Sadly, many people still believe that visually impaired people don't care about how they look or how they present themselves to the rest of the world. This could not be further from the truth, because people with sight loss, including myself, have a keen interest in how we look, feel, and express ourselves through fashion. However, having access to the latest trends and styles, and shopping for clothes, is made virtually impossible as we are met with blank spaces when browsing through magazines, websites or when attending fashion shows. This is a real shame because brands and businesses need to be aware that the spending power of disabled people in the UK currently stands at £274 billion per year.
On 19th September, I was thrilled to attend my first-ever fashion show with the Jimmy Choo Academy, all made possible by Jasmyn Lopuszansky, who is on a mission to make her accessible collection and the fashion industry fully inclusive for visually impaired people. It was an exciting, emotional, and unforgettable experience to be able to access the show through touch and audio description.
Before the show started, we were provided with a book that included fabric samples from all five collections being showcased. Being able to feel the materials and textures of each fabric instantly made me connect with each piece.
As the models strutted down the runway, Jasmyn gave us a live audio description of the outfits, their colours, styles, and how they were put together to achieve the whole look. That felt pretty amazing, as it was the first time I was able to engage with and celebrate fashion alongside everyone else. As if that were not enough, to top it all off, after the show we were given the opportunity to feel Jasmyn’s fantastic collection. This enabled us to appreciate the pieces in greater detail, the quality and the accessible features incorporated to make this a truly standout collection.
If given the opportunity, I would have bought a number of garments there and then, and that is entirely down to the fact that I was able to fully engage with the collection through touch and audio description. A huge thanks to JCA, and especially to Jasmyn, for her unwavering dedication to making fashion an inclusive experience for visually impaired people. She is a real trailblazer who is proving that with a willingness to make fashion accessible for everyone, creativity, and a few adjustments, the world of
fashion can be an enjoyable space for all.
- Amrit Dhaliwal
