Check out the inclusive designers who are changing the fashion industry.

&ldquo;Inclusivity&rdquo; is fashion's favorite buzzword. The movement is recurrently discussed in terms of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/23-black-businesses-to-support-in-preparation-for-new-york-fashion-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener">race</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/gwyneth-patrow-body-image-aging-self-acceptance-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener">age</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/etro-harris-reed-capsule-collection-gender-fluid-blouses-shirts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gender</a>, and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/plus-size-jewelry-luxury-fashion-inclusivity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">size</a>, but the notion seldom extends to ability. Treated like an afterthought at best, adaptive styles are few and far between. The already very limited selection often pales in aesthetic&nbsp;comparison to mainstream offerings, which&nbsp;poses significant barriers to&nbsp;remaining on-trend and expressing personal style.&nbsp;Although the market's gap for attractive <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/fashion-week-disabled-inclusivity-representation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adaptive fashion</a> remains wide, thankfully, it's beginning to close.
 The <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/spring-summer-2023-runway-trend-astrology-zodiac-sign-shopping" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spring/Summer 2023</a> runways showed several signs of progress, with adaptive fashion brands like Unhidden featuring 30 models with different physical or visible abilities. The Spring/Summer 2024 season continued this as Victoria's Secret partnered with Runway of Dreams to debut its first adaptive intimates line. Existing industry titans such as Target and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/tommy-hilfiger-usa-logo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tommy Hilfiger</a> have also debuted adaptive fashion lines, featuring successful design innovations like one-handed zippers and magnetic buttons. As we continue inching toward true inclusion, L'OFFICIEL is on the lookout for accessible clothing that is more than utilitarian, but empowering and beautiful. Ahead are six adaptive fashion brands accomplishing just that.

Photo courtesy of Victoria's Secret.

In continuation of its efforts to be a more inclusive brand, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/rise-and-fall-victorias-secret-timeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victoria's Secret</a> expands into developing garments for people with disabilities as it has introduced its first-ever adaptive intimates line. The brand launched the initiative at <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/best-looks-nyfw-spring-summer-2024-runways" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Fashion Week in September 2023</a> during the Runway of Dreams fashion show. The collection includes the brand's best sellers that are reinterpreted with adjustable and disabled-friendly features. This includes bras and panties with magnetic closures instead of the traditional hook and eye clasp, sensory-friendly fabric, and front strap adjusters.

Designer Izzy Camilleri pioneered stylish adaptive fashion. For decades prior to creating her brand <a href="https://fave.co/4353vtK" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IZ Adaptive</a>, Camilleri had been designing for a celebrity clientele, dressing the likes of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/meryl-streep-young-rare-photos-movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meryl Streep</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/angelina-jolie-sports-bag-of-the-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Angelina Jolie</a>, and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/david-bowie-style-2021-fashion-makeup-trends" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Bowie</a>. In 2004, after creating a custom piece for a wheelchair user client, the designer saw a need for making beautiful garments accessible to everyone. Since that time, IZ Adaptive has been at the forefront of adaptive fashion, catering to a wide range of abilities. Camilleri&rsquo;s designs grant her customers' fashion freedom&mdash;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/maggie-q-loro-piana-cocooning-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comfort</a>, ease, and inclusivity without sacrificing style.

Photos courtesy of 323.

<a href="​​https://fave.co/3ZI3lFZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">323</a>&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/colored-sunglasses-fashion-accessory-shopping" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colorful</a> collections reflect the vibrant personality of its founder, Jillian Maddocks: quirky and inclusive with a sense of humor. Neurodivergent and chronically ill herself, Maddocks understood the need for accessible clothing that doesn&rsquo;t take itself too seriously. The label&rsquo;s latest <a href="https://fave.co/40H5l2e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spring/Summer 2023 collection</a> is a grandma-chic midway point between <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/gucci-runway-show-spring-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maximalist</a> eccentricity and tasteful <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/khaite-fall-winter-2023-collection-show-fashion-week-nyfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">minimalism</a>. Crafted with both sensory needs and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/sustainable-knitwear-fashion-shopping-cashmere-wool" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sustainability</a> in mind, vintage quilted blankets are repurposed into pants. Other upcycled materials like insulation foam, plastic bottle caps, and eco-shag fur are reimagined with avant-garde cutouts and on-trend <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/dollcore-aesthetic-trend-coquette-barbie-doll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accent bows</a>. Size, gender, and ability-inclusive, 323 is an ode to everyone.

There is a tremendous gap in the market for fashionable clothes tailored to the needs of little people&mdash;a space recognized by adaptive fashion designer Sema Gedik. Learning firsthand about the difficulties in finding clothes from her cousin Funda, a little person, Gedik sought to promote equal access in the fashion industry. Her brand, <a href="https://fave.co/3KxFrs6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Auf Augenhoehe</a>, creates modern garments, such as sporty <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/bomber-jackets-shopping-fall-winter-style" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bomber jackets</a> and playful <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/denim-maxi-skirts-runway-celebrities-street-style-fashion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maxi skirts</a>, while remaining responsive to her customers&rsquo; needs through regular surveys and workshops. Drawing upon an ethos of inclusion, each Auf Augenhoehe garment ensures <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/spring-dresses-to-shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">effortless</a> wear through a focus on size and fit.

Growing up with brothers on the autism spectrum, Vongai &ldquo;Von&rdquo; Noreen Ruzive has long understood the importance of making function fashionable. From wrap skirts to detachable trousers, her namesake brand <a href="https://fave.co/3m9BTTy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Von Ruz</a> creates elevated womenswear garments for everyday dress. The brand&rsquo;s best-selling detachable <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/how-to-style-blazers-celebrity-kaia-gerber-hailey-bieber" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blazer</a> tastefully accommodates accessibility needs, such as a prosthetic arm, while remaining stylish on typically abled women as well. Von Ruz&rsquo;s innovative design approach goes beyond "adaptive fashion," instead aiming to uplift women of all abilities.

If the beauty of luxury fashion cannot be visually experienced, it can be felt. This was the concept behind adaptive&nbsp;fashion designer Alexa Jovanovic's braille-embellished&nbsp;clothing. Her brand,&nbsp;Aille Design, pronounced like &ldquo;eye,&rdquo; creates fashion that the blind can &ldquo;see.&rdquo; Each piece&nbsp;features functional phrases that describe the items in detail, complete with <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/color-combinations-to-try-2023-fashion-trends" target="_blank" rel="noopener">color</a>, textile, fit, and care content. Turning braille into art, Aille Design works to dismantle social stigmas while empowering a group largely overlooked within mainstream fashion.

6 Adaptive Fashion Brands Making Accessibility Chic

Tags

Related Articles

Fashion

9 Female-Owned Streetwear Brands to Keep on Your Radar

Shopping

12 Sustainable Knitwear Pieces You Need in Your Closet

Fashion

How Telfar Clemens is Redefining Luxury Fashion

Recommended posts for you

Beauty

Rhode's Cinnamon Roll Lip Tint Is Finally Here

Fashion

These Timeless Luxury Accessories Were Made to Cherish for a Lifetime

Beauty

The Evolution of Rocker Hair

Fashion

Louis Vuitton Re-Opens in NYC With Five-Floor Extravaganza

Music

Tate McRae Announces 2025 Tour, Drops New Single

Fashion

Dior's Lady Art Project Returns With Stunning Artist-Made Bags

Pop culture

20 Rare Photos of Young King Charles III: A Look at His Earlier Life

Fashion

Skims Teams Up With Dolce & Gabbana for a Luxurious Collaboration