance

Technical Design

Research

objectives 5, 6 & 7


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idea generation, design development, prototype development, evaluation and refinement,

and finally the production panning. Idea generation is the initial step of new product

development. It focuses on generating ideas for products to meet the needs of customers,

or offer solutions to improve the performance of existing products. In this thesis, the ideas

can be obtained from literature review and market field research. After that the ideas are

refined into a product concept which develops according to the consumers preferences.

The preferences on aesthetic and functionality can be obtained from questionnaire study

and wear trial. The concept is then developed into a prototype for evaluation. The

construction of a seamless shapewear prototype requires unique knitting techniques.

However, the range of circular machines is limited in the ITC knitting laboratory, there is

only a type of circular knits is provided. It is difficult to produce the prototypes in new

concept. Because of the technical limitation, the study will end at the design and

development phase.

1.4.2 Literature review

In order to provide a deeper understanding of the shapewear market and figure out what

kind of study had been carried out, a comprehensive search in literature about shaping

garment and consumer behavior is conducted before starting the design and development.

The information sources are from books, magazines, journals, thesis, articles, internet and


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shop visit. This part will be presented in Chapter 2.

1.4.3 Market field research

A market field research is also conducted to find out the market tendency and the product

details of shapewear. The information is obtained from both the internet and shop visit. It

is used to set the questionnaires as well as select the samples in wear trial. The findings of

market field research will be shown in Chapter 4.


To achieve the objective of exploring the consumer preferences, a questionnaire is

developed and distributed randomly in Hong Kong. The data is used to find out the

preferred aesthetic performance of shapewear so it can help developing products. Data

collected will be examined and analyzed by using statistic methods, this part will be

shown in Chapter 4.

1.4.5 Wear trial

Wear trial is carried out to examine the shaping effects of existing products and find out

the functional performance of shapewear. The subjects are asked to wear the shapewear

for a day and give the feedbacks. Pressure sensory system is used in the wear trial to


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collect to pressure value data exerted by the shaping garment. The details will be

described in Chapter 3 and the findings will be shown in Chapter 4.

1.5Chapter summary

Fig. 1.2: Flow Chart of this study

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Literature Review

Chapter 3 Methodology

Chapter 4 Findings and Analysis

Chapter 5 Conclusion & Recommendations


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CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

Related literatures are reviewed in order to understand the market of shapewear and the

consumer behavior. There are four parts in this chapter: (1) Overview of the shapewear

market, (2) Consumer Preferences, (3) Body shape measurement and (4) Pressure and

Comfort requirement of shapewear. In part 1, the types of shapewear products, sizing

system and marketing needs are mentioned. In part 2, consumer preference and several

factors that affected the preferences are explained. After that, the definitions of Body

Mass Index and Waist-to-Hip Ratio are illustrated clearly. In the last part, the causes of

shapewear pressure, pressure distribution and the sensation method are included.

2.1 The market of Shapewear

In the past, if a woman wanted to have a beautiful body figure, corset was the only choice

to reshape the body into an ideal shape. But now, achieving such an hourglass look no

longer requires a corset of whalebone and canvas. For any woman who wants to control

of her body figure, shapewear is the answer. Power fabrics have made possible a whole

new line of undergarments, which can minimize and enhance the body shape while

providing comfortable support. Nowadays, shapewear comes in a variety of styles, from

tummy-control panties to all-in-one bodysuits. It also comes with different control levels,


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from light control to extra-firm control. There are many options let the consumers decide

where they want extra support and how much support they want.

2.1.1 Various types of Shapewear in the market

Apparel industries are required to supply different kinds of products corresponding to

various needs of consumers. There are many types of shapewear which are used to

enhance different body parts such as breasts, waist, abdomen, hip, buttocks and tights.

And all types of shapewear are divided into four categories depending on the amount of

shaping level: light, moderate, firm and extra firm shaping. (Ester, 2011)

2.1.1.1 Upper body shapewear

Shaping vests, camisoles and underbust shaper are known as upper body shapewear.

These styles generally make the stomach look firm and flat, also lift the breasts slightly so

that the cleavage can become visible. They are commonly made of organic textiles such

as cotton because it absorbs sweat and keeps the wearer comfortable. Women usually

wear these kinds of shapewear under the blouses or form-fitting tops to work.


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Fig 2.1: Shaping vest and Underbust shaper

2.1.1.2 Hip and Thigh style shapewear

Shaping knicker, thigh shaper and slimming Legging are known as hip style and thigh

style shapewear. To those who have bottom fat, these styles provide a solution by

compressing the abdomen, thighs and butts, giving them a smooth finish. They are

usually worn from high-waist and down to lower thigh without the visible panties lines.

They are come in many colours and some of them have decorative details such as laces.

Fig.2.2: Shaping knicker, Thigh shaper and Slimming Legging


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2.1.1.3 Waist style shapewear

Girdles and waist nipper are known as the waist style shapewear which can help women

to hide the mid-section flab and enhance the appearance of the tummy. This type of

shapewear can cover the bust or start right below it. They usually made of nylon and

spandex blended.

Fig.2.3: Waist nipper

2.1.1.4 One piece shapewear

Bodysuit and control slip are called as one piece shapewear, which is a combination of

waist style and hip style shapewear. These styles provide all-over coverage with

maximum function. It can help to smooth and slim many parts of body underneath the

clothing, creating a charming figure from the shoulders to the lower thigh. It is suitable to

wear under a slinky dress in special events.


