Phone Cases: The New It Fashion Accessory?

I RARELY “LOL.” That is, use the acronym in texts or email. I have never employed the word “fail” as a noun. And I only recently came around to using the wondrous language of emoji. I’m not a Luddite or grandparent, but there are certain slightly juvenile parts of modern life I instinctively resist.
That’s the best explanation I can offer for my belated realization that an iPhone cover can function as a crucial part of a fashionable ensemble. I’d been operating under the misconception that all iPhone cases were shaped like bunny ears or cartons of McDonald’s french fries. But while I snootily kept my back turned, the universe of phone accessories has Big Bang-ed its way into something sprawling and significant.
Consider that your phone is the one possession that can be visible all day long—in your hand as you walk, on your desk at work, on the table at dinner. “In terms of accessories, I can’t think of one that people interact with more,” said David Watkins, co-founder and CEO of Adopted, a 3-year-old company that makes luxe iPhone cases in leather and exotic skins. “Even more than a handbag.”
Android users are mostly left out of the game, explained Mr. Watkins, a consumer-electronics industry veteran. Since there are so many different models and manufacturers of Android phones, most fashionable cover makers focus on Apple’s iPhone, which only comes in a few sizes.
Because your iPhone is so visible, whatever you use to encase it becomes a defining personal statement. That’s a fair amount of pressure. Luckily, when it comes to cases, it seems that women—even those whose style tends toward the serious and high-end—have given themselves license to indulge in teenage-girl fun. “Everyone loves grown-up, expensive fashion, but there’s something special about messing it up and making it your own,” said Anya Hindmarch, the British accessories designer whose pop-cool leather stickers have become a phone sensation. “It’s like having a beautiful watch and tying on a piece of thread with a little charm on it. It’s irreverent.”
Ms. Hindmarch also pointed out that making a phone identifiably your own is necessary. “Thanks to good old Jony Ive and Steve Jobs, we all have the same thing in our hands,” she said. “It’s actually quite practical to personalize it.”
Fashionable covers gained momentum as the iPhone became more widely used. The earliest covers, explained Adopted’s Mr. Watkins, focused on both protecting a very expensive device and showing off the Apple logo as an exclusive status symbol. “As soon as it became something everyone had,” he continued, “people started to accessorize around it.”
A number of labels—including Stella McCartney, Diane von Furstenberg, Kate Spade, Tory Burch and Fendi—now have phone covers in their accessory repertoire. But perhaps the reigning king of the fashion-iPhone cover game is Jeremy Scott. The ever-more-cartoony and camp cases he designs each season for Moschino have become zeitgeist-y, must-have items since he became creative director of the brand at the end of 2013. Mr. Scott has created sculptural rubber cases that transform your phone into, say, a bubblegum-pink Barbie hand mirror.
The designer, who has a charmingly democratic and fun approach to fashion, sees the cases, which have an average price of $95, as a way for anyone to own a bit of what he does. “It was really important for me to have that connection with fans and the public at large, even if they can’t afford something off the runway,” explained Mr. Scott. In a way, the iPhone case has become the new lipstick—an easily accessible entry point to a luxury label.
As riotous a good time as Mr. Scott’s cases may be, they’re not everyone’s cup of tea. Last week, I tried out his most recent offering, a big rounded rubber teddy bear wearing a T-shirt that says “This Is Not A Moschino Toy” for a day. While it seemed to endlessly amuse my colleagues, it felt wrong for me. I hesitated to pull it out of my bag on my morning commute for fear of what my fellow straphangers might think. It also considerably fattened up my elegant iPhone 6.
When I related my story to Nordstrom’s director of creative projects, Olivia Kim , she countered that a fashion-obsessed kid on my train might have flipped to see such a hot item in the flesh. That said, Ms. Kim conceded that less expressive cases can be equally impactful. “I like the simple ones that are well-designed and have great colors,” she said. She suggested I consider the sleek perforated plastic cases from Japanese company Andmesh. Nordstrom is currently selling some in its Warby Parker pop-up shops.
Still, I wavered when Sarah Andelman, buyer and creative director of Paris boutique Colette, which has possibly the largest stylish iPhone case stock around, explained via email that she chose her bunny ear case first out of practicality. (Cuteness still came in second.) “It’s so easy to pick up from my bag and to hold while I take pictures,” she wrote.
Pragmatism with just a dash of quirk? Hippety-hop. I might be sold.

