Fashion, Disability, and Co-design: A Human-Centered Design Approach

Constricting styles and limited clothing choices can restrict a person with a disability from fully participating in social communities, employment and gatherings that have an unspoken dress code. Design has the power to change this. Fashion, Disability, and Co-design shows how collaborative, inclusive design techniques can produce garments and accessories that increase social inclusion. Grace Jun outlines practical techniques to help designers create their own inclusive collections, with detailed examples from interviews with professionals. 14 illustrated case studies show how engagement with disability communities to co-design clothing and accessories can lead to functional, wearable solutions for people of all abilities without compromising style. Interviews: - Inclusive Representation in Fashion Narrative & Design Process – Christina Mallon - Understanding the Use of Materials – Angela Domsitz Jabara - Human Factors and Occupational Therapy – Michael Tranquilli - Interactive Garments and Textiles – Jeanne Tan

Table of Contents:
Preface Foreword: Sara Hendren, Associate Professor of Arts, Humanities and Design at the Olin College of Engineering 1. Introduction The Value of Collaboration in Fashion Design Adaptive Fashion - Characteristics of Adaptive Fashion Designs - Dressing Situations in Adaptive Fashion - Dressing for Social Integration - Dressing for Independent Living - Dressing for Interdependent Living - Dressing Aids and Assistive Tools 2. Theories, Models, and Methodologies behind Adaptive Fashion Accessible Features in Existing Fashion Designs Principles Inclusive Design Fashion Design Processes, Models, and Methods Process - Co-design Models - Function, Environment, & Aesthetics (FEA) - The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) - The Human, Activity & Assistive Technology Model (HAAT) - Social Model of Disability Method - User-centered Design (UCD) - Human Factors 3. Adaptive Fashion Design Approaches & Techniques Adaptive Fashion Framework - Guideline - Project Objectives - Observational Research - Discussion and Interview Analysis - Design Requirements - Iterative Prototyping - Design Evaluation Application of Framework Project Objectives - Establishing a Common Form of Communication - Making an Objective Research - Observing Dressing Behaviors - Creating a User Journey Map - Recognizing Existing Clothing Challenges - Creating a Spatial Framework for User Range of Motion Design requirements - Define the problem - Design Affordances Iterative Prototyping - Materials - Textile Considerations - Body Measurements Techniques Clothing Closures and Construction Techniques Alteration Instructions Conclusion and Design Evaluation Inquiry Guide Design Rubric 4. Adaptive Design Case Studies and Interviews Case Studies Interview: Inclusive Representation in Fashion Narrative & Design Process – Christina Mallon Unparalleled Midi-Rox The Little Black Bag Interview: Understanding the Use of Materials – contributor, Angela Domestiz Jabara Trans-Skirt Qxgo Swipe Interview: Human factors and Occupational Therapy – Michael Tranquelli Just-In-Jacket Ease Modiste Revolve Interview: Interactive Garments and Textiles – Dr. Jeanne Tan Versa Vest Heating Mask LIULID Warmed Bomber 5. Conclusion Increasing Visibility Scaling Adaptive Fashion Afterword: Steven Faerm, Associate Professor of Fashion at Parsons School of Design, The New School. Acknowledgements Resources Annotations Index

About the Author :
Grace Jun is Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Georgia (UGA), USA, researching interdisciplinary design processes inclusive of disability, such as accessible interaction design and adaptive wearables. She is also a board member of Open Style Lab (OSL), a Smithsonian National award-winning nonprofit organization that aims to make style accessible for all people regardless of cognitive or physical disabilities. An inventor of two US design patents, Grace frequently serves on juries and committees that advance the arts & design.

Review :
This is an invaluable book for anyone who is interested in adaptive fashion and the complexities of fashion design processes when considering users with disability needs. Grace Jun's work shines a spotlight on adaptive fashion, demonstrating its potential to be both functional and desirable when co-designed with people with disabilities. Her book is more than just a practical guide; it's a compelling call to action for designers and brands to integrate inclusivity into their creations. A must-read for anyone committed to making the fashion industry truly accessible, sustainable, and empowering for all! Grace is an extraordinary designer and scholar. Her work exploring how human-centered design and codesign processes can increase inclusion has been transformative for clients, students and collaborators. As a physical therapist, educator and researcher, I am excited to see this book and body of work take shape. As a power wheelchair user who actively collaborated with designers on a unique jacket, I cannot stress enough the importance of this collaborative, human-centered design approach in producing a fashionable yet functional piece of clothing. Grace Jun leads the way in teaching designers about disability and fashion and collaborating with people with disabilities and other experts on disability and participation ... [She] sees the importance of customization - all people with disabilities are not the same and many people, both disabled and not (or not yet), have the need for custom alterations or fabrication of garments. In this breakthrough book, Grace Jun investigates the complex intersection of fashion and disability, illuminating the sweeping range of challenges that confront creators and consumers alike. With elegance and clarity, she offers a brilliant précis of the issues at stake, combining historical analysis, in-depth case studies, and assessments of real-world design to provide guidance and inspiration for future solutions. Essential reading, this book speaks forcefully to the ethical, moral, land social imperatives of ensuring that fashion is equitable for all, while making the business case for no longer overlooking a global marketplace of over 1.8 billion people.