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Fig.2.4: Control Slip and Bodysuit

2.1.1.5 Light, Moderate, Firm and Extra firm shaping

Based on the shaping level and the amount of pressure produced, all types of shapewear

are divided into four categories light, moderate, firm and extra firm shaping. (Ester, 2011)

Light control shapewear such as shaping vest and slip is the lightest of all shapewear. It

does not reshape the entire body but it can smoothen out bulges without any binding. The

fabric is thin and it is suitable for daily use. Moderate control shapewear is much tighter

than light shapewear as it is designed to provide more support and compression. It helps

in shaping the target areas like waist, abdomen, hips and thighs, but does not necessarily

reshape the entire body. Generally, this type of shapewear such as shaping knicker and

thigh shaper has light control panels built in. Firm control shapewear can help to

minimize a problem area, but the level of support is difficult to wear the entire day. Extra


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firm control shapewear is the highest level of support that available in shaping garments.

There are reinforced panels and boning to reshape the entire body as well as reduces an

inch in the body size. It helps in bringing out body curves and giving a totally different

look.

2.1.2 Size system of Shapewear

According to Tomima Edmark, the owner of an online lingerie retailer, some women

make the mistake of buying shapewear one size smaller than their size to achieve

additional support. But a smaller garment will not fit correctly. This is wrong. (Edmark,

2011) Choosing a size too big will not be as effective, while choosing a size too small

will create extra lumps and it may have a binding uncomfortable feeling all day. Besides

that, puberty, pregnancy, menopause, oral contraceptives, even general weight gain and

loss lead to a change in breast size and shape. The size can varies from time to time. In

order to choose the correct shaper size, it is crucial for women to measure their bodies

regularly. Moreover, shapewear comes in a variety of styles, with different size system.

To improve the communication between customers and industries, an effective sizing

system is necessary.

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body shapewear comes in bra sizes. If a lady wears a 34C bra, she would buy a 34C body

shapewear. Some shapewear that enhances the bust just like the underbust shaper also

comes in bra sizes as well. The hip style and thigh style shapewear have a tummy control

panel to smooth over the tummy. The size of these shapewear is based on the waist and

hip measurements that used to determine the panty size. As the waist style shapewear

generally is made up of a brief with an elongated waistband that comes up to the bottom

of the bra, its sizing comes in small, medium, large format.

Waist Measurement Hip Measurement Panty Size Shaper Size

25-26" 35-36" 5 Small

27-28" 37-38" 6 Medium

29-30" 39-40" 7 Large

31-32" 41-42" 8 X-Large33-34" 43-44" 9 XX-Large

35-36" 45-46" 10 3X-Large

37-38" 47-48" 11 4X-Large

39-40" 49-50" 12 5X-Large

41-42" 51-52" 13 6X-Large

43-44" 53-54" 14 7X-Large

45-46" 55-56" 15 8X-Large

Table 2.1: International size system for shapewear

Source: (http://www.herroom.com/shapewear-fitting,927,30.html)

2.2 Marketing needs for Shapewear

The shapewear market has grown tremendously in recent years as more and more


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customers ask for it. The NPD Reports on the U.S. Apparel Market stated that shapewear

continue to be standouts in women's intimates with just over 7 percent growth in 2010.

And according to a world-wide consumer survey conducted by INVISTA in 2009, 93

percent of women would like their lingerie to help with shaping and contouring. The

report also revealed that one third of women considered wearing shapewear every day.

These statistics showed that the demand of shapewear keeps increasing.

2.2.1 Shapewear market tendency

The shapewear sector becomes crowded and saturated. Every week there is a new line

launching. Thus, fabric innovation will be a major cause of evolution in the market. Any

change occurring will be based on technical advances and innovations in fabrics mainly.

This, combined with fashion trends, will perfectly respond to the fast growing demand for

shapewear. (Wilson, 2012) In the meantime, different cutting edge technologies such as

heat sealing cut and sew and laser cut have been already developed and made available to

lingerie manufacturers. Playtex marketing manager Marica Carleschi mentioned that the

need for innovation is the biggest challenge in the shapewear market currently. Also

consumers are more likely to take notice if the product is set at a consumer friendly price

in the tough economic climate.


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Although shapewear is often more expensive than traditional intimate apparel, consumers

are willing to pay more for the garments that make them look good. Jane Singer (2011) is

the Editorial Director of Inside Fashion, a leading provider of industry intelligence and

international trends. She mentioned that shapewear has become prettier in its newest

incarnation. With a combination of fashion and function, many top brands such as

SPANX and Triumph have offered powerful garments in fashion colours and embellished

with laces and trims, instead of the plain nude or black or mostly available on the market.

The market in US and Europe will be relatively stable in these years. In comparison, the

consumption of intimate wear has been growing relatively fast in Asia, especially in

China and India. China is considered one of the most fast-growing consumption markets.

More and more Asian women want to enhance their body figure by using shapewear and

other functional garments. According to Maria Williams, lingerie buyer for Lane

Crawford, the luxury department in Hong Kong, they are expanding their shapewear lines

as their store has had many requests for more foundation garments. She mentioned that

Asian women do not like fat and they always think they are fat even when they are skinny.

Besides that, with the chief designer of Bonluxe, Miss Lai claimed that there is about

20%-30% growth of business turnover each year since Bonluxe set up in Hong Kong at

2005. Many international and local brands began to develop and launch new lines of


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shapewear for Asian women. The fitting, price level and styles are making adaption to

suit the new marketplace.

At the 4th Hong Kong Mode Lingerie exhibition which held in March 2010, in a total of

160 exhibitors, 29% came from Hong Kong, 28% from China, 25% from other cities in

Asia and 18% from all over the world. (Phong, 2010) Hong Kong, Thailand and other

areas are well known for its capability and potential in lingerie and shapewear design.

