Has the fashion industry ignored the needs of the differently abled?

It’s time for the industry to put those with disability in the foreground

‘Inclusive,’ ‘diverse,’ ‘gender neutral’ have become buzzwords and trending hashtags in the fashion industry in recent times. We’ve witnessed a diverse representation, whether it’s having big-sized models on the runway or putting non-binary faces on magazine covers and spreads. However, despite the industry’s attempts at inclusivity across race, gender, size and sexuality, the one missing piece is of one’s disability.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 1.3 billion people—or 1 in 6 people worldwide, that is 16 per cent of the global population—experience significant disability. A population of this size is a large number. But when it comes to mainstream or commercial fashion, is the industry catering to this population?

Questions of inclusivity and diversity

The perception of a majority of the population towards individuals with special needs is largely negative, with a deep-rooted social or cultural stigma. Designer and yoga instructor Joe Ikareth, who had developed a line for differently abled individuals in 2018 called Move Ability, believes that owing to this stigma, the disabled population is usually invisibilised. “It’s very important for us, generally, to have empathy, and to see different people in your day-to-day life, versus them being hidden away. . Because of this they don't get the exposure that's necessary for them to move ahead and feel more integrated in a society,” says Ikareth, who insists that education is a significant part of how we see and receive the differently abled. “It’s important to have more differently abled people integrated in classrooms, especially when they are young,” he adds.  

The lack of awareness of the needs of the differently abled is often neglected and ignored. While the industry has patted itself on the back for being diverse and inclusive of all sizes, bodies, races and genders, it has left out this group of people who are underserved and underrepresented. “There aren’t brands who are making collections that are easily accessible for everyone. There are a few brands who have disabled people in their social media campaigns, but honestly, there isn't much awareness and neither are we speaking about the needs of different individuals when it comes to fashion,” says Virali Modi, content creator, disability rights activist and India’s first wheelchair model. Modi, who has over 13,800 followers on Instagram, has appeared in many campaigns, including for innerwear labels like Tailor & Circus and Wear Equal.

While finding clothes that are easy to wear, it’s also the process of shopping at brick-and-mortar stores is challenging for those who are differently abled. “I shop online now, but earlier, I used to go to malls and what I realised was that the fitting rooms at stores are not accessible for me. Either the wheelchair doesn’t fit inside or even if it does, the door won't close all the way,” Modi explains. “It took me a few years to understand what looks good on my disabled body, which is always in a seated position. For example, when it comes to Indian wear, I can't wear long kurtas because it makes me look short. I have to get it customised and cropped from a tailor,” she adds.

Social media has played its part in becoming a tool through which specially abled people are trying to bring their voice to the forefront. American actress and model Jillian Mercado, who was diagnosed with spastic muscular dystrophy as a child, now boasts of over 300,000 followers on Instagram and has appeared in several campaigns for brands like Diesel, Nordstrom and even Beyonce’s Reformation merchandise.

Writer Maddison Lawson—born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy and has used a wheelchair all her life—is often seen on the red carpet, on magazine spreads and in ad campaigns, with almost 17,000 followers on Instagram. Wheelchair model Bri Scalesse appeared on the runway at the New York Fashion Week last season for brands like Studio 189 and Guvanch. Irish writer and activist Sinéad Burke, who hasachondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, graced the cover of British Vogue in September 2019.

“Over the years, there has most certainly been a paradigm shift in the conversation about inclusion, but we must steadfastly stay the course to affect meaningful change. The new generation is deeply inspiring—they have an inherent ability to imagine an all-inclusive world and seek lasting change,” says Karishma Swali, co-founder of homegrown clothing label Moonray, who teamed up with Jai Vakeel Foundation–a non-profit organisation that aims to integrate disabled children into society through healthcare, education and skill development. The aim is to amplify the message of inclusivity by handcrafting “moonchildren” in the form of toys and keychains. This collaborative collection raised ₹ 1.14 crores, a testament to changing narratives when it comes to diversity and inclusion. “This collaboration serves as a reminder to spotlight abilities rather than disabilities,” adds Avantika Swali, the other half of Moonray. 

While a handful of brands might be sparking widespread conversations about inclusion at large, and while people with disabilities are lauded for their courage in the media, why is it that their inclusivity doesn’t go beyond mere tokenism?

Commercialisation of adaptive fashion

You won’t find many instances of brands who have taken the initiative to make adaptive designs with the potential to empower people with disabilities. In 2017, UK-based fast-fashion online retailer ASOS revealed an ad campaign for their collection of earrings, featuring models with hearing aids, while in 2018, the brand created a wheelchair-friendly jumpsuit. Earlier in 2022, American designer Tommy Hilfiger’s adaptive clothing line Tommy Adaptive offered designs from their mainstream collections but with innovative modifications to make getting dressed easier. The collection includes features like one-handed zippers, magnetic buttons, elastic pull-up loops and sensor-friendly stretch fabrics.

On the other hand, Nike’s campaign for its Go FlyEasy shoe, the first hands-free sneakers ever made, received a lot of criticism for their poor judgement in lack of representation after marketing the shoe as an “accessible solution.” Rather than use their campaign as an opportunity to showcase people with disability, or even athletes with disabilities, they depicted abled people with active lifestyles.

In a TikTok rant that got him over a million views, sneakerhead Louie Lingard—who has arthrogryposis (a condition which restricts joints mobility and causes muscle weakness)—spoke about the shoe’s limited accessibility. “The shoe itself has been so hyped and praised for its inclusiveness and its accessibility for people like myself with a disability that it’s become limited and resellers and bots have got a hold of all the pairs and gouged the price up. Now, if someone with a disability actually needs the shoe for the design purpose, they’re gonna have to pay on the up end of $500 to get it,” he said in his video clip. 

When it comes to commercialising adaptive fashion, it’s not something that is viable and profitable in the currently underdeveloped sector of the industry, as Ikareth points out, who started his design career at National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi. “At NIFT, I had a good friend who was an amputee, and I ended up using that person as a model. But it’s not like you wake up one day and say that you are going to make clothes for those who are specially abled. I honestly don’t think this is a commercially viable and developed fashion sector. All the circumstances and the people you meet and see around you generally makes you want to think in that direction,” he says, adding: “For bigger brands and companies, it’s more difficult to hit this niche sector of fashion as compared to a smaller label. And this is why I feel in India we have more of an advantage because it’s so easy to find tailors around you and customise any piece of clothing. It’s more accessible, affordable and sustainable.”

For Modi, it trickles down to the simple concept of supply and demand. “People feel that there isn’t a need and a demand for accessible clothing. When there isn't a demand, you're not going to have a supply. If people with disabilities aren’t out and about, and aren't given opportunities to come to the fore, there isn’t going to be any awareness. And if people aren’t aware, if they don’t see us in their daily lives, then making accessible clothing won’t be prevalent for brands,” she explains. “There really isn't a mainstream aspect to this. Yes, brands are now incorporating individuals with disabilities, but again, it’s mostly because of their personality and their social media following. If we had more models with disabilities in mainstream media, then the concept of collections designed for us won’t be a rarity.”

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