CAVAGNERO ET AL Dress shoes and heeled prosthetic legs the paralympic bid to break fashion barriers. Does fashion care about disabled people and the purple pound? | Disability. Since childhood, fashion has always given me joy. It has allowed me to present myself to the world as the person I am and strive to be, irrespective of the physical limitations of my disability. But in the five years since severe illness forced me to use a mobility scooter to get around, online retailers have become my primary access to new trends, owing to poor accessibility on my local high street. Recently, I heard about a disability charity’s campaign to improve shop access and wondered whether navigating luxury fashion stores on four wheels would be any less challenging.
It seemed logical that designer labels, which often shell out millions to create opulent showrooms, would invest in basic equipment for access. So I ventured into Mayfair – one of London’s most expensive areas to shop – to explore the AW17 collections up close. It’s important to say this is not a step towards a paywall We need more readers to register with us to help sustain our independent, quality journalism.
Businesses are missing out on the purple pound, says Scope | AbilityNet. Inclusive design is key to unlocking the purple pound says Scope speaking at AbilityNet’s TechShare Pro 2019 Seventy-five per cent of disabled people think businesses are losing out due to poor inclusive design, according to research by Scope unveiled at TechShare Pro 2019. With 11 million of the 27 million households in the UK, or 40% of them, including at least one disabled member business is missing out on a potential £2.74bn. “Disabled people in the UK particularly those with mild to moderate disabilities comprise a greater proportion of the population than ever before,” says Scope.
Under the umbrella of The Big Hack Scope’s research is part of a campaign to engage the tech community, and to bust through the barriers disabled people face. Researchers surveyed almost 300 disabled people to find out how they spend their cash; and where they’re unable to spend it, why, and to establish the role of Inclusive Design. How do disabled people spend their purple pound?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. What is The Purple Pound and How Can My Business Benefit? | iHUS. How Can Your Business Benefit? Businesses can benefit from the purple pound in two ways – the first and most obvious is via profits. it’s simple; attract more customers and your profit will increase. By making your business visibly attractive to disabled people you will win new customers. It’s also a matter of reputation; businesses that are ‘disability friendly’ tend to have a better reputation, both amongst disabled and able-bodied customers. Reputation is hard to measure tangibly but its something that you need to be conscious of – trying to fix a bad reputation is costlier than efforts to make your business more accessible. Ready to Make Your Business More Accessible? If you think your business isn’t accessible enough, try talking to the people you want to attract. Survey customers on what they think of your current facilities and what you could do to encourage them to use your service or visit your attraction.
The power of the 'purple pound' explained. The Importance of Fashion-Forward Adaptive Clothing. Wellness October/November 2018 Sarah Watts If you ask Kieran Kern about clothes for people in wheelchairs, the first thing she'll tell you is that she hates ponchos. "Every single person in a wheelchair has been offered a poncho at some point," says Kern, who was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around. She hates that ponchos are baggy and shapeless, but she admits they're practical. "They drape easily over assistive devices, and for someone like me, who has limited arm use, they are the most sensible.
" She was delighted, then, when Open Style Lab (OSL), a nonprofit organization in New York City that collaborates with students from the Parsons School of Design, occupational therapists, and engineers to create stylish clothing for people with disabilities, approached her in 2017 to collaborate on designing a coat. The company, which started as a service project at MIT in 2014, is now a semester-long class at Parsons. Fashion for Everyone Fitting In.
Re-imagining Disability through Adaptive Fashion - Mindless Mag. Disability and mainstream fashion have long been mutually exclusive entities. The industry has largely ignored this consumer group. Retailers today continue to mass-produce clothing with one person in mind: the white, size 8, non-disabled female. Many mainstream brands thoughtlessly saturate the market with garment designs that create dressing difficulties for many. Even clothing that’s suitable for a disabled person is advertised on a non-disabled model whose features fit westernised beauty standards. Therefore, disabled people are still having to actively source desired clothing in a marketplace not structured with their wants and needs in mind. Nevertheless, adaptive wear is here to re-imagine disability in fashion! Adaptive fashion is here to help the mind, body and soul For too long, consumers have been led to believe that there is something wrong with their bodies.
