If clothing is supposed to be for everyone, shouldn’t it serve everyone’s needs then?

Adaptive clothing empowering people with disabilities

TedTalks

Janea Russell-Lambert, Staff Writer

This article contained the topic of clothing as being inclusive for all types of people. Mindy Scheier, the spokesperson, loves fashion and states that even if you don’t, you might have a favorite t-shirt or pair of jeans that transforms you and makes you feel confident.

Scheier also has a son that has degenerative disorder, which is the deterioration of body tissues and organs. This makes him, and others with the same disorder, find it hard to do the simple act of dressing every day.

Her son wanted to wear jeans just like everyone else. So, one day she adapted his pair of jeans to make it easier for him. This was her first insight into the concept of adaptive clothing.

In 2013 she founded an organization called Runway of Dreams. She wanted to make stylish clothing for disabled people.

In this she found three main problems with clothing for the disabled community.

One was the closures like buttons; thus, she replaced them with magnets.

Another was the adjustability. She fixed this by putting elastic in the waistbands and sleeves.

Finally, she fixed the last issue of shirts going over the heads to being able to put arms in first.

She now makes stylish mainstream clothing for the disabled so they too can feel confident in what they wear.