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Terkildsen, Mette Nørgaard; Pedersen, Lene

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Inclusive design in apparel requires not only designing for diverse bodies but also designing with an understanding of the lived experiences, preferences, and embodied variations of users. Yet current engineering and design education continues to rely on standardized body data and idealized sizing models, leaving significant user groups unrepresented. This lack of representation contributes to design exclusion, high return rates, and unnecessary waste. As the fashion sector faces growing pressure to become more inclusive and sustainable, design education must evolve to better prepare future designers for this complexity. This paper examines how case-based learning and data-driven design processes can strengthen inclusive product development. Students are presented with authentic real-world cases consisting of qualitative interviews with women describing their experiences with clothing, fit, and style, paired with quantitative 3D body-scanning data that visually and spatially represents their embodied form. By working with this combined material, students engage directly with bodily variation and user narratives, enabling them to apply their professional knowledge more critically and contextually. The findings suggest that when diversity is embedded in both the design process and the learning environment, students develop deeper empathy, enhanced analytical reasoning, and stronger problem-framing skills. The paper proposes a model in which fit is reframed not as a narrow technical constraint but as an embodied design challenge essential to product performance. The paper contributes a pedagogical framework that brings together diversity awareness, data-driven insight, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. It highlights inclusive collection strategies that replace single systems with micro-systems designed to accommodate user variation.

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