When it comes to high-end luxury fashion, it is not exactly known for being extremely inclusive and accepting.
From being particular to a certain size 0 to photoshopping, from being only created for a select colour of people to being priced at an unimaginable rate, luxury fashion is for most something that can only be admired from outside windows of pretty looking outlets.
But perhaps it is people with disabilities who truly get the short end of the stick as besides having to deal with all the above-mentioned problems the clothes can be a little difficult to put on oneself.
However, Tommy Hilfiger’s latest clothing range cleverly called ‘Tommy Adaptive’ is set out to bring this sector of people into the folds of high fashion.
What Is Tommy Adaptive?
The name has to be given some credit as it perfectly explains what exactly the collection that comprises of 37 new styles for men and for women 34 across various garments like pants, jackets, dresses, shirts and more is trying to do.
Interestingly the line is not geared towards just one age bracket but instead includes both children and adults with disabilities.
In 2016 in a partnership with Runway of Dreams, a nonprofit organisation created by a woman Mindy Scheier, whose child had muscular dystrophy, Tommy Hilfiger had ventured into creating clothes catered towards children with disabilities. Now with Tommy Adaptive, the brand is opening it to adults and hopes to expand to create more variety of such clothing range.
With features like side-seam openings, adjustable waists/hems, magnetic zippers/buttons, Velcro closures, one-handed zippers, the clothing in this collection instantly becomes easier for people with physical disabilities to put on without much assistance. Some of the shirts even have back openings that go further down along with easy to open necklines. Some examples of what this feature offers are:
1. Easy to Open Necklines
2. Use of Velcro
3. Magnetic Buttons
4. Wheelchair-bound dancer Chelsie Hill
5. Popular motivational speaker Mama Cax
6. Available for kids too
Read More: I Buy Clothes From The Men’s Section Since The Female Section Is Too Impractical For Me
As per sources, heavy input was taken from the disability community during the creation of this collection so as to make items that actually helped them instead of being just another flashy thing to flaunt that does not do what it promises. The brand worked closely with them and made changes and modifications based on customer feedback from the first line.
Tommy Hilfiger even brought on successful and influential people from the disability community to become part of the campaign and spread word of it around. Some of the names include Jeremy Campbell who is a gold medal winner in Paralympic track and field, Mama Cax who has a prosthetic leg but is a motivational speaker and blogger, a wheelchair-bound dancer named Chelsie Hill and more
This not only sheds lights on the achievements of people from this community but also allows normal people to become aware of them and realise that a physical disability does not have to hold one back.
What Good This Will Do?
A brand as prestigious and well-known as Tommy Hilfiger will surely prompt other lesser-known brands to follow in its footsteps and create such clothing items.
It is usually the way trends work, bigger fashion brands create something and slowly the smaller ones try and recreate it at a lower price in order to attract customers.
Perhaps something similar will happen with this too and slowly such kind of inclusive clothing will be much easier to find thus allowing people with disabilities to gain independence of at least wearing their clothes easily and in a shorter time than it is taking them now.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Mashable, CNN, Fortune
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