Over the last couple years, the adaptive clothing market has expanded, with more choices now available for the disability community. To help you navigate this evolving landscape, we’ve asked those who know it the best.

We spoke to content creators Fats Timbo, Lucy Jane, Andie Willis and Gemma Leigh, who share their favourite adaptive and inclusive fashion brands.

Accessible brands for wheelchair users

Motability Scheme customer and model Andie Willis likes Intotum and Primark’s adaptive range. “The details that stand out most to me are the thoughtful, adaptive ones: magnetic closures, open-backed trench coats for wheelchair use, medical access ports,” says Andie.

Primark

Developed in collaboration with award-winning adaptive fashion designer and disability campaigner Victoria Jenkins, Primark’s adaptive range is available in 22 stores nationwide and through all stores Click and Collect. They’ve also recently launched adaptive swimwear, featuring tube access at the side seams and inner waistband pulls.

Unhidden

Unhidden is Victoria Jenkins’ own pioneering British adaptive fashion brand, which she founded in 2017. To find out more, read our interview with Victoria Jenkins.

Intotum

Hannah Tantush originally created Intotum for her grandad. After his third battle with cancer he had to adapt to life with a stoma and urostomy bag. At the time there were very few options, and he became self-conscious about going out. Hannah decided it was time to fix this and Intotum was born in 2023 to bridge the gap between function and fashion.

Petite fashion brand

Dewey

Content creator and author Fats Timbo recommends Dewey, a British fashion brand created exclusively for women 5ft 2in and under. You can shop their jeans, tops and athleisure on the Dewey website.

“The jeans and the athleisure wear are genuinely well made. It’s nice to have a fashion brand that actually gets me,” says Fats. Fats found that mainstream fashion brands were not adapted to her body. “Even ‘petite’ ranges are largely designed for someone who is 5ft 3in and slim, which still isn’t me. I’ve spent years hemming, tailoring, and improvising just to look like I actually chose an outfit rather than borrowed someone else’s,” she says.

“When I started finding pieces that worked, something shifted. Fashion stopped being a source of frustration and became one of my favourite forms of self-expression,” she adds.

Stoma-friendly brand

Recondition

Recondition is a brand offering accessible fashion and inclusive events across the country. Lucy Jane, a content creator, likes to incorporate her stoma bag into her outfits as a fashion accessory. She enjoys wearing Recondition clothes: “I’ve collaborated with them to make some stoma bag covers which are all about embracing your stoma as a new accessory,” she says.

Plus size fashion brands

Topsy Curvy

Motability Scheme customer and Lifestyle reader panel member Gemma Leigh is co-founder of Beyond Models, alongside her husband Jonny. She recommends Topsy Curvy, a brand that specialises in plus size fashion.

“I particularly enjoy the ‘peachy soft’ fabric and the hidden pockets. When I am having a bad day with my sensory issues I can have fidget toys in my pockets,” says Gemma.

“I like stretchy material as form-fitting clothes do not work for me. I sometimes dislocate and stretchy materials work better for me when that happens.”

Underwear and swimwear

Molke

Molke in a underwear and swimwear brand offering colourful, supportive and comfortable pieces from size xs up to 7XL. “Molke is great for wheelchair users as the bra straps stay up and you do not have to worry about fixing it throughout the day. They have no wires and give you full support. The underwear is made out of sensory-friendly fabrics which is important to me,” says Gemma.

Snag

Gemma enjoys wearing tights from Snag, with their sizing ranging between 4 and 36. “Their tights have been really useful because if my legs get too cold, I can’t function properly.” They also have cooling tights and chub rub shorts.

Stress and anxiety-friendly clothes

Cloud Nine

This brand specialises in hoodies with built-in stress balls, heavyweight materials, and sensory patches of fabric. They come in a wide range of classic colours and pastel colours.

One of Cloud Nine customers said: “I have ADHD and anxiety so I like to fidget when I’m out but not be obvious about it. This has saved me.”

Top tips from our fashionistas

Gemma Leigh recommends personalising mobility aids with keyrings or patterned vinyl to foster empowerment. “Personalising my walking aid definitely empowers me and it makes it my own as well, especially if they're the ones you've got directly from a hospital,” says Gemma.

Gemma also advises keeping an eye out on places like Vinted, which offer second-hand options at discounted prices.

Fats Timbo says: “Take risks with colour. Bright, bold, unapologetic colour. For a long time, people in bodies like mine are almost conditioned to not draw attention. Now colour is part of my signature.”

Lucy Jane advises: “Try something new! No matter what in life, if you don’t change what you’re doing right now, you’re never going to grow from it.”

Photos: Intotum/Mathushaa Sagthidas; Primark; Riccardo Sai/Dewey; Media Lumiere