AUTEX 2009 World Textile Conference 2628 May, 2009 Đzmir, Turkey 862 jcunha@det.uminho.pt In ours days we are watching an increasing demand for highly differentiated products with a significant added value, that simultaneously consider issues such as easy to use, comfort, flexibility in wearing and fashionable look. In this group of products are the multifunctional fashion clothing’s. These products allow different uses in different scenarios, such as adaptation to diverse social situations, weather conditions, etc. The present paper looks at the key elements in the development of multifunctional concepts, proposing their integration in a design methodology for the development of multifunctional textile fashion products. We also present a couple of academic projects that support the proposed methodology. ! "#$% Product design methods, fashion design, multifuncional products, inclusive design & The research in design for the development of multifunctional fashion products must necessarily focus on specific market niches, aiming the anticipation of consumer needs and desires, thus developing concepts that meet those demands. Therefore it’s not enough to put together a traditional trend research and a simple market and consumer survey. In this approach to products differentiation by their multifunctional ability, the design research must also attend to the emerging materials and technologies that may contribute for the development of products truly multifunctional. The comfort issue is another matter that must be deeply considered in the design research of multifunctional fashion concepts. Products, whatever they might be, are conceived to be used, handled and felt by the consumer. In this sense, it is important to consider the comfort in all its magnitude namely both psychological and esthetical comfort, as well as sensorial, thermophysiological and ergonomic. In light of these requisites, it is also of considerable importance a perfect understanding of what makes the consumer “to feel well” and how does this influence his psychoesthetical comfort. If in same cases the differentiation is the ultimate goal for the consumer, other cases occur exactly the opposite, were the inclusion and nondifferentiation is the consumer main goal. In such cases for the design of multifunctional textile fashion products to be better design it must also address the issue of inclusive, or universal, design. The fact that a product has been developed specifically for a particular market niche (as for instance handicaps, blind or elderly people) does not give it a guaranteed success. The truth is that these persons tend to dislike products that “stigmatize” them. In the case of this class of products it is necessary, after design concept development, to study ways to adapt these products in order to make them suitable for as many users as possible, searching towards an inclusive design product vision.