Many Chinese textile and apparel manufacturers have financially strengthened to support

the technological upgrade. In 2010, INVISTA showcased LYCRA beauty fabrics. It is a

wicking fabric with soft touch and quick drying benefits that can provide all-day

freshness and comfort. INVISTA believes that Chinese consumers today are looking for

the shapewear that make them feel cool, comfortable and confident. They are no longer

satisfied with a garment that fits all situations.

2.2.2 Consumer dynamics on Shapewear

The global consumer survey conducted by INVISTA also found that there is a

considerable gap between what women want from their lingerie and hosiery, and what

they feel it delivers. (Wilson, 2012) 88 percent of women said that they wanted

underwear to enhance their shape, but only 63 percent said that they were satisfied that


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this requirement was being met. 94 percent of women said that they wanted the

shapewear that make them feel comfortable, while only 56 percent said that the

shapewear they wear is comfortable. By evolving the market dynamics, it is known that

consumers want more comfort, better fit, and improved shaping performance from this

personal garment. The quality value is more attractive for consumers, while fibers and

fabrics are crucial for them to determine whether it is a quality apparel product.

Fig 2.5: Source: Global Consumer Shapewear Study2009 Strategic Insights

Source: http://www.lycra.com/g_en/docs/1299511959-LYCRAbeauty_UK7.pdf

2.3 Definition of Consumer preference

Consumer preference is a study of personal needs focuses on how individuals make

decisions to spend their available resources such as time, money and effort on

consumption-related items (Schiffman & Kan, 2008). It is also known as a study of the

processes involved when individuals select, purchase, use or dispose of products, or


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experiences to satisfy needs. It is a useful data for companies to anticipate consumer

demand because they must know their consumers well enough to think ahead on their

behalf and respond to the consumers' need. Consumer preference for a product can make

a company successful, but also can break the company. If consumers generally like a

product, it may sell millions pieces and stay around for years. However, if consumers

dislike the product, it could disappear promptly if the company cannot figure out the

solution to fix the problem. This is usually done by an internal marketing department to a

market research firm. Phone interviews, paper surveys, electronic surveys, focus groups

and consumer samplings are the common methods for collecting the information.

The Engel-Blackwell-Miniard (EBM) model is one of the important models which

explain consumer decision making process. It assumes that the consumer approach is that

of problem-solving. In every purchase, consumer involves motivation and begins with the

recognition of a need, and preference is what consumer choosing among alternatives

products on the basis of selective criteria. When talking about fashion products, image,

quality, color, style, and design are the important criteria when purchasing. (Forney &

Park, 2005) When talking about the lingerie and shapewear products, consumer also think

about the comfort, material breathability, hand feel, so on & so forth.


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2.3.1 Reasons of Studying consumer preference

The apparel industry including the lingerie industry is highly competitive and changing

very fast in global environment. Companies must continuously find ways to retain

competitive in the market place, as well as maintain and increase their profits. Therefore,

research and development is needed to fast respond the changing needs. Designers and

manufacturers have to continually revise their design and product range due to the

continuous changing technology and the changing preference of customers. Successful

new product development need to through the identification of these consumer

requirements in terms of consumer preferences. (Soreze, 2010)

2.3.2 Factors affecting consumer preference

As consumer preferences describe the reasons for choices that consumer make when they

select the products or services, understanding and analyzing the factors that determine

consumer preferences is important. It can help the companies to target their businesses

and products towards specific consumer groups, especially when they would like to

develop new products and identify the reasons of the successful products.

2.3.2.1 Cultural and Social factors

Cultural factors can be determined by nationality, religion and geographical areas. It is the


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primary reason behind a persons minds, wants and behavior. Therefore, the buying

preference may vary from country to country. (Andersson, 2006) For instance, London is

a fashion city, and people in there are more open-minded, some of them will wear

shapewear as an outer garment. Compared with other conservative countries, people in

London are more looking forward a shapewear with trendy and attractive design. Social

factors include the social grouping; it is composed of small groups such as family,

membership groups and aspirational groups. People may be affected by the groups that

they are not belonging to, just like a fans mind can be affected by the idol.

2.3.2.2 Personal factors

Personal factors can be determined by age and life-cycle stage, occupation, economic

situation, lifestyle, personality and other self-concept that influence the buying behavior

as well. A persons activities, interests and opinions can constitute their lifestyle, and the

choice of products can be affected. (Andersson, 2006) Usually, consumers with similar

demographic background tend to have the similar buying pattern and purchase

preferences. For example, Brides would prefer an extra firm control shapewear because

they want to bring out the beautiful body curves on their big day, and they will prefer

white colours to match with their wedding dress. Office ladies would prefer a light

control shaper because of the long wearing time; comfort is the biggest consideration


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when they purchase shapewear. Also they are allowed to purchase a good quality one as

their income can afford it.

2.4 Body shape measurement

There are two major methods used to determine the body shape and define overweight:

Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR). (M. Dalton, 2003)

2.4.1 Body Mass Index (BMI)

The body mass index, known as BMI, is a simple calculation for human body fat based

on a person's weight and height. BMI is defined as a person's body weight in kilograms

divided by the square of his or her height in meters. (Eknoyan, 2008)

Although BMI is found to be the best proxy for body fat percentage among ratios of

weight and height, it does not actually measure the percentage of body fat. (Singer-Vine,

2009) Its concept is to assess how much a person's body weight departs from what is

normal or desirable for a person's height, in order to classify underweight, overweight,

and obesity. Based on the data from World Health Organization, a graph of BMI is shown

below. The chart displays BMI as a function of weight (horizontal axis) and height

(vertical axis) using different colors for the four BMI categories and using dashed lines to


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represent the subdivisions within a major class.

