the fashion student and her brief.....

while this fashion student was very excited that swimwear would be on the cards for design studio this semester, there was a rude shock awaiting me in my inbox......

"The Brief: A burning issue: fashion and sun protection 

The 'dick' tog, a briefs-style male swimsuit as it is colloquially referred to, is linked to Australia's national identity with overtly masculine bronzed 'Aussie' bodies clothed in this iconic apparel. However, the reality is, our hunger for worshiping the sun and the addiction to beach and sports culture is tempered by the pragmatic need to cover up and wear neck-to-knee, or more apt, head-to-toe sun protective clothing. Australia, in particular the state of Queensland, has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world; nevertheless, even after wide-ranging public programs for sun safety awareness many people (adolescents in particular) still continue to wear designs that provide minimal sun protection.
 
As designers it is critical for you to understand the important role that fashion plays in determining sun protective behaviour. This is an opportunity to develop prototype/s that experiment with sun safe sportswear designs (in a broad sense) and at the same time learn vital stretch wear making skills that are transferable to other styles/garments."

Sun-safe swimwear.... hmmm, how to take the wind out of a girl's sails.  On the upside, however, it doesn't just have to be swimwear.  We can design any type of sporting apparel.  So perhaps I'll look away from the beach and head out of the sun and do an indoor sport instead....