If You Want to Be a Famous Fashion Designer, Here Are the Best Colleges

It had to happen sooner or later. There’s a ranking for everything these days, after all, and August is a pretty slow news month (At least in fashion terms, hence the desire to create interest with idle speculation such as the “Is Phoebe Philo leaving Céline?” rumors. O.M.G.! O.M.G.! The brand, not surprisingly, says no).
So in the footsteps of Vanity Fair’s Best-Dressed List comes the Business of Fashion’s Global Fashion School Rankings — the first listing of such institutions I know.
Unlike the Vanity Fair list, which is a bit surreal (Jony Ive?), the BoF one, which has a pretty rigorous and transparent methodology, is worth reading — both because of what its sheer existence says about the importance of fashion education and how it may no longer be the sad stepchild of arts college programs, but also because of the schools that make the list.
Some of them may surprise you. They surprised me, and, it seems, even the editors at BoF who compiled the ranking. “Perhaps the most surprising outcome of our Global Fashion School Rankings was the outstanding feedback from students and alumni from schools off the beaten path, suggesting that prospective students may want to carefully consider a wider range of colleges when making decisions about higher education in fashion,” wrote the editors Imran Amed and Robin Mellery-Pratt in an accompanying op-ed.
So what were these unexpected institutions?
In the undergraduate list, Central St. Martins (C.S.M.) was top, as you might expect, but Kingston University, near London, was No. 3, and Drexel University in Philadelphia was No. 10. Philadelphia University was No. 16, and the University for the Creative Arts, in Epsom, England, was No. 17. Pratt, by contrast, was 21.
For the master’s programs, the famous British schools (Royal College of Art, C.S.M. and London College of Fashion) took first, second and fourth, with the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp in third place. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (R.M.I.T.) in Melbourne, Australia, was No. 6, and Philadelphia University showed up again, at No. 10.
Philly: hotbed of fashion invention. Who knew?
Of course, not every famous designer is formally trained (Miuccia Prada being a case in point), and an M.A. is not de rigueur for making it in style, though it does help. But as Balenciaga continues its search for a new creative director, and as we embark on that period of summer known as back-to-school and a host of 11th and 12th graders start thinking about their next educational opportunity, this ranking gives the fashion landscape a provocative new look.

Why madras checks can never go out of fashion!

