Celebrate the rise of accessible design – it benefits everyone

I’ve spent almost a decade working in the luxury fashion industry because I want more representation and respect for disabled customers

Fashion is a vocabulary. Clothing communicates parts of who we are, what we are interested in and how we want to be seen. It reveals choices that we make – but it also exposes lack of choice.

I am a disabled woman; I have dwarfism. My disability and stature is obvious and often shapes a first interaction. I’ve learned to love scouring through rails of clothes in high street stores and charity shops, and taking the items for alterations to make sure they fit. I know that if there are patterns or embroidery near the shoulder or ankle of a garment, altering it won’t work. I’ve found that jeans and trousers have to be elasticated at the back so they go over my hips with ease and don’t gape at the back. I’ve also learned that dresses and skirts should have an asymmetrical hemline to accommodate the curve in my spine. As I’ve got older, I’ve discovered that many of these alterations don’t just work for me, but would also improve comfort, independence and dressing for most people. Accessible design is better design.