Fig. 2.6: chart of Body Mass Index (Source:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Body_mass_index_chart.svg)

Most health organizations including the WHO put a healthy BMI score between 18.5 and

25.0; this range is indicated as optimal weight. People with a BMI lower than 18.5 are

considered as underweight and may indicate malnutrition or other health problems, while

a BMI greater than 25.0 is considered as overweight and above 30 is considered as obese

in the international classification. The table of international classification reference

adapted from WHO 1995, WHO 2000 and WHO 2004 is shown below.


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Classification BMI(kg/m2)

Principal cut-off points Additional cut-off points

Underweight


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Category BMI rangekg/m2

Asian populations European populations

Underweight


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WHR has been used to measure the health of a person and indicate the risk of developing

serious health conditions. People with more weight around the waist are defined as

apple-shaped bodies; they face more health risks than those with pear-shaped bodies who

carry more weight around the hips.

Besides, WHR is used as a measurement of obesity. WHO states that abdominal obesity is

defined as waisthip ratio above 0.85 for females or a BMI above 30.0, (Geneva, 2008)

while The National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) also

states that women with waist-to-hip ratios above 0.8 have higher health risk because of

their fat distribution. (Freedieting, 2011) The increased health risk is where the waist and

hips are in a more similar measurement, meaning the number is higher or closer to unity.

The ideal WHR for women is considered within the 0.7 range (Singh, 2002). Some

researchers have found that the WHR is a significant measure of female attractiveness

and women with a 0.7 WHR are usually rated as more attractive. (ANI, 2010).

Acceptable (Normal) Unacceptable (Obesity)

Excellent Good Average High Extreme

< 0.75 0.75 - 0.80 0.80 - 0.85 0.85 - 0.90 > 0.90

Table 2.4: Acceptable levels for hip to waist ratio for women

(Source: http://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/WHR.htm)


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2.4.3 Overweight people in Hong Kong

According to the study by Hong Kong Baptist University, it indicated that almost one in

every five Hong Kong residents is obese. The study has interviewed more than 3,000

residents from 5 years old to 74 years old. Respondents were asked about exercising,

eating and sleeping habits, as well as their body and weight measurements. 19.9 per cent

of respondents were found to have abdominal obesity and 17.5 per cent were overweight.

The work-life balance among people may be following a vicious cycle that contributes to

the increasing number of obese people. It can be explained that many people are too busy

at work or doing something else, that they have little time left to do exercise. Moreover,

the young people are exposed to stress and unhealthy lifestyles that lead to poor eating

habits which is one of the causes of obesity. (Cagape, 2011)

2.5 Pressure and Comfort requirement of Shapewear

In order to achieve the goal of becoming slim, shapewear which helps reshaping the body

is needed in the current market, since people desire to have such a product to enhance the

body slimming effect. Shapewear comprises elasticated panels, reshapes the body and

flatten the tummy by applying a different amount of compression onto the skin. That may

directly affect the overall comfort of the garment. All kinds of shapewear are divided into

four categories depending on the amount of pressure level: light, moderate, firm and extra


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firm shaping. (Ester, 2011)

2.5.1 Wearing comfort of Shapewear

Human subject would not feel uncomfortable under certain amount of pressure. But the

more pressure exerted, more discomfort will cause. In order to achieve better slimming

effect, some women choose to wear shaper in smaller size even though it is

uncomfortable. However, seriously unreasonable clothing pressure may result in stress

concentration, which may be harmful to the human health because the blood flow and

cardiac output are affected. (Wang Y.P., 2006) Shapewear with excessive clothing

pressure can cause discomfort and affect the health, while shapewear with a very low

clothing pressure lost the functions to reshape the body. Therefore, having a balance

between the wearing comfort and the pressure applied is crucial.

The Weber-Fechners law is used to describe the relation between the clothing pressure

and the compressive feeling. Usually, the comfortable pressure is within a range of 0.8kPa

to 1.4kPa. And the values of clothing pressure which give subjects the low and the

moderate compression feelings are 1.2kPa and 3.6kPa. (Kanai H., 2006) As shown in

figure 2.8, the compression feeling was judged on 7 scales.


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Fig. 2.8: Score scale of sensory evaluation

(Source:https://soar-ir.shinshu-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/10091/401/1/cameraEnglish.pdf)

2.5.2 Causes of Clothing pressure

The clothing pressure is caused by three factors. Firstly, when the clothings weight acts

on the body, the weight pressure will be brought. Secondly, the pressure will be formed if

the size of garments is less than that of the body, just the using a strap to tie the body. It is

known as tied pressure. Thirdly, when the clothing changes its shapes according the body

movement, the cover pressure will be caused. (Chen, 2011) For the shapewear, tied

pressure is main factor as they are usually smaller than the body size to mold the body

shape so as to obtain an ideal figure.

2.5.3 Pressure distribution and Pressure sensation

As excessive clothing pressure has been regarded as a problem, evaluation of clothing

pressure is important to investigate the functional performance of the shapewear products


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by using direct or indirect methods. In direct sensing method, the clothing pressure is

measured directly using sensors or gauges. In indirect sensing methods, the clothing

pressure is obtained from different measurements, for example the curvature, body weight

and fabric tension. (Yu & Fan, 2006) To compare with the direct methods, indirect

methods are inexpensive and no additional hardware is required, but clothing pressure

cannot be measured accurately.

In this project, the pressure sensor is used to measure the distributions of clothing

pressures given by body shapers on different body parts. As body shapers are primarily

designed to exert pressure on a particular part of the body, the pressure distribution is not

uniformly distributed at different body locations. Sometimes the high- pressure zone is

concentrated around the waist girth at the end of wearing process. (Anthony, 2003) The

pressure sensor is linked with the computer system to measure objective data for comfort

evaluation. 12 points will be marked on the body of each subject indicating the waist girth,

abdomen girth and hip girth, then the sensor will place on the points to check out the how

much pressure exerted by the body shapers.