We're talking of one of the most colourful trends that rocked the fashion world -the Madras checks, which has defied its very humble beginnings as a handkerchief, to rule casual wear (men and women) the world over.And though back home many still dismiss this trend, saying `lungi prints' (it's seen as a mass phenomenon; remember RK Laxman's iconic Common Man in a Madras jacket and veshti?), fashionistas from Paris to Milan, New York to London love the Madras checks, or plaids, as they are often referred to as.
Sadly , the Madras plaid is such a timeless part of South Indian sensibilities, thanks to its usage in pattu saris, that it's more of a traditional insignia for them. Those who've grown up on a staple of check shirts and check langajackets don't want to see another of those print in their lives. "I did a collection in Uppada silks. Fact is, in the traditional realm, Madras check is not as popular among young Indians as it is among those in the West. And so, when the brands abroad make funky attire, it sells like hot cakes, but not a check sari," says stylist Gaurang Shah. These Indian plaids are often associated with lungis, which does not seem to cut ice with the younger generation.Adds stylist Rehane, who has included Madras checks as part of her collections over the year, "Checks are my favourite. What started off as a pattern for hand kerchiefs, has undergone a sea change over the years, and the fabric is also better now. But not many find checks attractive. People usually associate checks with tablecloth. Back in those days, women wore Kanchipuram silk in checks -it was a trend.Now, after many years, I've seen a resurgence of this trend. There are quirky inspirations of the lungi, and check saris and blouses are gaining popularity ."
But since the unsung is always hero, especially when it comes to fashion, the Madras plaid has always been an object of fascination as the exotic East element for the Englishmen, who incidentally , were also the ones who discovered it, and exported it to the world.Deborah Thiagarajan, from Dakshina Chitra museum, explains the origins, "Real Madras handkerchief was a 36-inch square of checked loomed fabric, mainly exported to Nigeria. We began exporting it in the 1990s to England, which was then sent to Nigeria. It was one of our major exports during that time. While the exports saw a drop in between, it picked up a couple of decades later. Then, it saw a transformation through Tamil Nadu lungis. It has seen several revivals since then."
Stylist Aneeth Arora, who's worked on Madras check-inspired collection in 2013, says, "Checks is not defined by trends. I have studied vintage cultural clothing, both, from India and world over, and the plaids have always been there. Be it a kurti from Sindh, or a jacket from Afghanistan, there are checks. It is the simplest pattern they could achieve on the loom. It is versatile, not too ethnic, not too modern, not too classic. It's a basic piece of fabric, and that's what gives it the appeal. The one good change that Madras fabrics have seen over the years is that the bleeding colours have been replaced with fast ones to cater to international market."
HOW MADRAS CHECKS BECAME POPULAR
Madras checks are actually India's first marks of colonisation. Madras, then called Madrasapatnam, was a sleepy fishing village in 1612, when the first European traders set foot. They established a trading post, and the Dutch, started trading in the local calico cloth. In 1626, the English came to a place then called Armagon, looking for stuff to trade in. They started exploring down the coast, and soon came upon a place that used wooden blocks to print colourful, fine muslin cloth -Madrasapatnam. Francis Day of the East India Company was helming this exploration, and he promptly approached the local ruler for permission to establish a trading post. On 22 August, 1639, he was granted permission, and thus started the trading outpost of Madras.Soon, the Englishmen started attracting weavers and merchants by promising them excellent profits, and within a year, about 500 families of weavers had permanently settled in Madras, all of them making Madras checks. This fabric became popular among the British in India who then started taking it back home.And the British Empire was hooked to Madras checks.
RMHK: WHAT IS IT?
When the Madras checks first started being made, they were small square pieces of cloth. The British started exporting them as merchandise, to their other colonies, to African countries and the Middle East as a chief trade item. It became an `Injiri', meaning `Real India' item in Nigeria. Even now, the Real Madras Hand Kerchief (RMHK) is a symbol of Kalabari (in Nigeria) identity. The cloth, originally acquired through trade, links contemporary Kalabari to their ances tors, recalling their trading skills, their con nection to the spirit world, and their commitment to a life well-lived. RMHK plays an important role in the life cycle of the Kalabari. A newborn child is given a piece of Madras by its father and it is worn by young women in coming of age ceremonies.Chiefs and members of the Ekine Society (referring to the dancing people of Ijo, a tribe in west coast of Africa) also wear RMHK as part of their ceremonial dress and finally, the cloth is used to decorate the funeral room and bed of a deceased elder.
MADRAS PLAID: INTERESTING FACTS
Madras shirts were available in 1897, and even the New York Times mentioned a Madras shirt shortage in November 1919.
The tartan design of the Madras checks probably came about with the visit of King George IV to Scotland in 1822. It influenced the British in India, who asked for tartan blocks to be incorporated into Madras checks. At the Harris Museum in Preston, Lancashire, there are two swatches of Madras fabric dated 1866; one is a tartan and the other, modern day Madras check.
Yet another theory is that when the East India Company set itself up in Madraspatnam, it was the Scottish regiment 78th Highlanders that acted as the `peacekeeping force'. And so, the Scottish Tartan influenced the birth of the Madras check.
During the 1930s, it was the craze of American tourists holidaying in humid places like the Caribbean. And then, the Madras check became a mark of being wealthy, since only those who could afford these expensive holidays could buy them.
In 1958, a leading American textile importer, William Jacobson, came to Bombay in the hopes of returning with vastyardages of this exotic fabric from India.
The vibrant, earthy hues of the Madras checks were linked to exotic `Indian summer' and in the early 18th and 19th century, were the favourites with young brides in West Africa, Gold Coast and Ghana who'd have their wedding gowns tailored with the fabric.

