Australian inclusive clothing brand JAM The Label has joined forces with The Iconic to help bring clothing for consumers with disabilities into the mainstream.
The Adaptive Edit, launched on Tuesday, is a dedicated section of The Iconic’s online retail platform that caters to Australians living with disabilities and other access needs.
The section will stock more than 130 pieces of clothing that prioritise ease and comfort through features such as side zips, magnetic buttons and fits for prosthetic limbs.
The range will feature products from local brands such as JAM The Label and Christina Stephens, as well as global labels including Tommy Hilfiger.
Molly Rogers, co-Founder of JAM The Label, says the Adaptive Edit is an important project that will help make adaptive clothing more accessible to consumers.
“I applaud The Iconic for taking this step to offer inclusive clothing to a mainstream audience,” Rogers tells SmartCompany.
Rogers founded JAM The Label with Emma Clegg in 2019 while they were both working full-time as occupational therapists.
The duo met in university when they worked as disability support workers assisting teenagers with cerebral palsy.
Rogers says getting teenagers, who spent most of their time in wheelchairs, ready for school each morning was more difficult than it needed to be because clothing wasn’t functional.
“JAM was born from wanting to give young people, particularly teenagers, the opportunity to dress how they want to, comfortably and easily,” Roger says.
JAM The Label’s products are build on universal design principles. The range includes shirts with magnetic buttons and chino pants that can be taken on and off while lying down using invisible zippers.
Rogers says The Iconic’s positive move into the adaptive clothing space will encourage other brands to make more inclusive clothing.
“Tommy Hilfiger was one of the first global brands to recognise what a huge opportunity adaptive clothing is, and I think we’ll see more and more brands realising this,” Rogers says.
The Iconic’s Adaptive Edit has launched with an introductory line of more than 130 items of clothing across menswear, womenswear and kidswear. The range launched with three brands and will potentially expand to include more.
The Iconic worked with the global accessibility consultancy All Is For All to help design the project and make sure it met the diverse needs of consumers.
Erica Berchtold, chief executive of The Iconic, said she is incredibly excited to offer customers “a new way to access adaptive fashion”.
“This Edit marks an important milestone in our ongoing journey to better meet the diverse needs of every ICONIC customer,” Berchtold said.