Akina Tsutsumi is a womenswear designer currently pursuing her MA in Fashion at the Royal College of Art. She began studying fashion in 2019, developing a deep understanding of garment structure and construction. From the outset, she became fascinated with how clothing could function beyond aesthetics, and this curiosity grew into a practice centred on sportswear and functional innovation. Her philosophy is rooted in a customer-first approach: clothing must be practical, adaptive, and truly usable before it becomes expressive. Aesthetics are considered, but always in balance with functionality. She believes garments should act as tools for mobility and protection, reducing excess and supporting the evolving needs of the body in motion. This perspective comes directly from her own experiences as a skier and frequent traveler. Faced with the frustration of carrying multiple layers and rigid protective gear, she began to reimagine how clothing could merge purposes, streamline packing, and empower wearers to move freely. Her current project, Shape Your Shell – Double the Function, Half the Baggage, introduces a knitted baselayer with customizable protection. Using digital knitting and body mapping, the garment integrates breathability, insulation, and compression, while modular silicone inserts allow users to shape their own protective zones. Positioned as a new category of adaptive winter sportswear, the work challenges conventional layering systems by offering a single intelligent textile that reduces bulk while enhancing comfort, safety, and adaptability.