Copyright © Françoise Herrmann
A hospital gown designed by a well-known fashion stylist? Yes, a hospital gown designed by Diane von Fürstenberg, celebrated for her iconic wrap-around dresses, chairwoman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) from 2006 to 2019, and inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2019, among many additional accolades.
The US utility patent, US8990966, titled Medical garment, was awarded to Diane von Fürstenberg, Erin Przekop, and Jeanne M. Ryan, on March 31st, 2015, and assigned jointly to Diane von Fürstenberg Studio L.P., and The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Although the patent is a utility patent vs. a design patent that would otherwise cover only the ornamental aspects of the gown, the patent explicitly addresses both functionality and appearance. The functionality of being able to easily access a patient’s body for examination. The attractiveness of a gown that might be comforting to patients, while still providing coverage. Most importantly, an inventive gown that might also be fastened by patients without assistance, since the patent states that most hospital gowns are inspired by 19th-century night shirts, further tailored in a variety of ways to open and close in the back.
Commissioned by the Cleveland Clinic to design a gown, Diane von Fürstenberg (2021) stated: “ I was taken aback. I thought, “Why?” But then I understood: It’s about the dignity of the patient.” Fürstenberg then explained that she designed a print and worked with the hospital nurses on the gown’s functionality. In particular, she mentions that the gowns come in three sizes that are color-coded so that the correct size might be easily grabbed in a hurry.
The patent Figure 1, shown above, depicts a plan view of the inventive garment or gown 11, comprising three substantially rectangular panels, one central panel 12, and two side panels 13 and 14. The central panel 12 has a right edge 12c, and a left edge 12 b, respectively joined via the right seam 17, and the left seam 16, to the side panels 13 and 14.
The gown comprises two sleeves, a right sleeve 21, and a left sleeve 18, attached to the central and side panels (11-14) through the right and left armholes 22 and 19. The two sleeves 18 and 21 further comprise corresponding slits 36 and 37, secured with fasteners 38, to enable access to the patient’s arms.
The gown also comprises a V-neck 39, which may be worn on the front or on the back of a patient's body. When the gown is worn with the V-Neck 39 on the front, the pocket 41 appears on the patient’s chest. When the V-neck 39 is worn on the back, the pocket 48 appears on the patient's chest. The gown comprises two more pockets, the side pocket 32 attached to the seam 16, and the side pocket 33 attached to the seam 17.
The gown further comprises a tunnel-like waistband 23, extending across the left panel 13 and the central panel 12. A first belt 24 is anchored at point 24a on the seam 16, and extends out of the waistband 23, through the side panel 13. A second belt 26 is anchored at point 26a, also on the seam 16, but it extends out of the waistband 23, through the central panel 12. Both belts 24 and 26 cooperate like drawstrings to cinch the waistband 23. Two additional ties 28 and 27 are provided, respectively attached to the outer edge of the side panel 14, and to the seam 16, both at waistband 23 height. The ties, 28 and 27, are meant to coordinate with the cinching drawstring belts, 24 and 26.
Although the gown is described as a medical gown for use at hospitals, nursing homes, doctors’ offices, and other healthcare facilities, the scope of the invention is recited as extending to health spas, beauty salons, as well as to private uses, or to uses requiring the functionalities of the garment. In terms of materials, the patent recites multiple suitable materials, such as natural or synthetic fabric. Synthetic fabric unlimited to polyester, acrylic, polyamide or polyolefin fiber and combinations, provided that both the materials and the tailoring can sustain the rigors of use and multiple washing.
The patent abstract is included below.
A medical garment formed of a central body region and two side regions with a pair of belts and a pair of fasteners for securing the garment around a patient’s body is provided. The central body region may be worn on the back or front and may have a V-neck form. A waistband extends across the central body region and across one side region with a first belt secured at the junction of the central region and the second side region and extending to the outer edge of the first side region. The second belt extends from the secured end of the first belt through the waistband across the central body region, the second belt exiting the waistband at the junction of the second side region and central body region. A first fixed tie is positioned at the outer edge of the second side region along the position of the waistband. A second fixed tie is secured to the inside of the waistband between the central body region and first side region. This garment design allows for easy gathering of fabric to present a secure and attractive body covering. [Abstract US8990966]
References
Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)
Cleveland Clinic
www.dvf.com
Luthra, S. (March 30, 2025). A new unusual Diane Von Fürsetenberg gown. The Washington Post.
Luthra, S. (March 30, 2025). A new unusual Diane Von Fürsetenberg gown. The Washington Post.
National Women's Hall of Fame
https://www.womenofthehall.org/
Von Fürstenberg, D. (2021). Hospital chic. Cleveland Clinic Magazine.