2.5.4 Factors affecting the wearing comfort and Pressure sensation

Clothing pressure varies with different body structure. Everyone have a different


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silhouette, which affects the comfort and pressure absorption when wearing body shapers.

Besides, when women grow older and older, their bodies change noticeably especially the

shapes of the abdomen and hips because of the increased body fat, the changed curvatures

of the bodies also affect the sensory feelings from the shaper pressure. (Yu & Fan, 2006)

The clothing pressure depends mainly on the geometry. Apart from the body structure, the

soft tissue including muscles, vessels, nerves, tendons also affects the pressure absorption.

Subjects who had less stiffness in their soft tissue tend to feel painful on their waist side

because their soft tissue cannot transfer load in an effective way.

The clothing pressure depends on the fabric elongation as well. Body shaper is designed

to flatten the stomach and abdomen by stretching an elastic fabric band around the body.

The tension of the band should be the same all round the body, so the pressure will

depend on the surface curvature. The greatest where the curvature is, the highest pressure

is applied. For example, the curvature at the waist sides is about 3.5 times greater that the

front part so the pressure on two sides is also 3.5 times greater than the flattening pressure

on the front part. A study found out the shaping effect was better if the fabric elongation

below 40 percent, while subjects still have no uncomfortable feeling when the fabric

elongation is 40 percent. (Yu & Fan, 2006)


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CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

In this study, the main purpose is to have a better understanding on consumer preference

for shapewear products in Hong Kong, in order suggest the improvement to the current

shapewear products. Total 4 methods are used to collect the data.

(1) Desk research which gathering and analyzing information already available in print or

published on internet, as illustrated in chapter 2.

(2) Qualitative research which is done by shapewear market research.

(3) Quantitative research which is done by consumer questionnaire survey.

(4) Quantitative research which is done by Wear trial test about pressure evaluation of

body shapers.

3.2 Types of Data

Every research is based on data which is analyzed and interpreted to get information. It is

one of the most vital aspects in research study. Data collected are broadly classified into

primary and secondary data, they are both contributed valuable information for the study.


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3.2.1 Primary data

For primary data, the data is collected originally by the researcher. Collecting data is the

first-hand-experience. It has not been published before so the data is more authentic,

reliable and objective. Without primary data, a research is less reliable. There are many

sources of collecting primary data, include experiments, survey, questionnaire, interview

and direct observation. In this study, primary data is collected by market research,

questionnaire survey and wear trial.

3.2.2 Secondary data

Different with primary data, secondary data has already been published in any form,

mostly from books, journals and periodicals. In this study, the review of literature in

research is based on secondary data. Although secondary data is less valid, its importance

is still there. The reason is that it provides a theoretical and academic background for the

study, for example the market of shapewear, so as to help determineif aknowledge gapis

existed. It is easier to obtain information from secondary sources than primary data.

3.3 Primary data: Qualitative research methods

Qualitative research is a method of investigation in different academic disciplines, usually

in the social sciences, market research and further contexts. (Denzin & Lincole, 2005) It


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is all about understanding phenomena and answer questions. It is used to gain insight into

people's attitudes, behaviors, concerns, motivations, culture or lifestyles and explain

reasons. It involves the analysis of any unstructured material such as customer feedback

forms, reports or media clips instead of numbers, which are the domain of quantitative

research. After carried out a review of literature, market field research is used in this

study under qualitative research. It helps to investigate the shapewear products in current

market.

3.3.1 Lingerie market field research

Market research is used to find out information about lingerie and shapewear markets,

competitors, market trends and products, etc. It is also about investigating the shapwear

styles, colours, pricing, materials and technologies used. Market research can reflect the

market tendency because the current products are produced to satisfy the demands for

women, acting as a reference of desirable and popular design style of shapewear

products. The information can indicate a general preferred trend and it helps to choose

the samples in the later wear trial test.

As more and more international and local brands produce shapewear products, one of the

useful data collection methods is shop visit. In this research, total 9 lingerie brands have


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been studied and they are listed on table 3.1. Internet is also a great tool for research as it

is a public forum; consumer can provide feedback about the shapewear products and

wearing experience each time they buy a product.

Brand Names Type of Shops No. of stores (HK)

1 Bonluxe Lingerie chain store,

Retailer(China and Hong Kong)

8

2 Satami Lingerie chain store,

Retailer (Hong Kong)

15

3 Embry form Lingerie chain store, Manufacturer &

Retailer(China and Hong Kong)

20

4 Bodibra Lingerie chain store,

Retailer(China, Hong Kong, Canada)

12

5 Easy shop Lingerie chain store,

Importer(China, Hong Kong, Taiwan)

6

6 Uniqlo Own shapewear line in chain shore

Clothing retailer(International)

16

7 Wacoal Lingerie chain store,

Retailer(International)

10

8 Triumph Lingerie chain store,


11

9 Marks & Spencer Own lingerie line in department store


12

Table 3.1 Lingerie brands visited

3.4 Primary data: Quantitative research methods

Quantitative research is a systematic empirical investigation of social phenomena. (Lisa.

M, 2008) It is a research method that focuses on the collection and analysis of numerical


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data and statistics, thus statistical background is required to support. It usually takes a

look at large sample of groups of people. These data and statistics are then analyzed to

find correlations inside. Quantitative research can enhance reliability of the result. In this

study, consumer questionnaire survey and wear trial test for pressure sensation are

conducted under the quantitative research method.


The purpose of questionnaire survey is to collect consumer preferences and perception in

shapewer design, styles, materials, colours and the importance of consideration in

purchasing shapewear products.

