The Huge Underserved Market for Accessible Fashion
Innovative designers are creating more fashion solutions for people with disabilities
In the industry of design, there is a growing demand for inclusivity at every intersection, from race to gender; however, people living with disabilities are often overlooked as a potential market. Though designers have started to make accessibility a priority in digital design realms, there are many design sectors, such as the fashion industry, that are only beginning to practice holistic design inclusivity.
Disability fashion styling expert Stephanie Thomas argues that “you can’t design for people you can’t see, and you can’t see people you don’t value as consumers,” urging designers to reconsider their target markets. Contrary to common assumption, people living with disabilities are not a niche group. According to the World Health Organization, there are over 3.1 billion people living with disabilities worldwide, with a cumulative disposable income of $8 trillion. Designers need to look past common myths that customers living with disabilities simply can’t afford new products, or worse, that they have no interest in shopping like other customers.
South African fashion designer Balini Naidoo is among the innovators in fashion who are trying to use design to…
