Double Take

One in four people in the U.S. lives with a disability. Yet, people with disabilities often struggle to find functional clothing that also allows them to express themselves and be recognized as unique individuals beyond their disabilities. A group of talented individuals from the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) community collaborated with SMA My Way and Open Style Lab (OSL) adaptive fashion designers, some of whom have disabilities themselves, to create or modify garments according to each runway participant’s personal style and needs. Through this show, the SMA community is inviting the world to do a double-take, not because of their disabilities but because of their style and individuality, and to see people with disabilities occupying a space that’s often shut off to them.