In a research, better reliable results can be achieved if the sample size is larger. Usually a

sample size of 200 respondents is used in typical research. However, shapewear is still a

new trend in Hong Kong. Not every woman has the experience in wearing shapewear,

and also shapewear is not a necessary for everyone, like the thin people. To enhance the

validity of data, women who have shapewear experience are preferred and thus the

sample size is limited. To address this limitation, the target population for the consumer

questionnaire survey in this study is 50-60 women. In order to achieve the aim of

investigating shapewear preferences for women, specific criteria had been set for


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selecting the sample size. The respondents must be aged from 18 and they are the user of

lingerie products, it means that they have experience in purchasing intimate apparel

products. In order to generate as many respondents as possible, some of the

questionnaires are conducted by street interviews in Hong Kong from December 2011 to

January 2011, while others questionnaires are sent to convenient samples including

friends of friends, colleagues and relatives

The questionnaire (Appendix 1) contains an introduction which explains clearly the

purpose of study, it also contains clear instructions to well-guide the respondents when

they fill out the questionnaire. There are 3 major sections in the questionnaire, illustrated

as follow:

Part 1: Personal information

The first part intends to obtain the basic demographic profile of the respondents,

including age range, education level, occupation, monthly income range and the expense

range on buying intimate apparel and shapewear. Besides, respondents would be asked to

write down their size and bra size.


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Part 2: Shapewear preferences

The second part intends to obtain their shapewear preferences and general buying

behavior when purchasing shapewear products. Multiple answers are given to

respondents so that they can choose their preferences on design, styles, colours and

materials used. On the other hand, respondents are also requested to rate the importance

of various criteria in decision making process of shapewear purchasing behavior,

including overall comfort, material breathability, easy to wear, price, etc. These

questions are developed using existing 5-point Likert scale. A numerical result of

respondents view from 1 to 5, from least important to most important, can be reflected,

calculated and analyzed.

Part 3:Shapewear details

The third part is aimed to find out the actual preferred shapewear selection among

respondents, respondents are asked to look at the pictures and read the info of 3

shapewear products with different design elements, materials and colours from different

brands. Then they need to estimate the product functionality and aesthetic performance.

These questions are also developed using existing 5-point Likert scale. At the end of part

3, they are required to choose their favorite one and briefly give the reason. The selection

of respondents can be compared with the answer of bra preferences in part 2, allowing


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the data to be consolidated.

3.4.2 Wear trial test: Pressure evaluation of Body shapers

In the questionnaire survey, respondents are asked to estimate the product performance

and choose their favorite shapewear. However, they cannot physically feel and touch the

items. They can only provide the ratings according to the given photographs and

descriptions. Therefore, more authentic result can be gotten by wear tried test because the

subjects can physically try on the samples for evaluation. The wear trial test is carried out

in this project to evaluate the product functionality and aesthetic performance of three

shapewear products. The test is also conducted to verify the previous results of consumer

preferences of shapewear products from the questionnaire survey. There are two main

focuses in the fitting test. One is the distribution of clothing pressure exerted by body

shapers on different body locations. The clothing pressure can directly affect subjects'

overall comfort of feeling and their satisfaction level, since too loose means the shaper is

not effective in shaping and too tight means it is not comfortable and may have

physiological effects. The other focus is to examine the performance of the products

including the overall body reshaping effect.


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3.4.2.1 Selection of Samples

Labat and DeLong (1990) found that female consumers are more dissatisfied with their

lower bodies, including the buttocks, thighs, hips, crotch, pant length, and waist, than

their upper bodies. (Labat, 1990) After the research on the consumer preferred style, it is

found that shaping panties is one of the popular shapewear products. High-waist control

panties are designed to beautify the lower body part of a woman without creating any

discomfort and detrimental physiological effects. With the ordinary style of high-waist

body shapers as the targets of study, three M size samples of High-waist control panties

are purchased from different shops as experimental samples for comparison. The price

range of these 3 samples is similar (HK$300-500), while the style, design, colour and the

material used are different. The pressure data, fitting measurements and comments would

be made to subjects favorite shaper to generate a reliable investigation on subjects

shapwear preferences. The pictures of the samples are showed in Figures 3.1 and 3.2. The

details of the samples are shown in Tables 3.2and 3.3.


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Sample Front view Side view 3/4 view Back view

A

B

C

Fig. 3.1:Different view of the shapewear samples

Sample A is made of double-layer fabrics and the materials are not stretchable enough, it

is unavailable to put on the dummy normally used as the hips are too tight. Thus a same

size separate mannequin which separates at the waist and one leg is used for the sample

A.


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Sample A B C

Inner

View

Fig. 3.2:Inner view of the shapewear samples

Sample A B C

Size M 10 M

Brand Satami Marks & Spencer Triumph

Made in China Sri Lanka Israel

Material Shell: 85% Nylon 15% Spandex

Lining:79% Nylon 21%Spandex

Crotch:100% cotton

66% polyamide

34% elastane*

Crotch:100% cotton

74% polyamide

26% elastane

Crotch:100% cotton

Price HK$398 HK$450 HK$320*LYCRA is a trademark of INVISTA

Table 3.2:General details of the shapewear samples

Sample A B C

Style Cut and Sewn Seamless

(with back-seam)

Seamless

(circular knit)

Bones (6 bones) Tummy control belt (H&E Opening)

Panelled design

Silicon waistband

Leg finish Elastic band Visible panty line Lace edging

Colour Black Nude Pink

Lace decoration

Bow detailing

Table 3.3:Design details of the shapewear samples


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3.4.2.2 Selection of Subjects

In this day and age, more and more women are seeking shapewear. Shapewear is no

longer designed for overweight women only. Underweight or normal women can also

have a little tummy and they also want a body shaper to smooth out the lumps and bumps

under the skin. In a wear trial, usually 5-8 subjects are required in typical research.

