Genderless Fashion Design: from binary fashion to bio-segmentation. Body biotypes and somatotypes as main bases to inclusive fashion design

Abstract: In this moment in history, products cannot only be about aesthetics, quality, and fabrics.The design process begins long before the idealization of a creation and its mandatory for professionals and brands to comprehend the weight of values,content and concept to the user, and use them to express and educate all consumeers. This paper aims to recognize, clarify, and document the specific subject of bio-segmentation: body somatotypes and biotypes, as the new base of construction in fashion design, instead of basing it in binary genders. For this, mind mapping, brainstorming organization charts, observation, stakeholder maps and surveys will be used to help in the structuring of this paper.Somatotypes are the three types of bodies that everybody has, women and men: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. Ectomorph is the leaner somatotype, with a light and narrow bone structure.Mesomorph is the athletic one, men with inverted triangle biotypes, and women with hourglass biotypes are usually in this category. Lastly, the endomorph somatotype, is the most common one, has a slow metabolic system propitious to fat increase. As to biotypes, there is six female ones (triangle, rectangle, diamond, oval, inverted triangle, and hourglass), and five male ones (triangle, rectangle, trapeze, oval, and inverted triangle), from which four match, meaning that there are only seven in total to build the segmentation system form.Gender issues, genderless fashion design, sustainability, inclusion, and ethics are some themes of relevance to new generations, and it is imperative to find new ways to stop them from remaining social stigmas. So,we suggest a new segmentation method that divides fashion and patterns through biotypes and somatotypes. It is also a goal to try to understand and predict how to reinvent design to fit this ideal and which are the essential modifications that need to be do be done the current design production, making this issue a relevant phase of the design process.We aim to promote some relevant research, helping genderless fashion to become a viable way for brands to stop making binary divisions, boosting the end of acceptance of sexist social norms and culture as well as the stigmatization of gender issues.We hope, that after this purpose is accomplished the real meaning of freedom will be achievable in clothing and fashion.

Keywords: Binary Fashion, Genderless Fashion, Segmentation, Pattern Solutions, Biotypes.

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001870

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