High street retailer Marks & Spencer has become the first mainstream store to launch an ‘easy dressing’ line, designed for children with sensory or physical disabilities.
The childrenswear range is called Adapted for Easy Dressing and caters for children aged from newborn to teenage. It has been in development for more than two years and was conceived, designed and developed in partnership with customers including parents from three specialist schools.
The clothes themselves look exactly the same as lines from the core M&S childrenswear range, allowing children to wear the same fashion-led outfits as their friends and siblings.
“We’ve absolutely loved working on this project and are proud that every product started from listening to mums and dads,” said Rebecca Garner, kidswear designer at M&S. “Parents passionately told us that disabilities don’t define their children, so the adaptations shouldn’t define their clothes. That’s why all the products are inclusively designed and modelled closely on our main collection.”
She continued; “‘So while big sister might wear a dress with sequins, the little one who wants to match but has sensory needs will have a softer glitter. Offering great value has been a key consideration and parents purchasing our Easy Dressing products will never pay more.”
All the Adapted for Easy Dressing clothes have been made with the softest materials, fewest seams possible and hidden care labels. Clever innovations also include hidden pockets for feeding tubes and babygros with additional space for a cast, suitable for babies with hip dysplasia.
The M&S in-house team were also supported in the range’s development by Consultant Paediatrician Dr John Chang who offered expert advice.
