![]() Mindy Scheier, the Founder of Runway of Dreams, does not want to stop with just one collection. “Inclusivity and the democratization of fashion have always been at the core of my brand’s DNA,” said Tommy Hilfiger, the Founder of the iconic brand in a statement adding, “These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion.” They also have pull-on loops inside of waistbands for easy wearability. The button-down shirts have buttons and cuffs that fasten with magnets, pants, including chinos and denim jeans, feature magnetic flies and zippers and adjustable hems to accommodate leg braces and orthotics. The latest collection from the brand introduced recently is a line of 37 styles for men and 34 for women which include shirts, pants, jackets, sweaters, and dresses. This has been made possible by the use of magnets instead of difficult buttons and zippers, adjustable waistbands as well as sleeve and pant lengths, and alternative ways to put the pieces on. In February last year, Tommy Hilfiger launched a special kids line, similar to its existing children’s collection, except that the pieces were modified to make it easier for kids with disabilities to wear the same fashion as their peers. Tommy Hilfiger is a pioneer in this market, having collaborated with adaptive fashion-focused organization, Runway of Dreams to develop products for consumers who have disabilities that make it difficult for them to dress-up on their own. Mainline retailers have largely ignored the segment, though there is a growing interest from young designers. ![]() ![]() Significantly, while fashion is a US $ 1.2 trillion global industry, with more than US $ 250 billion spent annually on fashion in the United States, to date, very little of that money has focused on the needs of people with disabilities. However, sadly the clothes being offered to them are highly uninspiring and basic…but things are set to change as some mainline retailers enter the fray.įactors such as the ageing population, and medical advancements that help people survive disease and injury could mean that this market will continue to grow. In fact, if consumer trends are anything to go by, people with disabilities are the “world’s fastest-growing minority”. According to the World Bank, one billion people (15% of the world’s population) experience some form of disability, with one-fifth (between 110 million and 190 million people) experiencing significant disabilities. Taking into account the milieu of diverse markets that retailers target to capture, one market that not many are really looking at, but which has a huge potential, is the ‘adaptive clothing’ segment for people with special needs.
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