“Our brand was born from a family history and a need.” That is the DNA of the brand Free Form Stylethe first inclusive fashion brand in Spain that is going to parade, also for the first time, in a fashion week, it will be at the 080 Barcelona Fashion Week. The appointment is next Friday, but before, its founders, the stylist and fashion journalist, Marina Vergésand his cousin, Caroline Asensiotwo enthusiastic entrepreneurs, tell us their story and why their project is so important “for give dignity to all bodiesand that fashion serves everyone, so that we can all be beautiful and well, and thus raise our self-esteem”.
A few years ago José Luis, Carolina’s brother suffered a stroke which left him with an 80% disability. She almost always went in a tracksuit, there was not much else to choose from, they remember. So they themselves tuned a pair of pants. “He looked so handsome that he touched our souls, and we considered starting a company adapted, sustainable and quality clothing“, they explain.
The workshop is in Mataró. Actually, it is Carolina’s husband’s workshop, who makes curtains and awnings. “We are there squatting,” they laugh. “We started just a year before the pandemic, and we had a big break just when we began to have our first clients -recalls Marina-. A boy saw us on TV-3 and ordered us adapted pants. He had some irons that crossed his bone, and he needed something special. And he gave us time to send it to him.”
Variety of garments
The adapted pantswith zippers from top to bottom, which opens completely, has many functions and is the star garment of Free Form Style, whose catalog is available all ‘online’. “The client chooses a pair of pants, a skirt, a T-shirt or a cape and we personalize it”says Vergés. Because it is not the same if it is someone who is in a wheelchair, uses a prosthesis, needs a probe or is on crutches.
From his own experience and the needs of the clientele arises the creative process that shapes the collection, which has recently been expanded with a ‘denim’ jumpsuit, an eye patch, and a overshirt used as a bib. “Many people when it comes to going to restaurants, or even at a family meal, do not want to put on the bib, because it is demeaning,” Carolina says. “But sometimes they need it because they can’t take the cutlery well, and the food falls on them -explains Marina-. That’s why we took out this kind of vest with waterproof fabric, which is very cute”.
Lots of young customers
Much of its clientele is young people, who want to look good, dress according to the trends. Have suffered a stroke or amputation due to a traffic accident, for example, but “they want to continue dressing in fashion and not with clothes from brands for the elderly,” says the stylist. In her company, they use a lot of 100% cotton that perspires well, good quality zippers, hooks and trimmings with magnets, “so that putting on a shirt is not a problem for those who dress or need to be dressed.”
From the beginning they believed in their project, because they know that more and more brands will join the bandwagon and adapt their designs to all body types. “At London Fashion Week, for example, there have already been inclusive fashion shows. And the ‘Vogue’ ‘british’ has just released five covers with models with disabilities in the May issue. We are not in that article, “but we will soon be there!” says Marina. “We dreamed of parading on the 080 in Barcelona, but we are already dreaming of New York and Paris,” concludes her cousin.
With Manuel Bolaño
They had spent some years explaining their project, so what is necessary to make adapted fashion visible, and finally, and in collaboration with the designer Manuel Bolaño They have been able to fulfill their dream. “We couldn’t walk the catwalk with the basic clothes we have up to now. If we’re going to walk the catwalk, we need it to be truly ‘fashionable’. And the good thing is that we’ll also sell these designs later, even if it’s with other fabrics or simpler colors,” Marine advances. For this collection inspired by the punks and new romantics of the 80s [“una mezcla de Sex Pistols y Duran Duran”, apunta Vergés] They have also had the collaboration of the famous fabric store gratacós, and the shoemaker dr martens.
“Bolaño has made a mix with our patterns and his, as before the couturier had also collaborated with Free Form Style Oscar Leon. We took out some t-shirts with slogans like ‘Sorry I didn’t get up’ in sewn fabric,” recalls Marina.
For the first inclusive fashion show on a fashion catwalk such as the O80, they will have 16 models, almost all familiar faces of the brand, since they have already participated in several advertising campaigns. “will be eight girls and eight boys. we will have Desiree Vila, the Madrid Olympian who has a prosthetic leg. Also Sarai Gasconwho is the paralympic swimming medalist from Terrassa. Marc Vidala theater actor who has collaborated with us from the beginning…, a girl who suffered a stroke and is on crutches, and two young men with dwarfism,” they detail.
“For everyone”
“we want to make a lot of noise, that adapted fashion is fashion, clothes for everyone”, the two cousins exclaim. “I know a boy from Malaga who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair and works as a model for Nike and Adidas. If these brands are already doing it, others will follow. These models not only have to make ONCE announcements,” claims Vergés.