Runway of Dreams is arguably the most well-known event on the fashion calendar representing people with disabilities. The nonprofit organization was founded in 2013 by designer Mindy Scheier, who has a son with muscular dystrophy. For the past decade, she has worked to help the fashion industry understand why it’s so important to consider this demographic, which she describes as “the world’s largest minority.” Things changed for Scheier after a partnership with Tommy Hilfiger in 2016 that led to the creation of the brand’s first adaptive clothing line. “Suddenly the floodgates opened and not just individual brands but other industries, entertainment personalities started reaching out to get a better sense of how to get into the adaptive space,” she said. “There I realized another company was missing and Gamut Management was born.”
As a pioneering consulting and talent management company dedicated solely to the adaptive space, she has no trouble finding talent with Gamut Management. The only requirement is that the candidates have a disability. There are no fees or other criteria. Instead, Scheier simply wants to give them the opportunity to be part of a community of currently around 1,000 members worldwide. “Understandable when you don’t have the opportunity to be represented in the design process, to make your voice heard, or even to be considered in the mainstream world,” says Scheier.
When Gamut was founded, she was inundated with concerned emails from members of the disability community, Scheier said. The authenticity of the adaptive collections was questioned at the time. On the other hand, she was confronted with questions from brands worried about how to successfully communicate with the target audience. A few years ago, she began developing the Gamut seal of approval, “the first certification of its kind in the field of adaptive fashion, which is a sign that this product is used by people with disabilities, their carers, experts and professionals tested from the community,” explains the founder.
Adaptive fashion grows at Kohl’s, Target and Victoria’s Secret
With the respected US companies Kohl’s, Target and Victoria’s Secret as customers, Scheier himself can hardly believe how far the community and the industry have come. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four people, or 61 million Americans, lives with a disability. “We’ve made incredible progress, but the truth is we still have a lot of work to do. That’s why we’re here,” Scheier said at the National Retail Federation conference in February, where FashionUnited spoke to her. “There is no company that is not directly or indirectly involved with people with disabilities. We want to talk to all brands and retailers, even the tech companies. Thinking about it is probably the best strategy you can do in your entire career.”
Scheier was joined by a few members of her talent list. Eleven-year-old Sebastian Ortiz, who appeared on Broadway as Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol and suffers from cerebral palsy, described the importance of his involvement in designing clothing for ‘French Toast Adaptive’, a children’s clothing line specializing in uniforms and casual wear. “It was life changing not having to call my mom to help me get dressed,” he said. Another Gamut talent, Chase Merriweather, an amputee athlete aka Chaseman, joked, “No more ‘Mom, can you help me with my buttons.’ Now I can focus on my game again.”
Scheier pulled out a shirt by Kohl’s own brand Sonoma, a classic piece but with magnets for closures, which also comes in a denim version with a Velcro closure. The adjustments were unremarkable. Anyone could wear these shirts. “It’s important to make the design teams understand that it’s not about designing something from scratch,” said Scheier. “It’s just about making the same product portable for more people.”
The button and the buttonhole were developed in the thirteenth century. “The fact that we’re still using this technology in this day and age, where we’re literally running our lives from our phones, is remarkable.” Using a Steve Madden sneaker, she shows how the design team successfully rethought, how a foot fits into a shoe. “The insoles are easily removable, which is important for people with orthotics or splints. ;an doesn’t have to tie the laces, but the shoe looks like any other sneaker,” explains Scheier.
Adidas backpack with Gamut stamp of approval
It was the first time adaptive products for people with disabilities had been showcased at the National Retail Federation show, and Gamut chose it to launch its first product with the Gamut seal of approval: an Adidas backpack. It’s a collaboration between the sports brand and the talents at Gamut. “Every detail, from the way the backpack stands upright, to the oversized trims, to the way the backpack fits bodies of different abilities or chairs, is a product of user insights, Laura Jenks, President of Adidas Accessories x Agron, Inc. told FashionUnited. “Gamut Management supported us to ensure we were communicating directly and understandably, and adjusting feedback accordingly. The process was very intensive and our team had a lot of fun.”
The admiration is mutual: “Adidas put so much effort into the process that they easily met all the criteria for certification,” said Scheier, but she dismissed any notion of having all the answers. She also admits that she learns something new every day. After wearing the product, customers may come back with new feedback and this data will feed into the further development of production to better serve the community. “Everything comes from the people,” says Scheier.
Openness, curiosity and the goal to create a more effective design are the key to a successful collaboration. “Adidas sees opportunities where others see problems,” said Jenks. “When we realized it was possible to create products with special features that make it easier for students with adaptive needs to carry books and laptops, we wanted to be part of the solution. More ideas are in the works! Nothing is impossible!”
Scheier’s son Oliver will be going to college next year. The fact that he doesn’t have to ask his roommate for help putting his shoes on thanks to the adaptive sneakers cannot be overstated. Autonomy and dignity are every human right, but they are especially important for someone reaching adulthood and moving away from home for the first time. In the meantime, Scheier will continue to challenge inventors across all industries to make life easier for people with disabilities while expanding their business.
This article was published on FashionUnited.com. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