However, as mentioned in section 3.4.1, the sample size is limited in this study as

shapewear is still a new trend in Hong Kong, while not every woman is interested in it or

has experience to use a shapewear product. Besides, specific body shape is required for

the subjects. Therefore, total 4 Asia female subjects aged 20-25 are recruited for the wear

trial test in this study. The subjects are invited through e-mail recruitment. To ensure the

subjects are having similar body dimensions, they are selected according to their BMI

value and the waist-to-hip ratio. The world Health Organization (WHO) defines BMI 18.5

-22.9 kg/m2 as the normal weight status in Asian populations. In this test, the required

BMI value of subjects is from 18.5 to 22.9 kg/m2, and the waist-to-hip ratio is from 0.75

to 0.8. The 4 subjects are all in normal range, while they have stomach fat and belly fat,

and all of them are not satisfied with their body shapes.

3.4.2.3 Wear trial procedures

The 3 samples are given to the fitting subjects before the test day and they are asked to


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put on each sample shaper for half day (8-12 hours) before the test, so that they can feel

the shapers and give their comments. Because of personal hygiene, the shapers should be

washed after a subject has put on and after the test before shifting to another subject. The

schedule of fitting trial is shown in Table 3.6.

Day Subject Activities

1 1 Receive the three samples and try on the sample A for half day

2 1 Try on the sample B for half day

3 1 Try on the sample C for half day

4 1 Wear trial in HKPU. Wash and dry the 3 samples after the trial.













Table 3.4:Procedures of the wear trial test on January 2012

3.4.2.4 Wear trial timeline

5 minutes 10 minutes 20 minutes

Measurement #1

taking

Putting on sample

for adaption

Measurement #2

taking

Pressure measuring

(12 points)


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Quiet laboratory with constant temperature (25C) is needed in the wear trial. At the

beginning, subjects body measurements such as height, weight, natural waist, abdomen,

top hip and hips are taken for the BMI and WHR calculation. Then the subject is asked to

put on the first sample for about 5-10 minutes to let the bodyadapt to the changed shape.

At the same time, body measurements are taken again for calculating the deviation before

and after wearing the sample shaper. And 12 different points are marked on the body

using stickers (first marked on dummy before the test as consistent testing points are

required on different subjects, see figure 3.1). After that, pressure tests are done to

measure the pressure values. The sensor is placed on the 12 points between the skin and

the sample shaper to measure the pressure value exerted. In order to get

data with stable distributions, each point should be measured around 50 seconds. The

second and third samples would be tested in turn.

Fig. 3.3: Points first marked on dummy before the test


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3.4.3 Pressure sensing system

In this project, The Novel Pliance Pressure Sensor system in ITC laboratory is used to

measure objective data for comfort evaluation. It is linked with the PC that has installed

the Pliance x-16 software. The Pressure sensor hardware consists of a battery, a wireless

synchronization device with built-in Bluetooth technology and a pressure mat. The

pressure mat used in this wear trial test is No.2_192. It can detect the pressure below 24

kPa so it is suitable to measure the small values of garment pressure. The sensor in the

mat is very small and coated with a layer of resin to soften the surface. When the sensing

part experiences the stress between the shaper and the skin, the data would be collected

and transferred to the computer system through Bluetooth. To guarantees accurate data

can be collected, it is suggested to check the sensor using weight at any time before the

test. Below figures shows the hardware and the connection of the sensor system.

Fig. 3.4: Hardware of Novel pressure sensor system


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Fig. 3.5: Connection of sensor equipment

3.4.3.1 Objective comfort: Objective pressure test

Clothing pressure comfort is an important part in clothing comfort assessment. It is based

on the subjective tightness sensation and the clothing pressure of body shapers. In order

to find out a suitable range of pressure to exert on human body as well as evaluate the

product functionality, both objective and subjective pressure comfort evaluations are

carried out. Objective comfort means the objective measurement of clothing pressure

distribution and it is done by the Novel Pliance Pressure Sensor system. 12 points are first

marked on each subject to check out the exact pressure exerted by the sample shapers.

The 12 points are marked on the body indicating the waist girth, upper hip girth and hip

girth. Sensors are placed on these 12 points to detect how much pressure has exerted by

the shaper on these parts. Objectively measured pressure values are significantly different

amongst the 3 different shapewear products, therefore the range of pressure preferred by

subjects can be found in the test.


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Fig. 3.6: Points for measuring garment pressures

Point 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

LocationC.F Side C.B C.F Side C.B Side

Waist girth Abdomen girth hip girth

Table 3.5:Points of the locations


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Fig. 3.7: Sensing process

Fig. 3.8: Software interface of Novel Pliance Pressure Sensor


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3.4.3.2 Subjective comfort: Subjective assessment

Subjective comfort means the subjective pressure sensation. An evaluation form is

prepared (Appendix 2) and subjects are invited to fill out the form after the wear trial.

There are 2 major sections in the evaluation form, illustrated as follow:

Part 1: Personal information

The demographic profile of the subjects, including age, body measurement and size are

obtain in Part 1. And subjects are asked to rate the satisfaction with their bodies such as

waist, tummy, hips and body curve.

Part 2: Shapewear evaluation

After the subjects put on the sample, they have to rate the shapers in terms of the

functionality and aesthetic performance and material properties. A 5-point Likert scale is

used to measure subjects opinions. 1 refers to poor performance, while 5 refers to

excellent performance. They can also provide subjective comments on the samples.

Finally, they are asked to choose the shaper they like the most and briefly write down the

reason. The result can testify the previous results from the questionnaire survey.


