Over the weekend I watched the Runway of Dreams Fashion Show, as it was part of NYC Fashion week. Growing up as a disabled woman, it was rare or non-existent to see myself in this space. As we become more aware of our environments, people are starting to realize that representation is so important.
This year’s Runway of Dreams show was especially unique because it was remote, like most social events in our lives. One of my favorite parts of the show was the fact that the hosts were my internet friends, Shane and Hannah, aka Squirmy and Grubs on YouTube. Shane was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. He and his wife share a YouTube channel that I have been a fan of since they began filming their lives. I have connected with them through social media so I am honored to call them (internet) friends! I could tell by Shane and Hannah’s excitement that this was a true honor, but I know that particularly for Shane this was pivotal. To see models like us share a runway, even just from our respective homes due to our current times, it still had a great impact. These shows get better with each passing year.
The clothes featured all shared accessible elements that made the lives of the model’s consumers easier. Each clothing represented has an adapted element. For example Velcro closures, magnetic buttons and zippered sneakers (sneakers with zippers instead of laces). I should also mention that almost all the models in this show are disabled. There was an amazing variety of disabilities too, which meant so much to me. I often see conventional disabilities in advertisements, and for that I feel less seen. It’s hard to explain, and it can be really challenging to achieve this, but Runway of Dreams does an exceptional job.
