3. Existing Fashions for Women with Disabilities

Women with disabilities have limited fashionable clothing options. Custom sewing is expensive, alterations are sub-standard, one-size-fits-most are ill-fitting and can interfere with assistive devices, the occasional normalized, brand-name garments that happen to work are rare, and adaptive wear is stigmatized. For the younger disabled woman ages 16-45 years, a few clothing businesses targeting disabled clients have dared to design highly fashionable garments.¹⁴ However, while volunteering for Chloe Magazine’s afternoon runway show as a dresser at the Los Angeles Abilities Expo in May 2009, I observed that most of the fashions shown had no functions to ease dressing, creating discomfort backstage. All the models had physical disabilities, and no able-bodied models were included; behaviour that perpetuates the stigmatized disabled market.

These garments are marketed via Internet and use the search phrase ‘adaptive wear’, though one designer, Jordan Silver of Ag Design, reported in an interview in May 2009 that she would prefer to market without this stigma.¹⁵ Sales of fashionable clothing for disabled women continue to be separated from mainstream fashion sales.

Logans and Chloe magazines target young independent disabled women, offering articles about fashion spotlighting the few brand-name fashions that are disability-friendly.¹⁶ My 2006 fashions were featured in Logans in Spring 2008; however, the fashions were available only by custom order via Internet.¹⁷ For disabled women who need fashionable garments that ease the dressing process, without extreme function for activities such as toileting, fashions are difficult to find in mainstream fashion outlets.

4. Leaders Demonstrating New Attitudes:

Considered controversial among communities of disabled activists, the late Alexander McQueen spotlighted prosthesis wearing Aimee Mullins on the runway, and in the article ‘Fashion-able’ in Dazed and Confused, in 1998.¹⁸ This is an example of a forward thinking designer and model joining ranks to embrace the fashion possibilities for disabled women. Chanel featured Plus-Sized models (implied reduced ADLs) in a 2010 runway show, demonstrating an awareness of different body ideals, albeit a separate runway show that continues to segregate bodies.¹⁹ Betsey Johnson showed her fashions on models with disabilities for a charity event, though these were not designed to ease the dressing process. ²⁰ These three high fashion designers exemplify fashion attitudes that accept differences in body and ability ideals.

5. New Attitude, New Designs

The necessity of an inclusive view toward fashions for disabled women became apparent during my ethnographic interview process, when data showed that able-bodied women who used wheeled office chairs in their jobs requested the same functional and aesthetic elements in garments as did the disabled women, especially those using wheelchairs. Ergonomic needs during sitting for extended periods, coupled with the needs of stretching the upper body while remaining seated, were the same for both sets of women. The ergonomic overlap suggested the possibility for functional dress design changes with mainstream market appeal (non-stigmatized). The aesthetic overlap included the same preferences for modest blouse necklines for business wear. Both sets of women explained that scarves were not practical accessories, as they tend to slip off into the chair wheels, so I designed a new blouse-collar that buttoned over a scarf, which was successfully tested and approved by both sets of women.

The following discoveries underscore the need by both sets of women to have fashion designers address functional aspects to ease the dressing process. Interviews showed that the disabled women had body measurements that fit some standard fashion-brand sizes, but many of these fashion-brands were unnecessarily difficult during the dressing process. The main functional changes requested by the disabled women were not for toileting, but for ease of dressing. Able-bodied women also reported difficulty with garments, especially business wear, during the dressing process, leading to an overlap in function needs. To ease dressing, I placed zippers underarms and lengthened zippers used in pants and skirts. These solutions were not ground breaking for disabled women; however, finding that both sets of women preferred them to ease dressing was new. The women universally preferred semi-fit and well-fit garment choices for public venues, with business attire being the hardest to find. Both sets of women reported a desire to avoid one-size-fits-most garments for public events. All of these women wanted the same functional elements in garments, and felt that if designers responded to their needs, they would buy the new designs. Thus the focus of my research became business wear.

Using existing sketching, patterning and sewing skills, I began using bolder patterns. The caution in designing originals was to keep relatively close to socially accepted silhouettes so that the wearer would not be perceived as a freak in a sideshow.²¹ Folk wear garments of the past, inspired a new neck accessory, and interesting adjustable fits through rectangular gussets, pleats, and partial-wrap garments. I worked with sustainable natural fibres for different drape including: organza and china silks; hemp-silk blends; Melton and twill wools. Textiles were coloured with non-toxic dyes to respect skin health (the largest organ of the body) during long hours of sitting. The historic visite, an outer wrap that accommodated the back-bustle and tight fitting bodices of the 1870’s also inspired my design work.²² I experimented with alternative pattern shapes, construction processes and arrangement of openings/closures inside creative seam lines. My design progress can be viewed at http://www.ekaino.com.

Anticipating possible alterations led to my ‘rip-fit’ theory that refers to pattern construction to minimize the ripping and fitting process of alterations. This includes placing seams at critical fit junctures, such as splitting a waistband to seam vertically with the skirt/pant. Widening seams and finishing edges to press open rather than serged together also eased future alterations. The disadvantage of ‘rip-fit’ theory is added time/costs during sample garment creation, possibly accompanied by small cost increases for production. The advantage of ‘rip-fit’ theory is reduced cost of alterations, better potential fit, and a happier customer. No new skills or equipment was/is needed, only a new attitude.

Instead of being constricting and uninspiring, the design process proved to be challenging and expansive. During the fashion shows it was apparent that not every runway choreographer sees mixing a wheeling model with walking models as necessary or artistic. Including models with disabilities changed pacing and line-ups; however, it did embrace new body ideals, de-stigmatized garments, broadened the potential market, and awakened the audience.