Adaptive fashion

The concepts of diversity and inclusion are becoming increasingly crucial aspects in the fashion industry, starting with the visual aspect; in fact, for some decades now, the visibility of bodies considered unconventional has been promoted on catwalks and in communication campaigns. In moving from the communicative to the design aspect, we speak of 'adaptive fashion' specifically to refer to garments and accessories designed for people with disabilities. While particular attention is paid to practical aspects, both in the direction of comfort and ease of wearing and the possibility of coexisting with prostheses and dressings, another fundamental aspect is that of aesthetics. It is well known how difficult it is, in a fashion world subservient to the size system, for unconventional bodies to find quality garments and products with enough variety to satisfy individual tastes.

The field of adaptive fashion, therefore, represents a particularly interesting field of study precisely because it is a testing ground that combines excellence and technical innovation with a dimension related to clothing as part of the presence of disabled people in society and sociability. ModaCult approached this area of research in February 2023 at a conference promoted by the City of Milan entitled 'L'altRa Moda: per una moda adattativa e inclusiva'.