Australian adaptive clothing label Christina Stephens has welcomed quadriplegic fashion designer Carol Taylor to its ranks, ahead of its runway appearance at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW).
Taylor's passion for fashion design was turned into a career after an accident in 2001 left lawyer and artist Taylor a quadriplegic.
With only some arm movement and a complete lack of hand or finger movement, Taylor spent years teaching herself to use her paralysed hands.
With the help of makeshift modifications, Taylor found a way to draw, paint, and create.
Taylor said her injury was not going to stop her from creating fashion that reflected her vibrant personality.
"I’ve always loved fashion, even from childhood, and sustaining an injury didn’t change that.
"Fashion affects our core sense of identity, confidence, and the way the outside world treats us.
"I might be on wheels, but fashion moves me forward.
"That moment I started to wear colour and find, create and make clothing to feel like the person I was pre-injury, it was cathartic.
"It changed me – and put me on the road to good mental health. That’s how powerful clothing is," she said.
In 2019, Taylor was invited to showcase her own collection at Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival in Brisbane, where she connected with Christina Stephens founder Jessie Sadler.
Since then, the pair have been celebrating each other's success, but Sadler said in order to make change, it was important for the brand to work together with Taylor.
"Christina Stephens as a label has always been about collaboration over competition.
"If we want to see true progress in mainstream fashion, it starts by working as one," she said.
The collaboration has seen Taylor co-design a new collection alongside Sadler for the brand's AAFW showcase as part of the Adaptive Clothing Collective runway.
"Christina Stephens’ classic style is still front and centre of our design philosophy, but now Carol weaves the colour and glamour into our designs our customers have been asking for," Sadler commented.
"The core Christina Stephens principles remain the same - our designs can be worn by anyone.
"But we’re giving more consideration to people with specific conditions and abilities, so that our designs are universal," she said.
While key details on the collection remain under embargo, Taylor said the collection contains something special for the girl who can't stand up.
With the new collection ready to make its runway debut, Taylor added that she wants to see more big retailers stock adaptive fashion.
"This is a big market…retailers like Myer, David Jones…they need to realise this is a product that’s wanted.
"I always say to my son – nothing ever changes if everything stays the same, so be that change maker. I hope that’s what this collection will do.
"People want this. Build it and they will come," she said.
All pieces in the AAFW show will go on pre-sale following the show.
Additionally, Christina Stephens will launch a new menswear collection after AAFW.
"We’ve worked closely with our community to design adaptive clothing for men with a range of abilities to move freely, while feeling stylish for so many occasions," Sadler added.
"From easy-fit tees and dress shirts to pieces that are a bit more formal, where freedom, accessibility and design enable you to move from the office to a Sunday brunch, a day at the races, or a night out to dinner," she said.
Sadler founded Christina Stephens in March 2020.