Boxed inclusion & freed diversity
The fashion industry has evolved & matured immensely through the years. Many rules were broken & replaced with realistic factors making fashion convenient for all. However, this diversity they speak of is still boxed in when it comes to people living with disabilities.
Mainstream fashion does not cater to people with disabilities. Issues from the poor infrastructure in retail fashion outlet shops that limits their movements to the physical making of the clothes which does not consist of adaptive apparel prove its lack of inclusivity. Shopping for clothes as a person living with disabilities is still a challenge especially in underdeveloped countries.
They blame it on lack of resources or platforms and ability to share a global message of inclusion. When it comes to serving people living with disabilities. They have been at the terrific speed of service to the LGBQTI community from creating androgynous & gender inclusive fashion to hosting fashion shows exclusively for non binary & gender fluid communities. These companies do have the resources.
The fashion industry is reluctant to work with models living with disabilities, from the wardrobe department down to the creative director. The energy & creativity they give to a project consisting a disabled model is highly different when compared to when they work with able-bodied models. This raises an eyebrow in a questionable mode to whether we still have a problem of ableism or the industry still lacks knowledge.
Expecting inclusion & representation in the fashion industry for people living with disabilities is a bit implausible. There’s still little to no awareness about the disabled community. However, aisles in clothing retail shops consisting of adaptive apparel should be compulsory.
