Nicole Kaminska

Nicole Kaminska specialises in Performance Sportswear Design, focusing on the development of innovative cooling materials and thermoregulation systems. Because of the unique perspective of herself being a triathlete, her designs are focused on the human, looking at enhancing and supporting the physical as well as the mental performance of the athletes.

During her MA she has closely worked and tested her designs with professional competing triathletes, conducting a series of interviews and testing sessions. With her previous background in Womenswear, she approaches the field of sportswear considering the nature of being female in a male-dominated sports industry and introduces an emotional, subtle view on performance sportswear.

Emotional Sportswear is an investigation into human’s endurance, focusing on how innovative cooling solutions can enhance human performance. Being a competing triathlete, I have designed the presented collection of professional performance gear from my own experience.

This is a data-driven, user experience design project, with Triathlon being one of the fastest growing extreme sports. 

Triathlon has been an important part of my life, it allowed me to join a wonderful community of people who are not afraid to test and exceed their physical and psychological limits. Waking up at 5 am to get to a swimming training at 5:45, used to be my reality and I believe there is so much beauty in extreme sports that can be translated into an art form. The beauty of being in a triathlon race is in the sense of belonging in the moment, when after swimming, cycling and running a marathon distance at the end, the family and teammates wait for you at the finish line and when you hear their cheers in that last minute of the race you run with all of the strength you have left in you, creating your own work of art of the moment. 

The starting point to this project was an interview with my triathlon coach Bogumil Gluszkowski, who used to be a World Ironman champion. His words beautifully sum up why I chose to connect triathlon with my design practice : For me both art and sport have this dimension where you can keep improving yourself infinitely. 

My main research focus was the importance of thermoregulation in performance sportswear, focusing on developing innovative cooling solutions like seamless cooling triathlon suits and pre-race/recovery cooling garments.

I have worked closely with Marta Dzieciatkowska, who is a professional triathlete in the Polish Triathlon Team. I have interviewed her and also tested my final prototypes with her, which was priceless to development of female-centred designs. 

The presented products have been thoroughly tested, researched and created with professional competing athletes. Looking at new pattern cutting techniques and fabric development that allow for more movement, second skin fit, no seam chafing. Innovative cooling materials, structures and fabrics that follow and adjust with the athlete’s movements. 

Marta will be further testing the gear in the race conditions during one of the World Championship races this race season. 

The products are created as not to disturb the athletes with any outside factors, to keep them in an optimal state, where they can focus on being present in the moment and and move beyond their limits.