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CHAPTER 4

FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Finding on Market research

Total of 9 international or local brands which have opened stores in Hong Kong and

produces shapewear products have been studied in this project. Data were collected by

shop visiting and internet searching. By gathering and analyzing the information

collected, it is helpful to figure out the market tendency of shapewear products,

reflecting the consumers needs and preferencesin shapewear market. These preferences

correspond to the styles, colours, pricing, materials used and the technologies applied.

The size range offered is also investigated (Appendix 3). However, it is found that the

brands have a similar size range so it will not be discussed in the thesis.


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4.1.1 Company background

Since brand images, market strategies, target groups and characteristics of product vary

from brands to brands, understanding the company background such as the target

markets and nature of business is necessary before analyzing the information.

Brand Names Target markets Price range (per piece)

A Bonluxe China, Hong Kong HK$2,100HK$3,800

B Satami China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan HK$138HK$420

C Embry form China, Hong Kong HK$199HK$980

D Bodibra China, Hong Kong, Canada HK$269HK$799

E Easy shop China, Hong Kong, Taiwan HK$350HK$670

F Uniqlo Asia, America, Europe HK$79

G Wacoal Asia, America, Europe HK$280HK$1100

H Triumph World-wide HK$320HK$580

I Marks & Spencer World-wide HK$350HK$450

Table 4.1: Target market and price range of selected brands


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A. Bonluxe

Bonluxe is famous for its high quality functional lingerie. Bonluxe functional lingerie has

over 40 years history in Japan and founded in HK as the market leader in 1995, since then

the sales of functional lingerie continue rising. Bonluxe is specialized in the materials that

with the strong research and development. They got a lot of patent products such as

Bridge Body, Slim Bra, APIS silk protein, etc. Bonluxe is also well-known for their

good customer service. They are the only lingerie company which the consultants can

offer professional and personalized service for customers, to ensure them are being

well-served with the best body shape-up solution in the store. Bonluxeis relatively

expensive than other shapewear products in the market, while they are targeting for high

spending women. A bodysuit typically costs around 3,600 Hong Kong dollars.

Fig. 4.1: Bonluxe store and Displays in Bonluxe store


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B. Satami

Satami is a local lingerie brand selling functional lingerie including the shapewear. They

established in 1985 and their production line is set up at Taiwan. With over 20 years of

experience, advanced technology has been integrated into their design, providing the

innovative, trendy and comfortable shapewear products. Through the chain network and a

lot of advertising, Satami has established a high-end product image in the lingerie market.

Their business concept is positioning in high-level with an affordable price for everyone.

Normally a control shaper costs around 350 Hong Kong dollars. The consultants in the

stores are well-trained to provide professional knowledge for customers and high standard

of after sales service for further improvement.

Fig. 4.2: Satami store and Shaper from Satami


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C. Embry form

Embry Form is a renowned lingerie brand based firm in Hong Kong and Mainland China

for over 30 years. They provide a full range of intimate apparel products for women of all

ages and stages of life, from adolescent girls to mature women and even to pregnant

mothers. Besides brassieres and panties, they also sell swimwear, aerobic wear, sleepwear,

maternity and nursing wear, shapewear, as well as other different kinds of apparel and

accessories. They are now holding 19 applications patents and 13 appearance design

patents. They have a variety of assortments of style and design, while their shapewear

products are elegant and classic. Advertising is one of their marketing strategies. They

have chosen supermodel Jocelyn Luko as the protagonist in the commercials. And their

TV advertising and print ads can be found in fashion publications and outdoor venues.

Fig. 4.3: Embry form store and Shaper from Embry form


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D. Bodibra

BodiBra Lingerie established in Canada since 1989 under the name "My Heart Lingerie".

Its founder, Mrs. Pat Ma, returned to Hong Kong and opened her first shop (changed the

name to "BodiBra") in 2003. It provides shapewear for instant effects and long term

results at affordable prices. Their product designs are patented in Asia. Different with

other brands that using mass production, all BodiBra lingerie is handmade and every

piece is carefully cut and sewn, ensuring the customers wear functional lingerie which are

fit to meet professional standards. The stores do not have much on display, the customer

will be measured and the staff will find the suitable one for them in the stock room. In

order to reach out to consumers globally, they have created a new line called

"BoomBoom Bra", resulting in the online consultation lingerie store.

Fig. 4.4: Bodibra store and Shaper from Bodibra


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E. Easy shop

Easy shop came from Taipei. They sell lingerie, shapewear and sleepwear products from

its own brand Audrey and other well-known international lingerie brands such as

embche and Yauco. Their stores mainly use orange for the background colour to give

customers a modern feeling. As they are targeting for young ladies, their stores are

located in Mongkok, Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay, where most young people always

go shopping. In Easy Shop, corsets with elegant design and applique details in wide range

of colours can be found. Usually their corsets can be worn as outerwear.

Fig. 4.5: Easy Shop store and Shaper from Easy Shop


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F. Uniqlo

Uniqlo is Japan's leading clothing retail chain company that the stores are opened in

major cities in Asia, America and Europe. In 2011, Uniqlo launched a new line "Style up"

of women undergarments, offering seamless shapewear products which provides support

and enhances the body lines. Currently there is only one type of shaping camisole, while

there are two versions for their thigh shapers. The shapers are made of lightweight fabrics

and the design is simple without any accessory and trimming. Moreover, Uniqlo sell it at

a cheap price which per piece only costs 79 Hong Kong Dollars.

Fig. 4.6: Shapers from Uniqlo


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G. Wacoal

Wacoal is a worldwide lingerie manufacturer and the leader in designer intimate apparel.

Their business set up in Asia, America and Europe. Wacoal produces brassieres, panties,

shapewear, camisoles and accessories for women at different ages. Their shapewear are

des

study on shapewear preferences for women

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