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Riding In Style: Functional Fashion For Wheelchair Users
Riding In Style: Functional Fashion For Wheelchair Users


 
With over two million new wheelchair users every year, the demand for clothing that is comfortable to sit in for an extended period of time and stylish and expressive is higher than ever. Those who experience limited mobility and accessibility issues shouldn't have to choose between feeling good and looking good, and multiple adaptive clothing designers have come to the same conclusion.


One fashion designer in particular, Izzy Camilleri, took an interest in the lack of clothing options for wheelchair-bound individuals after being hired by a Canadian journalist who was a wheelchair user herself. Despite having dressed some pretty big names, she had never considered the unique difficulties those in wheelchairs face on a day-to-day basis.


"At the time, I didn't know of the challenges, everything from organ settling to pressure sores. When you see someone in a chair who's dressed, you don’t always know what it took to get them dressed or the compromises they may have made."


Her experience led her to create on-trend fashions that don't necessarily look adapted. For example, Camilleri has created trench coats and other outerwear pieces that unzip from the back (so it's easier for someone to help a quadriplegic put on and take off), and designer leg bags (for those who rely on catheters) that can be easily concealed and cleverly positioned that allow for easy dressing and access.


She is by no means the only innovator in the business: Stephanie Alves is fighting to bring her adaptive denim line to retail stores and Jan Erickson has developed a line made out of softer fleece materials for greater comfort.


There are a number of ways to customize your wheelchair for ease of access and comfort (such as protective wheelchair side guards, funky wheelchair cushion covers, and comfy wheelchair arm pads), but wheelchair alterations can only go so far in terms of personal expression. Clothing is used in a multitude of ways, as Camilleri points out.


"I always say the clothes are secondary to what they deliver. They offer a sense of self, personality, dignity. They're more than just an article of clothing."


Though wheelchair alterations may be fun and provide benefits, they can't achieve the same empowerment that adaptive clothing offers.



Product Code: -982-POST-10-22-2018
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Product Summary
 
With over two million new wheelchair users every year, the demand for clothing that is comfortable to sit in for an extended period of time and stylish and expressive is higher than ever. Those who experience limited mobility and accessibility issues shouldn't have to choose between feeling good and looking good, and multiple adaptive clothing designers have come to the same conclusion.

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