‘It’s a basic human right’: the fight for adaptive fashion

While brands big and small are exploring disability-friendly clothing, it remains a niche market that struggles to reach consumers

From constrictive corsetry to blistering 6in heels, the oft-quoted line: You have to suffer for fashion," has afflicted humanity for centuries (however much it seems alien to our current wardrobe of Zoom-friendly sweatpants). But what happens when even a simple garment is disabling? Or when suffering for fashion is not a stylistic choice, but an everyday reality that can affect someone's quality of life?

For many disabled people, off-the-peg clothes are inaccessible and cause discomfort, from fiddly buttons to seams that chafe in a wheelchair. Clothing plays an important part in living well," says Monika Dugar, the designer of Reset, an adaptivewear brand that launched at a virtual event during London fashion week. Due to restricted mobility, clothing choices can impact whether people with disabilities can operate functionally."