Women with disabilities who are trained tailors attended the launch of the design initiative at Vidya Sagar in Chennai on March 7, 2023. Photo credit: B Velankanni Raj
When S. Gajalakshmi smiles when asked how she manages to stitch the designer blouse she is wearing. “The design on the arms was conceived by me with exclusive embroidery and work. I walk with a crutch, so I had to keep that in mind and tailor the garment so that it was comfortable for me.
Exploring the integration of art, design and accessibility, SciArtRUs, California-based non-profit initiative ‘Project Designability’ aims to spotlight designer outfits, outfits that are not only fashionable but also accessible and adaptive. Marking the launch of the initiative, SciArtRUs partnered with Chennai-based tailoring and designing unit Vidya’s Comfort Designs and stitched 100 designer blouses, which were given to members of the Society for the Rights of Women with Disabilities (SFRD).
, Video Credits: B Velankanni Raj
“While we were keen to showcase artistic and designer tailoring, we felt that the focus should also be on how we can make it accessible and women-friendly. All seamstresses and tailors globally should be introduced to make accessible clothing,” said Ranjini Kaushik, president of SciArtRUs.
Women members who received designer blouses met at Vidya Sagar, an organization working for persons with disabilities, in Kotturpuram on Tuesday ahead of International Women’s Day, making it a unique celebration. R. Nagalakshmi, a make-up artist who is also handicapped, worked with her team and provided make-up services free of cost.
B Divya of Vidya’s Comfort Designs said that they had kept in mind the requests made by them for accessible and friendly features to be included in the apparels. “We haven’t made blouses or garments like this before and it was a learning opportunity for us too, to stitch affordable clothes. We are ready to go ahead with any customization required for persons with disabilities,” she said. Customization included replacing hooks or zips with Velcro strips and changing the pattern of sleeves to make it easier to put on the garment.
While Gajalakshmi made her own designer blouses, the larger focus of the project was to get many other women to do the same. Talking about Project Design Ability, Cross Disability Inclusion and Accessibility Facilitator Smita Sathasivam said that they were looking for support to enhance the skills of 100 women members of SFRWD and enable them to make designer apparel like designer blouses. “These women are already trained in basic tailoring and once trained, they can offer designer apparel stitching services and earn a stable livelihood,” she said.
Poonam Natarajan, founder of Vidya Sagar, said that while institutions like the National Institute of Fashion Technology have been exploring accessible fashion for many years, more initiatives are still marginalized and isolated.
“Accessible and affordable clothing is critical to independence. When these women are trained, they can dress themselves in fashionable and accessible clothing, as well as use their designer skills to earn a living.”