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It’s All About Inclusion
Over 1 billion people of the world’s population are diagnosed with some form of disability. Almost 20% of working age adults in the UK are disabled, according to the British Disability Quality Charity Scope. Yet despite this, disabled people have long been ignored and excluded from the fashion industry. The fashion industry might be quick when it comes to trends, but it is slow to represent people of different abilities. Disabilities come in various forms which can demand several specific clothing needs, such as adjustable waists, one hand zips, magnetic closures, and extended openings. For example, buttons can be difficult for those with dexterity issues and regular cut trousers can…
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Inclusive Fashion: How Fashion Neglects our Multitude
From spangles to spandex and couture to cosy, the fashion industry can seem the most inclusive trade of all. It caters to style, occasion, and fit but what about need? What about fashion and disability? Most people will think that disability is few and far between; the fashion industry is vast enough to cater to anyone’s tastes. But the label of ‘disability’- meaning someone with an impairment e.g. a wheelchair, a prosthetic of some sort, a learning difficulty, or condition that on occasion means there is a limit to what that person can undertake – is an umbrella term for a wide range of diagnosis. Because of the vastness of…
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Fashion Focus: the Stories of Disabled Models
The fashion industry has longed for change, inclusivity is no longer a token gesture. The voices of those in isolated groups are now speaking up, using their voice to create impact. People with disabilities are making a breakthrough in fashion, telling their stories as a way to disrupt its norms. Becoming leaders of justice, they are manifesting integrated causes for the disabled community. Banging on the door of fashion and making it bold. Body politics If the essence of fashion is all about vibrancy and expression, then why are people feeling excluded? Inclusion as a concept, holds power. For instance, fashions background is shadowed by over-sexualisation and restrictive representation. It’s…
