Clothes are an Important Tool for Self-Identity and Representation that is Largely Missing in the Disability Community
In the past couple years, I have seen encouraging process towards accurate representation in the fashion industry. I have seen models walk the runway with Down Syndrome, prosthetics, and Vitiligo.
It is a step in the right direction, but it does not translate to the actual clothes being shown off.
Adaptive clothing lines are slowly growing and progressing but are still too rare and expensive to be mainstream for the one billion people with disabilities around the world.
However, consumers drive the fashion industry. If a movement started in which people within the disability community vocally demanded that fashion brands prioritize both diversity and inclusion, a boom of adaptive clothing may follow to appease consumers.
The Scope of Adaptive Clothing in 2021
A few brands have already begun to develop clothing lines based on diversity and inclusion. Notable examples include Tommy Hilfiger’s Tommy Adaptive. Tommy Adaptive was the first adaptive clothing line to be launched in the mainstream market in 2017. The line features shirts with single handed zips and magnetic buttons alongside pants with adjustable waists.
Tommy Hilfiger released a statement following the release of the clothing line, expressing that they wanted to deliver the same quality clothes with the added benefit of “discreet, truly functional modifications”.
However, the cost of just one of those shirts or pairs of pants might cost a customer well over a hundred dollars, making the clothing line fashionably adaptive but largely inaccessible to the larger population due to cost.
Since the launch of Tommy Adaptive, a couple other brands have followed in suit, with notable companies like Nike and ASOS introducing similar products for their consumers with disabilities.
ASOS collaborated with a Paralympian, Chloe Ball-Hopkins, to design jumpsuits for wheelchair users. Meanwhile, Nike worked with a boy with cerebral palsy to create a line of FlyEase shoes that can be tied with one hand.
The Future of Adaptive Clothing
Adaptive clothing will start to progress when more fashion brands make diversity and inclusivity a priority for their larger company missions. Besides adding long-needed representation for people with disabilities in fashion, it would additionally allow companies to capitalize on great branding and a currently unsaturated market.
The next step would be expansion of adaptive clothing lines from a few instances of casual wear, shoes, and professional wear to clothing lines that cover the needs of every person with a disability at any cost. This may include occasion wear, work wear, and sportswear.
All the while, these brands need to continue to hire people with disabilities for representation on catwalks, social media, and websites.
I have high hopes that within the next decade, adaptive fashion will become a lucrative market for dozens of fashion brands as they work towards greater inclusivity.
Written by Ryan Trombly
Ryan Trombly was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when she was eighteen months old. The disability causes right-side hemiparesis that affects the entire right side of her body, weakening her muscles and limiting her mobility in everyday activities. Despite this, Ryan has strived to live an independent life without any barriers and hopes to use her voice to advocate for the disability community.
Want to read the post this blog was based off? Check out https://mindlessmag.com/2020/09/26/when-will-adaptive-clothing-become-the-new-normal/
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