Family portrait of talent heading to London Fashion Week

Unfold showcases the SS16 collections of 11 designers at the Institute of Contemporary Arts for two days as part of London Fashion Week, and their skills cross womenswear, accessories, fine jewellery and millinery.
Unfold was devised as part of the Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) programme.
Karen Hennessy, Chief Executive of ID2015, says real commercial opportunities are emerging for developing international markets. She says that providing emerging designers with opportunities to present their work is "vital to sustaining and growing the Irish fashion sector".
She says ID2015 are looking forward to seeing opportunities unfold from their presence in London, and "building a legacy for the ongoing development of our innovative and vibrant fashion sector".
The creatives were chosen by a judging panel following a call out earlier this year. They are currently being supported by an industry mentoring panel to develop their collections for the showcase on September 18-19.
Brewer Street car park in London's Soho district was the centre of attention last February when eight Irish designers showcased at the 'In The Fold' event organised by the British Council and the British Fashion Council.
It was the first time that Ireland took part in the international showcase, and the installation was presented by Irish Design 2015 and fashion design partner, Kildare Village.
Among the designers to garner attention was Richard Malone from Wexford, who this week was selected by the prestigious Fashion East scheme to show at LFW and meet buyers in Paris the following week.
ID2015 is also partnering with London Design Festival (September 19-27 ) in presenting The Ogham Wall at the Victoria & Albert Museum, an ambitious project designed by Grafton Architects in collaboration with Graphic Relief and sponsored by Techrete.
Among the designers showing is Helen Steele, whose label was established in 2011 as a sister company to Silverhill Feathers.
Its mission statement is: "total dedication to the creation of perfection in wearable works of art" - keeping you warm in winter and cool in the summer.
Fans of the label include model Cara Delevigne, Jessie J, Eliza Doolittle, Fearne Cotton, Pixie Lott, Pixie Geldof and members of the Emirati royal family.

Serena Williams On Cover Of New York Magazine’s Fashion Issue

Tennis ace Serena Williams wants to design wedding dresses after she retires from the tennis court. The 21-time grand slam winner, who graced the cover of New York Magazine’s fashion issue that hit newsstands Monday, told the publication that she is interested in pursuing a career in fashion after retirement.
“That was my first real love, but then I was like, ‘Listen. I’m playing professional tennis. I’ll just do athleticwear” the 33-year-old said. According to the magazine, Williams is a master in couture gowns.
The highly anticipated fall fashion issue of the magazine has the Wimbledon champion posing in a form-fitting long black dress by Elizabeth and James at Bloomingdale’s, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The dress features long sleeves, high neck and thigh-high split, and shows off the athlete's curves. Williams accessorized with Leticia Linton earrings and rings by Jennifer Fisher Jewelry and Platt Boutique Jewelry.
In the cover photo, the diva’s long locks are tied in a ponytail. Her pale pink manicure is visible as she poses with her left hand behind her back while her right hand is on her left elbow.
In the inside spread, Williams can be seen with her little Yorkie, Chip. There is also a photo by Norman Jean Roy, where she does a split wearing a black bodysuit, designed by Baja East. The outfit features cut-out detailing on the stomach, revealing her toned midriff. It also has a V neckline and three-fourth sleeves.
In the shot, Williams' long hair is left loose with a side part. She accessorized with gold cuffs by Robert Lee Morris and Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co and rings from Platt Boutique Jewelry.
In the last picture, the tennis star can be seen in a black bodysuit by Wolford. In this picture, Williams accessorized with a necklace by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. while wearing a matching gold neckpiece and cuff in the form of a snake. Her rings are designed by VRAM and Platt Boutique Jewelry.
Williams, who was previously featured on two Vogue covers, is no stranger to fashion. She already has an athletic wear line for HSN, and has also made several remarkable appearances on the red carpet.