What is adaptive fashion? Adaptive clothing is so necessary yet few people are aware of its importance. What next? This Company Is Bringing the World’s Best Adaptive Fashion to Australia. Why Global Citizens Should Care Over 4.4 million people in Australia live with some form of disability. Global Citizen campaigns on the United Nations’ Global Goals, including goal 10 for reduced inequalities — which specifically calls for an end to all forms of discrimination. Join the movement and take action on this issue and more here. Adaptive clothing brand EveryHuman is making getting ready in the morning easier for people living with disabilities through a new one-of-a-kind online clothing platform.
The Australian and New Zealand initiative aims to increase buyers independence by allowing shoppers to browse mainstream and sophisticated clothing by subtle functional benefits — including seated-wear, adaptive intimates, magnetic closures and easy-on shoes and pants. "My opinion is that over the next few years, we’re going to see a real focus on providing fashion for people of all abilities,” Skerritt said, according to news publication Inside Retail. Adaptive-fashion. Adaptive clothing for women and men that is stylish and functional. For a very long time, the fashion industry left people with disabilities behind. The few clothing options available were shapeless, drab and closer to hospital garb than anything that could come off a New York runway.
“There’s been this stereotype that we can’t take care of ourselves, which means we can’t be fashionable,” says Chelsie Hill, a 28-year-old dancer and model who's been using a wheelchair ever since a spinal cord injury left her paraplegic at 17. In this article As discussions around inclusivity in fashion picked up in fervor over the last two years (searches for adaptive fashion increased by 80 percent in 2019, according to fashion platform Lyst), brands like UGGs and American Eagle have reacted, launching lines of adaptive clothing, apparel that is some combination of adjustable, accessible and functional for people with a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities — and that aims to maintain a stylish edge.
What is adaptive clothing? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The new adaptive apparel market: fashionable and accessible | EDITED | The Retail Data Company. Amid the growing conversations surrounding diversity in the fashion industry, inclusive marketing strategies are no longer enough and retailer product offerings need to cater to a wider range of consumers. While efforts are increasing to design for those with disabilities, this billion-dollar market remains largely untapped. Read on to find out who is already investing and factors to consider upon entering this market. Reach out to an EDITED retail specialist to find out what analysis reports retailers such as Zara, Puma and Marni take into their weekly meetings. The growing market According to Coherent Market Insights, the global market for adaptive clothing is expected to increase from $278.9 billion in 2017 to nearly $400 billion by 2026.
Interest in adaptive clothing also piqued in 2019 – with searches increasing by 80% based on data from Lyst. Design details to consider Wheelchair-friendly cuts Silhouettes will need to be cut differently to accommodate those in a wheelchair. Zappos Aerie. Adaptive Fashion is the New Couture. Adaptive Fashion is the New Couture By Keisha Greaves, Girls Chronically Rock Alexa, Siri, voice-activated apps, phones and even TVs have been a great convenience throughout my journey with a chronic illness. Having the ability to turn off the light without risking a fall or calling for help when no one is around has tremendously changed the level of independence I am able to enjoy. However, one of my areas of passion, fashion, has always been a challenging space to navigate living with Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD).
Having the energy to open and close a series of buttons, secure long zippers or even keep my arms raised over my head can present challenges for getting dressed without the assistance of personal aid. Adaptive Clothing: Everybody’s Doing It, Finally! Thankfully, that's all changing as adaptive fashion is carving out a greater niche in the fashion world, creating a new subcategory of fashion made with the limitations of the customer in mind.
About the Author: Adaptive Clothing Fashion Meets Innovation - Vue.ai. For most of us, the decision of picking what to wear, however trivial, is the part of the process that involves maximum effort. The physical act of getting dressed is something that feels very natural. Wearing clothes doesn’t take much effort. However, this isn’t the same for people with disabilities. What we might shrug off as normal can be very difficult for someone facing a disability – be it physical, cognitive or any other. From not being able to button a shirt to excruciating pain because of a pair of jeans that are a snug fit – dressing up can be a whole different story. What we take for granted is a privilege or even out of reach for many. But you may be surprised to learn that people with disabilities and special needs have had to improvise with clothing – for years.
