A case study illustrating how DIAC’s Design Impacts Framework applies to a fashion and wellness design.
Client: Zoll®
Fashion Designer: Vandal Goods
Designer: Ronald Tam
Project Completion: 2-3 Year Duration
Target audience: Older-aged Men & Woman (60+)
Vandal Goods, founded in 2014, is a fashion and wellness brand redefining design for everyday health. Led by Ronald Tam, the brand redesigned the Zoll® Life Vest, creating a more comfortable, secure, and aesthetically pleasing version to support users with heart conditions in daily life.
Empathy Driven Design
The life vest was developed through a human-centered design approach that prioritized patient needs such as comfort, wearability, and usability. Insights gained from these focus areas led to design decisions that significantly improved both product adoption and extended wear time.
Design Evolution: The Power of Grey
After research and user feedback, the team selected a cool grey for the life vest, offering a balance of neutrality and practicality. The light grey blends well with garments and avoids the visibility of darker colors, while steering clear of the staining issues users had with the white version. This thoughtful choice enhances both aesthetics and functionality.
Butterfly Clasp Closure: Comfort & Confidence
The life vest not only meets life-saving needs but also addresses emotional and physical comfort, making it something patients feel empowered to wear. Through seamless 3D-knitting, intuitive butterfly clasp closures, and soft materials, the design reduces discomfort and fosters confidence, enhancing daily independence.
The DIAC Design Impact Framework centers around five key themes:
1. VISION: Design embodies the vision
What was the inspiration behind the vision for the life vest that helped in designing the product?
The life vest redesign addressed discomfort, bulk, and abrasion for post-surgical patients through a user-centered design using 3D knitting technology. This seamless, sculpted structure improved fit, comfort, and reduced material waste. The design enhanced user compliance, enabled efficient robotic manufacturing, and supported an affordable rental model.
2. FUNCTIONALITY: Design enhances functionality
What strategies ensure the product is accessible to older adults, and which key features are incorporated to support this?
The life vest design focused on comfort and reliability with a resin butterfly clasp for easy grip, color-coded Velcro for user-friendly attachment, and resin snap buttons for durability. Rigorous testing ensured ease of use and long-term performance. Minimizing sewing supported FDA compliance, while the intuitive design helps users with impairments maintain the device, enabling 24-hour heart monitoring and independent living.
3. BRAND: Design creates brand
How did the design of the product reflect the brand’s mission, and in what ways did it enhance usability and appeal for older adults?
The life vest design prioritizes simplicity, comfort, and practicality, addressing feedback on the original white version. The new light grey color is gender-neutral, hides dirt, and reflects the brand's functional approach, with a heat-pressed logo to reduce irritation. Testing ensured durability, resulting in a modern, appealing design that improves usability for users wearing it under clothing.
4. ENVIRONMENT: Design embeds environmental benefits
How does the design minimize environmental impact while ensuring it remains practical and beneficial for older adults?
The seamless, robotic-knitting process significantly reduces waste and human labor, minimizing the product's carbon footprint. Though nylon was selected for durability over biodegradability, the efficient production method and longevity of the product support lower resource use and emissions over time.
5. HEALTH & WELLBEING: Design promotes health and wellbeing
How does the design promote long-term physical health and wellbeing?
The life vest’s design process focused on comfort, wearability, and long-term use, making it a garment older adults want to wear. Iterative improvements from the first version to the current one led to higher adoption rates by enhancing functionality and comfort. This design eliminates the burden of wearing the vest, encouraging longer wear and integration into daily routines. User testing revealed patients are often reluctant to take it off, showing its value in daily life. The life vest boosts both physical health and psychological well-being, empowering users to confidently engage in daily activities.
6. Key Success Performance Indicators
The life vest’s success is demonstrated by increased daily wear time, higher adoption rates among elderly and post-op users, and positive feedback highlighting improved comfort, confidence, and autonomy.
Clinical validation over 2.5+ years and reduced skin irritation reflect continuous design improvements, while patients often choose to wear the vest beyond the recommended 30–60 days.
