As Vogue’s Emily Farra puts it, for all the fashion industry’s growing commitment to promoting accessibility on the basis of race, gender, sexuality and size, consideration for the disabled community is still “what’s missing in fashion’s inclusivity movement”. Yet Nottingham Trent University graduate Evie Ashwin is helping to correct this oversight, using her skills to make adaptive clothing so everyone can feel comfortable and confident in what they wear…
The world of fashion is truly one-of-a-kind, an often groundbreaking industry that attracts countless talented people with a whole range of exciting ideas. Yet, despite this, it is still lacking in accessibility for disabled people, with many struggling to find clothes that fit. As designer Evie Ashwin explains, this is where inclusive clothing comes in.
Inclusive clothing is about “considering all body types, shapes and sizes from the initial design process through to the final product”, and is something that Evie has committed her time and skills to since studying Fashion Design at Nottingham Trent University. After taking part in a project to create adaptive clothes - which are specially designed for people with a disability - she says she learnt about the importance of ensuring the fashion industry is accessible to all, which was a key moment in her early career. “That really sparked my interest and made me open my eyes to how tunnel visioned fashion is and how exclusionary it can be.”
Evie gained national recognition for creating a stylish and adaptive range of men’s clothing, with each outfit being showcased by a model with a physical disability as part of Graduate Fashion Week back in 2019. This led to a scholarship with Nottingham Trent alumna and entrepreneur Linda Leaver, who Evie describes as “a pioneer and fundamental part of my journey”, as well as an award from the university.
Having hand-made clothes to fit your exact measurements can help to make you feel more happy and relaxed
Since graduating, she has continued her commitment to making the world of fashion a more open-minded, accessible place, creating her own brand of women’s clothing, With Love Evie, to cater to all body types. Through a bespoke, personalised service, Evie is able to craft customised outfits to suit individual needs. “You can input your own personal measurements and I will hand draft a pattern just for you and your body shapes,” she explains. “It also means that if you have any adaptations or changes you’d like to make I can do this too, making sure your clothes fit you perfectly.”
Evie's work centres around boosting people’s love for both themselves and what they wear. The mental benefits of inclusive fashion are as important as the physical, she believes, with her work not only helping to make people feel more comfortable, but also more confident. “If you do not feel 100% while wearing your clothes, they will either never leave your wardrobe as you may feel self-conscious or you will only wear them a couple of times as they are uncomfortable,” Evie muses. “Having hand-made clothes to fit your exact measurements can help to make you feel more happy and relaxed.”
With demand for her clothes soaring in 2021, Evie is clearly filling a gap that has been around for far too long - and the designer had to expand her brand over the course of last year to deal with the increased workload. In her words, “people want clothes which fit them perfectly”, and thanks to Evie’s skills and commitment, many more will be able to.
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