Back in 2008, Don Horton, an assistant football coach, struggled to get a dressed post a game as Parkinson’s disease made him acutely aware for the first time that life was going to get difficult. Understanding the Purple Pound Market – Purple. Why 2019 was a landmark year for disabled fashion | Fashion. Beyond greige orthopaedic footwear and sweatpants – a cardinal sin according to the late Karl Lagerfeld – your options as a trend-seeking disabled shopper have been slim pickings. In a land where “figure hugging” is a powerchair poncho, it seems sartorial rules need not apply.
However, the last year has seen a radical rethink in our understanding of how to design for disability. The rise in adaptive fashion – clothing specifically designed for those with disabilities and chronic conditions – reflects newfound awareness of inclusive design. In fact, searches for adaptive clothing saw an increase of 80% over 2019, according to global fashion search platform Lyst. This encompasses everything from discrete elasticated waistbands, which are pinch-free when seated, to magnetic fastenings for independent dressing.
All aspects of the garment are fabricated with the wearer’s everyday challenges in mind. The pioneers of adaptive fashion New start-ups offering disability-friendly fashion. What is Adaptive Fashion? – EveryHuman. The clothes we wear, the shoes we slip on, and the way we dress to greet the world say more about us than we realise. After all, fashion is a powerful art-form that allows us to own our narrative, express our individuality, and display our confidence without uttering a single word. But not everyone shares the same thrill when they get dressed in the morning. Currently, 15% of the world’s population is experiencing some form of disability. In Australia, 20% of people have trouble dressing, finding clothes that fit, and owning their individual style. Despite this staggering figure, mainstream fashion has historically been slow to address the needs of differently-abled and elderly people.
Buttons and zippers impede those with one-hand or limited dexterity. Pants and jeans are ill-fitting for people in wheelchairs and those who wear leg braces. Shoelaces are troublesome for those with a limb difference and sneakers rarely accommodate leg braces. Adaptive fashion revolutionises all of that. Style. The $400 billion adaptive clothing opportunity | Vogue Business. Key takeaways: The global market for adaptive clothing is expected to be valued at nearly $400 billion by 2026.The costs of creating lines for differently abled customers are comparable to launching an extended sizing collection, but brands need to spend time talking to medical professionals.There is demand for styles that are fashion-forward as well as functional, but higher-end labels still lack appropriate points-of-sale. When Selma Blair appeared at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscars party months after revealing her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, she paired her strapless Ralph & Russo gown with a bespoke monogrammed cane.
The actress has spoken widely about the struggle to find clothes that work for her new needs and her celebrity has helped make a case that differently abled people, who were often limited to utilitarian clothing options like sweatpants, have been trying to communicate to brands for years. Selma Blair at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscars party. . © Getty Images © Tommy Hilfiger.
Embodying Universal Bodies: Disability - 1 Granary. Now in its ninth year, MFA Fashion Design & Society at Parsons is a leading course for emerging designers, helmed by fashion stalwarts Shelley Fox and Joffrey Moolhuizen (JOFF). This year, the first-year students took on a new challenge, intended to push the progressive, multidisciplinary approach of the course further. ‘Embodying Universal Bodies’ put a new spin on the ‘Personal Identity’ project that normally sees students examining their own place in the world. You can read about the motivation and meaning behind the project here. The class of 17 was divided into four groups, addressing the ageing, transgender, plus size and disabled communities. They then had to find a muse from their given community, and work with them to fill the voids left by other fashion designers’ privileges. This is what went down in the Disability group. The muse: Bri Scalesse (she/her) The design team: Madison Hislop, Kyoung Eun Kim, Justin Hsiung, Kenneth Pan, Zoe Whelan.
Is fashion education ignoring disability? - 1 Granary. I realised that the course I was studying, and the industry I was aspiring to work within, were both directly contributing to society’s negative perception of disability – promoting and selling a bodily ideal to which disabled people, like Simone, cannot conform. It was whilst on my placement year from CSM that I decided I had to challenge this. I wanted to know why, in 2020, and at some of the most progressive fashion schools in the world, the teaching of human-centred design and communication is still being overlooked?
But more importantly how, through education, we can begin to change this? The film follows my journey in search of these answers. Featuring activists, icons, and educators, Same People is about the social fragility of the disabled body within an industry obsessed with perfection, but ultimately, is a call to arms about the power of clothing to change people’s lives.