Craft wedding registry carefully

Wedding registries are like letters to Santa, except they're for adults. But instead of St. Nick and his elves, your wedding guests do the giving. And instead of toys, you ask for grown-up things like serving dishes and monogrammed towels. OK, maybe a few toys. Margarita machine, anyone?
Building a well-rounded registry can be difficult. How many place settings is too many? Is the range of price points wide enough? Do you really need that mini-doughnut maker?
Sarah Bratholt, a Crate & Barrel spokesman who oversees gift-registry management, says many digitally savvy couples are taking advantage of online registries, but she recommends that they also go to stores.
"We have them do a mental walk-through of their house," she says. Couples should ask themselves: In the kitchen, what type of knife set do we want? Moving into the dining room, what type of dinnerware do we want?
It's important, Bratholt says, to start with the basics such as plates, glasses, forks and knives -- "I recommend going for a classic look that represents both of your styles. Then add in the fun pieces that can be more trendy." And register for more than you think you'll need, because your family might grow or you'll want to throw a party with all of your new stuff, "but you won't have enough forks to get you through dessert," she says.
If space is tight, consider boxed sets -- "12 plates, bowls, cups all in a box that you can store in a pantry or closet," Bratholt says. When making a list, she suggests keeping an eye out for bonuses with certain brands. "They will give you extra gifts when you register for or receive certain items off your registry," she says. "Who doesn't want more gifts?"
And it never hurts to get advice from those who walked the aisle before you. With wedding season in full swing, we asked four couples in various stages of matrimony about how they crafted their registries (or wish they had).
Among our findings: Kitchenware reigned supreme among newlyweds and longtimers alike; not all gadgets are made alike; and big-ticket, well-made items shouldn't be shied away from.
Megan and Luke Chesek
Mount Rainier, Md., married two years
"I had every girl's dream of: When you get married, you go to the store, take the [scan] gun and register for whatever you want," Megan Chesek, 30, says. But her husband, Luke, 31, had a different idea.
"Our friends have this place full of gadgets they never use ... all this stuff you see on Saturday morning infomercials," he says. Wanting to limit the junk, he aimed for a small registry so more people would opt to give them cash to put toward buying a house. Two years later, the Cheseks now own an uncluttered house in Mount Rainier filled only with those things they were sure they'd use all the time.
Such as dishes. Plates were one of the few things Megan, a physical therapist at Virginia Hospital Center, and Luke, a labor lawyer for District of Columbia public schools, didn't argue over.
"I don't think my mom would let me get married without getting china," Luke jokes. Both from large families, the Cheseks say they often have to use their fine china and everyday dishes when they host holidays.
They selected the Gardner Green Street collection from Kate Spade New York. "Luke liked it because it reminds him of nature," Megan says of the white silver-rimmed dishes with accents of leaves. "It's just really pretty and simple. But not too simple."
She says they chose brightly colored Fiestaware for their everyday dishes because "we liked the chunkiness and sturdiness. We're both kind of clumsy."
The star of their registry items, at least for Luke, is a small cheese board with a removable marble top and hidden knife drawer from Bed Bath & Beyond. "Growing up, my parents always served cheese and crackers when family came over," he says. It was a sign of hospitality and made the gathering feel like a special occasion. Now, he and his wife serve fancy cheese to their guests.
Raiquel and Dwayne Brown
Woodbridge, Va., married four years
"We didn't have grown-up stuff," says Raiquel Brown, 33, of when she got engaged to Dwayne, 34, a financial consultant and adjunct professor at Trinity Washington University.
So Raiquel, a marketing consultant who also owns a paint studio/wine bar in Washington, says they went out on a limb and registered for high-end silverware from Williams-Sonoma. "Don't be shy of the price," she says, because people want to buy you a nice gift and be thought of when you use it.
Also, she recommends "adding things you'll definitely use, things with utility," to your registry, like the Kitchen­Aid five-speed blender she uses to make fruit smoothies most mornings.
Dwayne, on the other hand, was a big fan of their Westin St. Maarten honeymoon-related registry. He points out that they actually used the Caribbean excursions their loved ones bought them -- unlike the rice cooker and panini press Raiquel wanted to register for. Both are still in boxes in the pantry.
"When's the last time you made a panini?" he asks.
"Don't hate on my panini maker," she answers.
Scarlett and Gabriel Pons
Fredericksburg, Va., married 12 years
Living in a tiny apartment in Brooklyn before their wedding, this cool artist couple didn't want to set up a traditional registry at first.
"But people really want to get you gifts," says Gabe Pons, 40, who owns Ponshop Studio and Gallery in Fredericksburg with his wife, Scarlett, 42. "So we said, 'Let's ask for things that we'll really appreciate and use but at the same time won't take up too much space.'"
Because Scarlett is a potter (she now makes custom dish sets for other couples' weddings), the Ponses focused on registering for things other than china, such as a decent set of knives and a nice cutting board.
Their favorite gift, though, wasn't even on their registry. A small vintage-looking popcorn machine modeled on those found at county fairs was given to them by an old family friend. It was a big hit at their rooftop parties in New York and still gets a lot of use by their two young sons.
"It's the really silly things that have lasted the longest," Scarlett says, "that translate into the next phase of your marriage."
Betsy and Mark Stires
Alexandria, Va., married 29 years
Betsy was just 22 when she married Mark Stires, then 23, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington nearly 30 years ago. But even then, her mother and grandmother had instilled an admiration for fine china in the future interior designer.
She registered for Herend china in a classic white-and-green pattern that can be used as "building blocks" to build more elaborate tablescapes. The dishware has "definitely suited the different evolutions of my taste," she says.
But you don't have to always go for the splurges, she says, if you're worried about guests' wallets.
"There's good style and design everywhere, at Target, at Wal-Mart, at the grocery store," Betsy says. "It's not a question of price, it's a question of taking care of things you enjoy."

