FashionABLE is an adaptive clothing guide containing clothing hacks and tips and tricks that offer diverse clothing options to people living with a SCI. The guide was conceived and crafted collaboratively by our interdisciplinary team of people with SCI lived experience, healthcare professionals with expertise in SCI, and designers well-versed in the art of inclusive and accessible design. FashionABLE aims to enhance independence, improve quality of life, and bring confidence and self-expression through adaptive clothing for the SCI community alongside the support from their caregivers and healthcare professionals. The development of the FashionABLE guide in print and virtual formats was supported by a grant from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation to Principal Investigator Dr. Andrei Krassioukov (ICORD, UBC, Vancouver, Canada) and Co-Investigator Grace Jun (Open Style Lab, NY, USA).
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During rehabilitation, considerable attention is dedicated to establishing independence with respect to mobility, eating, and bladder/bowel care. However, much less time and effort tend to be devoted to dressing – how to dress and what to wear.
Participants in our study instead seek resources such as websites, referrals, and books to learn about adaptive clothing. There is a clear need for more open discussions with healthcare professionals on this topic. Accessible and reliable resources may help kickstart these important conversations.
To address this gap, we envision FashionABLE as an online, open-source, one-stop shop for individuals with SCI and their care teams to find recommendations and inspirations for adaptive clothing.
Step into the world of inclusive fashion in this FashionABLE video, where individuals from the SCI BC community share their inspiring stories and insights on navigating style with accessibility in mind. Hosted by the renowned Dr. Andrei Krassioukov, this video invites you to discover the intersection of fashion and disability.
FashionABLE is the result of a two year research collaboration on adaptive design solutions for individuals with SCI between teams in Canada and U.S. Supported by the Craig H. Neilson Foundation, FashionABLE is a guide that was carefully crafted by an interdisciplinary team.
