“Over 25 per cent of the sample that we engaged with said that they didn’t even know that adaptive fashion existed,” she says. “It really just created a call to action within ourselves and the need to open source the information, insight and frameworks, in the hopes that adaptive fashion and accessibility holistically becomes part of the wider agenda across curriculums, conversations and business strategies.”
Adaptive fashion has been largely embraced by the high street, with the likes of Primark and Asda’s George in the UK, but Burke’s mission is to get luxury involved.
The disabled community wants a fair shot
In the summer, Burke worked with Tommy Hilfiger on bringing adaptive fashion to this year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, introducing an initiative that pairs 10 designers with muses from the disabled community in creating an adaptive-friendly look. “What we really tried to put in place was a co-design framework, ensuring that disabled people are equal stakeholders when it comes to design and that there’s learning happening across the partnership,” says Burke.
For example, Ashlynn Park of Ashlyn, who was paired with influencer and disability advocate Bri Scalesse for the challenge, thought about what a wheelchair user may need from clothes in terms of functionality and form. The designer created a bodice for Scalesse in a length that assures ease and comfort.
(Left) Jezz Chung and Peter Do (right).Photo: Courtesy of Tilting the Lens