Help To Save The Trampery!

As London rents continue to sky-rocket beyond all fathomable proportions, there has been a fashion casualty: the much-loved London Fields branch of The Trampery.
The social enterprise, which creates beautiful working environments for creative start-ups and fledgling designers, has had to abandon its 'fashion incubator' residence on Mare Street, Hackney because the rent is set to rise in September – by 400%.
Jonathan Saunders, Holly Fulton and Lou Dalton are among the many talented desingers who have been supported by the initiative (which opened less than two years ago) and who will now have to find a new office. But the question on everyone's lips is – where?
The Trampery Founder, sociologist and entrepreneur Charles Armstrong, says, 'We’re scouring London for a new building of at least 10,000 square feet where we can relocate the fashion incubator. Several agents are assisting us with this. At the same time we’re calling out to large fashion businesses who have 1,000 square feet of unused space where we can create pop-up studios.'
The unused space for pop-ups will largely focus on emerging designers, and any cooperating businesses will be given a 'shortlist' of applicants to have final say on who gets access.
The larger space (10,000-30,000 square feet) has a few more conditions. It needs good light (for obvious reasons), it must be located in Central London (no further than Zone 2), have a 5-year lease at least, and be a reasonable price to rent. Any ideas?
'The response from the fashion industry has been phenomenal,' reveals Armstrong. 'It’s heartening to discover how much support there is for what The Trampery's doing. The British Fashion Council has been a wonderful ally, and the Duke of York is also giving us terrific support as our patron.'
'Places like The Trampery will soon be the only way an emerging businesses can remain in London,' he continues. 'That’s a worrying situation for the city’s future. We’re continuing to establish new facilities as fast as we can.'
He concludes, 'We’d love to hear from anyone who can help us continue to provide affordable studios for the most talented young labels.'

