ISP Delhi Bureau :- Can disability deny you fashion and good clothing. Now no more. Young design minds are thinking differently and adaptive clothing for disabled are fast catching up with the market trends.
Bhumika Raghav, a NIIFT Delhi 2020 alumna has launched Saqya, a dedicated venture aimed at innovating clothing technology and fashion for the specially abled. She is on a mission to transform assisted dressing to self and fashion dressing for the disabled in India.
With products from Saqya hitting the market soon, a wheelchair bound person will be able to independently enjoy wearing jeans. Sari draping will no more be a prerogative of the few ladies. Clothes adaptable to one’s physical condition are sought to be tailor made as part of this venture.
“Saqya is a fashion-tech start-up that revolves around inclusivity. We are currently engaged in the research and development of garments designed with a universal approach which makes them disability, gender, and size-inclusive,” says Bhumika to ISP correspondent.
With the use of technology, innovative thinking, and a problem-solving attitude, we aim to cater to the under-served and un-represented people in today’s fashion industry, she adds.
Bhumika, a wheelchair bound fashion researcher and scholar, decided not to take up a campus job after passing out from the elite fashion institute and instead chose to promote innovation in fashion for people like her.
“We are a minority. We need attention and space in the fashion industry too,” says Bhumika.
One size does not fit all. This fact is more glaring when it comes to disable and gender neutral people. Brands across India are focussed on mass production of trendy wears and can hardly cater to particular requirements of the specially abled.
“We want to introduce to Indian market, a choice of complete line of adaptive and easy dress clothing for men, women and gender neutral people. We have been researching on different elements of the dressing line for the last two years and now we are getting patents for those technologies. We are seeking funds at this stage from altruistic ventures to handhold us to make this social venture go nationwide,” says Bhumika.
Though there are some international models running successfully, if Saqya hits market and finds patronage with masses, it will be first of its kind in India in fashion wear. A brand which will manufacture specific clothing for a specific body type.
If market conditions are feasible, in a few months, people with physical disabilities, wheelchair users, elderly with limited mobility and the infirm people in India will have a solution at hand for their fashion and daily clothing requirements. Struggle-free and pain-free dressing options for people in India is soon going to be a reality.
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