This re-design of the traditional fencing jacket focuses on the motions an agile fencer performs when bouting -lunges and complex parries- while keeping within the known uniform of the modern fencer.
This design was included in RIT’s 2025 Beyond Fashion Showcase.
Improvements:
Sleeves: Gussets, Length, Finger Loops
The addition of tear-shaped gussets in the armpits allow the fencer to extend their arm up fully and bend it over their head for a parry.
The sleeves are lengthened to run completely up the hand and be held up by finger loops to keep the sleeve down and less wrinkled while in the engarde position. The finger loops are black, to avoid showing accumulation of sweat.
Jacket Back: Bias Cut Panel
The back of the jacket now has a bias cut swoop added over the widest part of the back, so that when the fencer lunges, the jacket doesn’t pull tight across the shoulder blades and restrict movement, instead allowing both arms to extend into the lunge.
Front of Jacket: Dart movement
Only one of the traditional darts of the fencing jacket remain- the other has been absorbed into the zipper curve, creating a smoother front.
There is a flap over the zipper to protect from hits, as required by FIE standards.
Velcro flap fastens to the off-hand side of the neck.
Wearing the Jacket
Underneath the fencing jacket, one must wear a plastron (the underarm protector for the weapon arm) and a chest protector (if the wearer has a chest). This jacket is designed to fit over both protection items, as well as a T-shirt and a thick exercise bra.
Not pictured: the body cord. The body cord would also be under the jacket, and would come out the sleeve.
Embrace: Case Study
Customer Profile
Analyzed current female fencers and what their habits are regarding their whites, and what pain points occurred, synthesized into one persona.
Major pain points found were wrinkles, and arms feeling trapped in a certain range of movement.
Market Research
Researched current brands and their abilities to be fitted but flexible for the target audience (female semi-competitive fencers).
The more expensive brands, like Leon Paul, do a better job, but still leave room for improvement.
Research For Brand Aesthetic
Created a research board that will inspire the brand “Embrace” with fencing concepts. It had to be traditional and white- to look like a fencing jacket- but have echoes of grand architecture and historic locations.
Beyond Fashion 2025’s prompt, the Vignelli Intangibles, also factored into the design of the line: the chosen Intangible is “Discipline”.
Brand Statement
Fencing is Disciplined, smooth and elegant, yet ancient and robust. Our brand highlights the rich history of fencing through the modernization of our fencing kit, or, “whites”.
Fencing studios have a rich history of polarization- from the garments to the people, to the location. From renovated churches to scrappy warehouses, the fencing community is resilient, and we believe that our clothing must reflect it.
Fencing is a proud sport with a wealth of history behind it, so we don our whites and embrace the past.
New Jacket Features
– Elastic loop for fingers
– Gussets under armpits
– Raglan sleeves for stretch
– Dart worked into the zipper to minimize bumps
– Bias cut back panel for extra stretch
– Made from thick cotton for durability, affordability, and strength
Patterning
I started working from a body block I made based on my measurements, then drafted a basic fencing jacket pattern with raglan sleeves.
You can tell, from my first attempt at sleeves (brown paper, with pattern paper taped on) to the final attempt (translucent pattern paper), there were many changes along the way- this is true for all the pattern pieces.
I created the pattern initially with no seam allowance, then when the pattern later was finalized, I added in 1/4″ sa on all sides to all pieces. Connection points are marked, so I know I am keeping the pieces even to each other.
Final Pattern, ruler for scale
Prototypes 1&2 with Muslin
I changed where darts were, and the combined the two pieces in the back- there was no need to do an extra seam to attach the top and middle backs. On the second prototype, I added thin finger loops to see if the pattern allowed for it.
Prototypes 3&4 with Muslin
This material was the original plan for the outer fabric- but after two tries, I realized that I would not be able to make it work. The tightness I wanted out of the garment was not able to happen with just how stiff this fabric is, even after washing it and trying to distress it. Wearing it left stripy bruises across joints on the skin (pictured to the right).
Prototypes 5, with Denim from Old Jeans
I pivoted to using denim as the protective material for my last prototype before the final. As I waited for the off-white denim I ordered to come in, I recycled old jeans I had been given to test the pattern with the material. It ended up working, so I lined it with an anti-microbial jersey knit material and inserted a zipper and the most of the hardware required for a fencing jacket.
Beyond Fashion 2025 Images
Beyond Fashion 2025 Photo Booth images, taken by Chase Honahan and Grace Monahan, edited by Liam Myerow.
Emily Ohl Studio 