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When I get dressed in the morning, I reach behind my back to clasp mybra.
Leandro Justen/BFA.com
I zip and button my pants.
Slip on my shirt.
I bend over to pull on my socks.
Runway of Dreams collaborated with Tommy Hilfiger to create a line of adaptive clothing.
And I lace up my shoes.
Its a routine I do without thinking.
However, for someone with a disability, putting on clothes can be a frustrating task that requires assistance.
Rebekah Marine, the bionic model, walking the Runway of Dreams catwalk.
Her son, Oliver, was born with a rare form ofmuscular dystrophythat affects his motor skills.
He woresweatpantsto school every day.
One day, he came home from school and asked if he could wearjeanslike his friends.
Scheier, a fashion designer, modified a pair of jeans for Oliver.
The next day, her son was able to dress himself.
“He felt really good about himself.”
I was truly horrified by what I saw, she says.
It was very medicinal and purposeful.
I decided to take my background and take a stab at make a difference in the fashion industry.
The non-profit donates adaptive clothing to hospitals and schools.
Scheier’s goal is to increase the availability and style of clothing for children and adults with disabilities.
Even at the age of 8, my son wanted to be able to dress himself.
He wanted to not have his mom meet him outside the bathroom to close his pants for him.
It was embarrassing, says Scheier.
Adaptive clothing can also help caregivers dress their families and clients more easily.
The world of disabilities knows no age and no socio-economic background.
Some brands are taking up the cause on their own.
Its a direct correlation to self-confidence and to defining who you are as a person, she tells SELF.
An ambassador for Runway of Dreams, Marine has arobotic prosthesis; she calls herself the Bionic Model.
Marine says she can already see the positive effects of increased visibility of differently abled bodies.
Now theyre being exposed to people that are different from them, and its all about educating people.
A lot of people associate the word ‘disability’ with something negative.
Learn more about Runway of Dreams and adaptive clothing:
