What inspired you to create IZ Adaptive, and how did your personal experiences shape the vision for the brand?
My inspirations to create IZ Adaptive started back in 2004 when I was asked to create a custom piece for a wheelchair user named Barbara. She was quadriplegic and could not move her body from her neck down. The experience was extremely eye opening and I was confronted with all the challenges she had with clothing. Up until that point, I had no idea that these challenges existed for people who live with a disability and use a wheelchair. My background is fashion and so with my experience as a designer and pattern drafter, I started to realize how I could design clothing in a way that would be beneficial for people like Barbara.
Can you share the design process behind creating adaptive clothing and how it differs from traditional fashion?
Most clothing we buy in a regular retail store is actually designed for a standing body. Everything about it needs to look appealing on a hanger when its on display in a store. When we sit in our clothing, everything gets a bit weird. Pants push into our gut and ride down at the back. Coats and jackets get all bunchy in the front, so much so that we end up unbuttoning them to ease the bunching. What I began to do with IZ Adaptive is make my starting point a seated body…. not a standing body. Design the clothes to look and feel good while seated. Release the pressure on the tummy when wearing a pair of jeans. Create an entirely different pitch to the pants so they don’t ride down at the back while seated. All these changes however, are not apparent while being worn. The clothes look like anything you would buy in a regular store, but they look better, are easier to get and even safer to wear.
What challenges have you faced in the fashion industry when it comes to inclusivity and accessibility, and how have you overcome them?
When I started IZ Adaptive back in 2009, this category of clothing was pretty non existent. The fashion industry and my colleagues couldn’t understand why I would move away from the fashion line and celebrity work I was doing and known for. When I started IZ, I knew I was on to something really important and missing in the market place. I didn’t need any approval from my colleagues because I knew they did not know what I knew and had experienced first hand with working with people who lived with a disability. This was bigger and way more important than any ‘fashion’ brand out there. Now, adaptive clothing is a category in the fashion world and major brands are noticing with small adaptive collections of their own. I’m proud to say that IZ Adaptive is seen as the Thought Leader in this space from the many many years of first hand experience and product development.
How do you ensure that the functionality of the clothing does not compromise on style or aesthetics?
It all comes down to the design and my personal aesthetic. I try to keep IZ modern, yet approachable with everyday basics we all need in our wardrobes. I want my customers to feel great in their clothes without compromising on style. Keeping things classic makes them timeless. Other add ons, such as accessories enables a person to add their own personal style or flair.
What message do you hope to convey to both consumers and the fashion industry through IZ Adaptive’s designs?
Mmmmmm. Let me think on this one!
At the end of the day, we all need to wear clothes, whether you don’t live with a disability or do. We all want to feel great in our clothes. We want to look attractive too. We want options and don’t want to feel limited in those options or have our sense of style or identity challenged. I want my customers to feel fantastic every single day. I don’t want them to feel compromised. I want them to shine and be the beautiful people they are and I’m soooooo grateful that I’m in a position to offer that every single day.
