Finding solutions: Annmarie O'Connor meets the pioneers striving for inclusivity in fashion

Now with my motor skills most affected, everyday actions I took for granted like putting on earrings, doing up intricate laces, delicate hook-and-eye closures, fidgety clasps or hard-to-reach buttons can interfere with the task of getting ready in the mornings when my medication kicks in. During my first and most challenging year, I donated some of my favourite wardrobe pieces with similar entry barriers to make my life easier.

I also began paying closer attention to what I was not seeing: an invisible cohort excluded from the fashion conversation.

Admittedly, mine is a small story on a much grander scale. According to the European Commission, 87 million Europeans have some form of disability. That’s 1 in 4 European adults or 24% of the EU population (Consilium.europa.eu) who could benefit from greater access to garments which specifically address their needs.

The fashion industry has been slow in attending to issues of inclusivity and accessibility, not just in garment design but also across retail spaces and e-commerce.

Worthy of note are those engaging in the dialogue and, thus, spearheading change. Let’s meet some of them.

Sinéad Burke

Setting the tone is Sinéad Burke — Irish writer, disability activist, and fashion trailblazer.

In giving voice to her experience as a 3’5” woman with achondroplasia, she has elevated those of the Disabled community. She is a pioneer of many firsts, among them the first little person to feature on the cover of Vogue — twice. 

Founder and CEO of accessibility and inclusion consultancy Tilting the Lens, her work at the intersection of education, advocacy, and design starts discussions in every room, bringing visibility to inaccessibility and, ultimately, awareness to action.

It’s this last piece ‘awareness to action’ that holds the promise of systemic and cultural change. Proving that innovation, indeed, is a mindset is the Canadian fashion designer and disruptor Izzy Camilleri with her award-winning adaptive clothing brand, IZ Adaptive (izadaptive.com). 

Known for her eponymous fashion line and celebrity clientele, Camilleri launched IZ Adaptive in 2009, having spent several years creating custom clothing for a quadriplegic client — an experience that opened her eyes to the challenges faced by those living with a physical disability.

“Before entering the world of adaptive clothing, as an experienced fashion designer not having any personal connection to disability, I had no idea that people living with a disability had different clothing needs than myself, or that their options were limited,” she admits. “I would assume that other designers were in the same position as me.”

Listening and learning to other Disabled voices about the likes and dislikes of everyday clothing formed the foundation of Camilleri’s line of modern wardrobe basics for men and women, where fashion, function and feeling good get equal billing.

“Everybody wants to look and feel good in their clothes. We all do, whether you live with a physical disability or not,” states Camilleri. 

“The modern basics approach is a way to include everyone, without being limited to a specific trend.”

For autumn, new styles include closet classics like a faux leather trench coat, a chic wrap dress, and seamless knit co-ords — all in a seated cut, meaning it follows the line of a seated person. The trench, for example, is shorter at the back, so there’s no extra fabric, and longer in the front to cover the thighs. Plus, its flannel-backed Kasha lining means extra warmth.

Finding solutions: that’s what makes IZ Adaptive so compelling as a brand. The Iconic Biker Jacket, for instance, features a metallic back zipper that allows the garment to separate into two halves, so it can be put on or taken off, one side at a time. Then there’s the aptly named Game Changer, a revolutionary patented trouser design, using IZ Seamless Technology ™ to reduce the risk of life-threatening pressure sores.

“There’s a huge education piece around designing this type of clothing,” Camilleri explains of the Game Changer, “because you can hurt someone if done incorrectly. Understanding the needs and issues is so important, but creating clothing that is attractive and stylish is just as important.” 

Elena Canty

Indeed. Style without compromise — there’s freedom in that. However, when it comes to the broader retail landscape, there’s still work to be done. Disability rights and inclusion supporter, fashion fan, and wheelchair user, Elena Canty, knows of this firsthand. Born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI-type 3), a genetic disorder also known as brittle bone disease, the Corkonian shares her typical shopping experience.

Partial to vibrant colour and sparkle, Canty, by her admission, does not shop for adaptive clothing, choosing instead to find smaller outfits in mainstream fashion retailers like Penneys, H&M, New Look, and M&S for her four-foot-two frame.

“I find when I’m shopping with my mom, I have great luck,” Canty says, “as she might find something that didn’t catch my eye.” Adding on a more serious note, “I have to be with somebody really from the moment I enter the shop to the end purchase. My bones break easily. 

"If I were to reach up to grab an item of clothing or try to root through a rail, I could easily fracture my hand. It happened once. So, I have to be careful.” 

Personal safety concerns aside, Canty also has to be a savvy problem-solver, finding fashionable shoes in a size 1-2, and avoiding, where possible, the invisible cost of alterations.

“I find now that I’m very picky about buying certain items of clothing,” she admits. “I only buy cropped pants and jeans because when the ends are turned up, they don’t need any altering. I buy mini dresses so that they are full gowns on me and short jackets as they don’t go past my waist. 

"Sometimes I do need to get alterations, especially when buying coats, but I don’t buy them often as I’m slower in deciding what is worth it and what isn’t nowadays.” 

In terms of accessibility, Canty gives a thumbs-up to Sheena’s Boutique on Oliver Plunkett Street and the merchandising of Dunnes Stores’ Savida range. On the macro, however, she has ‘future-focused’ advice for brands and retailers, namely: “They need to be made aware that anyone can become disabled at any time.” 

Vouching for a synergetic approach to reimagining retail, she suggests ‘reaching out to the disability community to gain valuable insight into what works and doesn’t work’ and ‘partnering up with brands that are already working on inclusive fashion’ to provide a more equitable customer experience.

'Nothing for us without us'

European online fashion and lifestyle platform, Zalando is committed to doing just that.

The popular retail destination launched its first adaptive fashion line in 2022, supported by All is for All (AIFA), a New Zealand-based creative agency helping brands be inclusive and accessible for Disabled people. The collection boasts over 140 clothing and footwear styles for men and women across its private labels: Zign, Pier One, Anna Field, Yourturn and Even&Odd, as well as an offering from global brand Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive.

Most notably, the Zalando fashion store and app now feature an adaptive fashion hub to help customers filter and find their favourite pieces. Signposted but not siloed, the assortment is easy to discover thanks to dedicated collection pages, for instance, ‘sensory-friendly’, ‘seated collection’ or ‘fit for prostheses’. Adaptive items are all tagged with a flag icon and can be sorted according to specific features like ‘pull-up loops’ or ‘no seam’. More than an e-commerce category; this is a thoughtfully executed community-first experience.

Sara Diez, VP of Private Label & Product Supply, shares the importance of Zalando following the “nothing for us without us” principle. “Before the design process started, AIFA conducted a series of educational workshops for the teams involved (designers, buyers, developers). 

"These were foundational to make sure that everyone really understood disability rights and culture,” Diez states. “It also conducted trainings where the Private Labels team could talk about the product designs in detail, the do’s and don’ts.”

Zalando continues to lead by example, listening to community feedback and addressing their efforts in kind. The platform is currently working on adding a kids’ assortment, adaptive sportswear and an expanded selection of adaptive features for footwear as part of its long-term strategy.

“This is not a space to compete but to collaborate,” asserts Diaz. Not only is this a great line on which to finish, but it’s the perfect place for all of us to start.