Lost in the conversation of diversity in fashion are the needs of differently abled people, but one designer is trying to change that. Tommy Hilfiger, who released a collection of adaptive clothing for children in the spring of 2016, is extending his collection to include clothes for adults, based on his iconic sportswear range that’s now available to shop on his website.
“Inclusivity and the democratization of fashion have always been at the core of my brand’s DNA,” Tommy Hilfiger said in a press release announcing the launch. “These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion.”
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There are 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles that, according to the press release, were “thoughtfully designed with the end consumer in mind and features adjusted seams and openings to allow ease of dressing both for individuals and for caretakers.” Think detailing that includes front and back closures to help pull clothes over the head, Velcro closures and magnetic flies to assist in putting on pants, adjusted leg openings and hems to accommodate leg braces and orthotics, plus magnetic zippers that will zip and unzip with one hand, as well as pull-on pant loops inside of waist bands that fit around the wrist to pull on pants easier.
Recently, Target announced that Cat & Jack, it’s line of childrenswear, is expanding to include adaptive clothing. The line, available on October 22 will include jackets, pants, and T-shirts that feature extra zippers, side snaps, and back openings that will help children who are differently-abled get dressed without sacrificing their style. These are exciting developments in the world of fashion and we hope that these examples set by Target and Tommy Hilfiger continue to spread throughout the rest of the industry. Finally, fashion is on its way to becoming truly universal.