Innovators tackle clothing challenges for people with disabilities

“Your clothing vocabulary shouldn’t be limited just because you have a certain physical condition.”
That is the mantra that Grace Teo and Alice Chin choose to live by after creating the OpenStyleLab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Currently in its second year, the 10-week summer program that Teo and Chin host each summer brings together students of diverse backgrounds from around the world to study engineering, occupational therapy and design.
The students are challenged to create apparel that “requires both functionality and aesthetics” for people with mental and physical disabilities.
“The independence to choose clothes, the independence to dress [oneself] in the morning is such an intimate act that is integral to anyone’s morning ritual,” Chin said. “Why isn’t the fashion industry addressing this issue?”
The flagship educational program has trained more than 60 students thus far, some who have gone on to work for companies including Nike, which recently released the “Flyease” sneaker, designed for people who have difficulty putting their feet into shoes.
According to the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability, 19% of the U.S. population identifies as disabled, a number that would make them the nation’s largest minority group if they were formally recognized as one.
Teo says that creating the program, and her encounters with clients, have opened her eyes to how much goes into getting dressed every day.
“OpenStyleLab shares more of these stories — the clothing challenges that our clients face, and what solutions they came up with,” she said. “We can get other people thinking, ‘What would I do to solve this problem?’ If we can add a little to that cultural shift in thinking, I believe we will be working towards a more inclusive society.”
Ryan DeRoche, a former cyclist, suffered a spinal cord injury that has left him quadriplegic and in a wheelchair, according to the OpenStyleLab’s website. His nerves are “regenerating, which causes him to be extremely sensitive to stimuli such as raindrops on his skin and causes him a lot of pain,” according to the developers of a special jacket for DeRoche and others with similar disabilities.
In 2014, fellows June Kim, Alexander Peacock and Kira Binder created the RAYN jacket, a waterproof jacket with a “lap flap” that would protect a wheelchair-bound person from getting wet and that would enable the user to quickly put on and remove the jacket.
Teo says that the need for practical — and attractive — clothing is necessary. “One of our online kudos was from a wheelchair user who said, “I not only want this jacket, I NEED this jacket. Wheelchair-functional clothing that is stylish is close to nonexistent.”
Mentors are paired with the student teams to help develop solutions for their chosen clients.
Maura Horton was chosen to help because of her business savvy and own personal story.
Her husband, Don, has lived with Parkinson’s disease for over 10 years and lacks dexterity in his fingers to get dressed by himself. To revive his independence, Maura created MagnaReady, a company that sells dress shirts that are magnetically infused and snap together, making the shirt look buttoned.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that primarily affects a patient’s movement, according to the Mayo Clinic. It often starts with a small tremor in the hand or muscle stiffness, and it gets worse over time. The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation reports that some 60,000 people are diagnosed with it each year in the United States.
Launched in 2013, MagnaReady has served between 10,000 and 15,000 clients. Prices for the shirts — for both men and women — start at $64.95.
“There aren’t many different options for people with limited dexterity, but not everyone functions like an 18-year-old. Some have never functioned at all,” Horton said, “A silver tsunami is coming; there’s a high population of baby boomers whose abilities are deteriorating and fashion is having to recreate the future.”
Teo echoed this sentiment, saying, “Dressing is such a basic and intimate need. We hope to restore the independence and dignity of dressing to people with disabilities.”