UoF Launches Adaptive Style Collection

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June 6, 2026

On June 6, 2026

College of Style launches their 5-part Adaptive Style Collection taught by Tracy Vollbrecht of Vollbrecht Adaptive Consulting (Picture courtesy: College of Style)

Do you know that there are extra clothes choices accessible for canine than there are for folks with disabilities? It took a very long time coming, however the trend trade is lastly addressing the wants of the incapacity group, which is understood right this moment as Adaptive Style.

Due to our skilled Tracy Vollbrecht, the College of Style is launching its 5-part Adaptive Style sequence to assist educate the trade within the Adaptive Style market. Our new sequence covers: the historical past adaptive trend, learn how to design & develop adaptive trend and learn how to merchandise and market product for the adaptive trend client.

Tracy Vollbrecht of Vollbrecht Adaptive Consulting and College of Style teacher (Picture courtesy: Vollbrecht Adaptive Consulting)

Our sequence begins with the terminology used when referring to varied sorts of disabilities. Ms. Vollbrecht additionally presents a downloadable Phrases and Definitions doc to assist perceive applicable language and phrases used is that this specialised market phase.

Molly Farrell, a white woman with brown hair, is shown in this photo wearing ULEX, one of the brands Tracy designed and helped launch. Molly is wearing a royal blue wrap cardigan and gray pants, while seated on bleachers. She is smiling brightly and her pink forearm crutches are visible in the photo.

Adaptive trend designed by Tracy Vollbrecht for Yarrow featured on the Canadian TV present Style Dis (Picture courtesy: Tracy Vollbrecht)

Ms. Vollbrecht’s historical past of the adaptive market covers such innovators as Helen Cookman, who in 1955, started researching the market potential of adaptable clothes at New York College’s Institute of Bodily Drugs and Rehabilitation after being beneficial for the function by New York Instances model editor Virginia Pope. Cookman would spend the following 4 years creating a set referred to as Useful Fashions, which was a set of 17 gadgets designed to assist disabled folks gown independently. Nevertheless, Ms. Vollbrecht explains that upon the passing of Helen Cookman and Virginia Pope the practical trend motion started to fade and was changed with clothes supposed to make dressing simpler for the aged. It wouldn’t be till 2004-2007 that The Adaptive Style Showroom and the corporate Wheeliechix-Stylish, based by Louisa Summerfield, got here into being and would take adaptive trend to the following stage.

Monica Engle Thomas, a white woman with curly auburn hair, is shown in this photo wearing a white Yarrow sleeveless button down that Tracy designed. Monica sits in her black and white manual wheelchair. She also wears sunglasses and jeans, while holding the leash to her small dog.

Monica Engle Thomas sporting a white Yarrow sleeveless button down designed by Tracy Vollbrecht (Picture courtesy: Yarrow)

Tracy Vollbrecht Interview

UoF founder Francesc Sterlacci sat down with Tracy Vollbrecht to study why she grew to become excited about designing for the adaptive market and her ideas on the place the market is headed.

Francesca: Have been you formally skilled as a dressmaker and in that case, the place? What motivated you to pursue a profession in adaptive trend?

Tracy: I’m! I graduated from Kent State College with a Bachelor of High-quality Arts in Style Design. At Kent, I had the chance to conduct analysis on adaptive trend, which was nonetheless in its second-wave infancy. I say second-wave as there was a primary wave of adaptive trend within the 60s (try the historical past of adaptive trend lesson to study extra!). Inside the analysis I carried out, I spoke to over 75 folks with various disabilities to study their challenges with clothes. My analysis culminated in a universally designed assortment proven at Kent’s annual trend present, a broadcast analysis paper, and presenting my analysis at numerous conferences, together with the Worldwide Textile and Attire Affiliation’s annual convention. The work I did at Kent confirmed me that clothes challenges weren’t simply a difficulty my dad, who had MS, had skilled, however a difficulty that so many individuals face. This motivates me daily to proceed the work I do – clothes ought to permit everybody to precise themselves and really feel good, not simply a few of us.

Francesca: How in demand are designers with adaptive trend experience? How did you join with the businesses that you’ve designed for on this area?

Tracy: Sadly, adaptive trend remains to be very a lot a distinct segment portion of the style trade, which is what myself and others are working to alter. There isn’t a excessive demand for adaptive trend designers but. I’m hopeful that the area of interest will develop and there will probably be extra demand for designers, merchandisers, consumers, entrepreneurs, and so on with adaptive trend expertise. The businesses I’ve labored with have both sought me out, have been referred to me, or that I linked with them by community connections.

Francesca: Are you able to title the businesses that you’ve designed for and/or who you might be presently working for? Are their devoted on-line and brick & mortar shops solely promoting adaptive trend?

Tracy: My first adaptive trend function was with Juniper Limitless the place I designed and helped launch their manufacturers’ Yarrow and ULEX. In my consulting work with Vollbrecht Adaptive Consulting, I’ve developed coaching sources for Goal, taught lectures at IFA Paris, carried out analysis for Open Type Lab, and extra. I can’t share who I’m working with for the time being, however I’m undoubtedly excited for what’s to return! At this stage, adaptive trend is nearly solely on-line. As we speak about in our merchandising lesson, on-line buying has each execs and cons for the Disabled client. It’ll be nice to see manufacturers begin to carry adaptive merchandise in retailer, the place the patron can discover them organically.

Francesca: What are the largest challenges in designing for folks with bodily challenges?

Tracy: The largest challenges for creating adaptive trend are the variability in wants and the style cycle. Inside the incapacity group and even throughout the identical incapacity (bodily or not), there may be a lot selection in clothes wants, physique form, and challenges. No two disabilities are the identical, which is why it’s so vital for manufacturers to work with folks with disabilities. Nevertheless, the effort and time wanted to correctly develop clothes that truly works for all is at odds with the fast-fashion, development pushed nature of the style trade presently.

Molly Farrell sporting a high designed by Tracy Vollbrecht from ULEX- one of many manufacturers she helped launch (Picture courtesy: ULEX)

Francesca: Do you see the adaptive market rising since firms like Tommy Hilfiger and different massive manufacturers have change into extra inclusive?

Tracy: Positively! There may be a lot potential for manufacturers to faucet into the unmet wants of customers with disabilities. Simply because just a few manufacturers have gotten into the area doesn’t imply there isn’t room for extra manufacturers, all manufacturers actually, to get into the market. There will probably be “sufficient” adaptive trend when customers with disabilities have the identical quantity of alternative in model, value, and magnificence as customers with out disabilities.

Francesca: What recommendation do you may have for our college students who could also be excited about designing adaptive trend?

Tracy: My recommendation to any scholar is that adaptive trend is extra than simply adaptive design. Each function throughout the trend trade (merchandising, product growth, shopping for, advertising, and so on.) is required to verify adaptive trend will get into the palms of the buyer. If you are interested in adaptive trend, pursue it! Comply with Disabled creators on social media; keep updated on what manufacturers are doing; volunteer for trend exhibits. For designers particularly, adaptive trend remains to be trend. Getting expertise working for trend manufacturers is crucial. Because the adaptive market remains to be rising and there aren’t many adaptive design roles, reap the benefits of studying the method of design and growth for non-adaptive trend as that course of nonetheless applies to adaptive trend.