Efforts to make the world of fashion more accessible to those with disabilities have recently become widespread. Wedding dresses have been tailored especially for wheelchair users and everyday clothing that typically prioritizes functions, including ease of wearing and taking off, has seen some chic redesigns. The concept of universal design has successfully infiltrated the fashion world.
-- Fashion show
Naomi Arimoto donned a pure white wedding dress as she took the stage in her wheelchair at fashion show on Oct. 9 in Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture.
The 38-year-old "bride" who hails from Chigasaki, another city in the prefecture, flashed a smile through a face-shield made to resemble a veil while her husband, Masato, 52, watched over her.
"I never imagined that I could wear a wedding dress even in a wheelchair. And it's so comfortable! I'm so happy," she said.
The show was part of the Zushi Art Festival 2020, an event with the goal of making art enjoyable for everyone, no matter what disability they may have. Marking its second year, the event was held without spectators as part of novel coronavirus infection prevention efforts. Seven dresses of various colors, designed to be wearable by those who use wheelchairs, were showcased at the fashion show, which can be viewed on YouTube.
Arimoto's dress was the brainchild of Kumi Miyazawa, 53, a fashion designer who creates fashionable clothes tailored toward those with disabilities. Miyazawa hit upon the idea of designing the dress after learning that Arimoto, who suffers spinal muscular atrophy, had given up on the idea of wearing a wedding dress for her ceremony in 2014.
Arimoto wanted a gorgeous dress with a voluminous hem. Miyazawa used a dress that had already been made, but shortened its length in the back while taking care to maintain its original shape. Doing so would prevent the hem of the dress from getting caught in the wheels of her chair. She also included a soft and comfortable knit material in the chair's backrest that touches her back.
"When I began my life as a wheelchair user, I was so afraid of what people would think when they saw me that I refused to go outside," Arimoto said. "But now, I'm in a fashion show as a model! I wanted to convey to the audience that there is no one set way to live life. There are, however, countless possibilities."
"I want to continue proposing new and inclusive fashion ideas that everyone can enjoy wearing," Miyazawa said.
-- Easy-to-wear masks
Since 2016, Co-Fuku, a group of volunteers who have worked in the apparel industry, has been working closely with people with intellectual, visual, physical and other impairments, as well as professional designers and other people, to create comfortable clothes for the disabled.
In February, the group held a fashion show in Tokyo, showcasing clothes of various designs. One such example is a coat for people unable to use one arms. The garment maintains its shape even if its pockets are filled to the brim.
The group also has developed masks that are easy for those with disabilities to use, which are available on their official website.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
