After listening to former Miss Iowa winner Nicole Kelly speak about living with a disability and learning about how much of a struggle it is was to find adaptable clothing, this topic piqued my interest. It was heartbreaking to hear that individuals with disabilities ranging from prosthetics to wheelchairs to mental handicaps struggle to find clothing that they can put on with ease. Getting dressed is a major challenge for one in five Americans today. The Tommy Hilfiger brand saw this problem and decided to find a solution by creating "Tommy Adaptive." This Hilfiger line has composed clothing that is inspired by the experience and founded on the idea that everyone should be able to proudly dress without the struggle.
The garments within Tommy Adaptive are designed by a team that holds the commitment and hope of making life easier on their consumers through innovative design details.
Anything that keeps a disabled individual from completing a task is called a barrier. These barriers can be as small as buttons, but they represent a larger issue that holds so many backs. Closures, specifically buttons, are one of the most notable barriers for those with a disability as they take both physical and mental strength to apply. The Hilfiger brand saw this problem and, in response, created easy closures that include: magnets, velcro, and easy-access zippers. For a more comfortable fit, magnetic openings are included on the shoulder line as well as along the hip line to add ease of adjustment and movement. In addition, this line also includes pieces that provide inclusion for those with prosthetics as they need excess ease. These magnetic openings are also conducive for those who are in wheelchairs as the process of dressing themselves can be difficult.
By expanding their target market to children, they were able to apply the knowledge they have gained from adult apparel towards creating clothing that would benefit younger generations.
With the use of magnetic buttons and easy open necklines as well as the new details such as adjustable hems and waistbands, the success and expansion of this addition have been astronomical. It has also made life easier for parents and the children involved, which makes all of the work worth it.
When this line was created, there was concern that the designs of the apparel would not be attractive or represent a high-quality brand. The design team made sure that the adaptive collection compared, if not mirrored, to the original styles. These designs keep up to trend with fabrics, styles, and patterns, which allows individuals with disabilities who enjoy this collection to fit in with their peers. There was also a question of whether adaptive clothing was priced higher than the regular-made clothing. After further comparison, this is inaccurate as both lines are priced compatibly despite differences in production.
While the Tommy Hilfiger brand has taken influential steps toward making lives easier for individuals that live with disabilities, this designer brand continues to run higher in price, even in adaptable wear.
For this reason, Target has recently seen the impact of this trend and took into account the price point of the target market by creating their own line of adaptable clothing. With the help of brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Target, the lives of those who struggle with the simple task of getting dressed due to a disability are diminished almost completely. It gives them the confidence to know that they can do things that everyone else can do and it gives the fashion industry the ability to say it is fully inclusive as well as empowers all of its consumers no matter what challenges they may face.
