The phrase ‘Necessity is the mother of Invention’ is thought to have come from Plato, who originally wrote that ‘our need will be the real creator.’ This idea that specific needs spur creative thinking is demonstrated by disabled people in many ways. So often, the problem-solving skills demonstrated by disabled people and their parents or carers are something to marvel at in the absence of readily available and affordable solutions.
Finding suitable and fashionable clothing is something of a long-term nemesis to those whose needs are different to the average non-disabled consumer. The historic availability of adaptive ready-to-wear clothing is often prohibitively expensive, and – it has to be said – not particularly fashionable. As a result, there are many people who began sewing through necessity, to create clothes that fit and function for their needs – and while the fashion industry has been slow to respond to its disabled customers, here are
