I want to build Unhidden as a universal design brand
Victoria Jenkins is a garment technologist with 14 years’ experience in the fashion industry who became disabled in her 20s. She founded Unhidden after a chance encounter with a woman with cancer that changed the course of her life. In a chat with Fibre2Fashion, Jenkins discusses the Unhidden’s story, the challenges of adaptive clothing, and her future plans.
How did you come up with the idea of Unhidden?
I first thought about adaptive design in 2016 when a fellow patient on the ward with me on one of my many stays told me she couldn’t dress how she wanted to for work without exposing herself or being in pain. She had survived ovarian cancer but because of treatment was left with life changing conditions. I felt confident someone would be doing this; it seemed so suddenly obvious – something I myself needed too! The landscape then was a bit bleak. Thankfully, there are more of us emerging every year now.
What were the challenges you had to encounter when you started?
Getting people to see the need for it continues to be a struggle. In the beginning, the struggle was for me personally with time and energy – working for other people, I had to fit developing the samples in around a career and my health. In 2017, I went freelance to try and manage my time better and pursue Unhidden – it wasn’t until 2020 and a dry up of clients though that I really got to put my all into it.
What kind of research went it to designing the garments?
In the earlier years, it was a lot of speaking to fellow patients, to nurses and doctors I met. Then, in 2018, I started asking on social media what people needed and wanted and refined the ideas as much as I can to address as many needs as I could. My background as a garment technologist was certainly instrumental in knowing how to construct these garments for both wearer and longevity.
How do you manage to make every functionality look aesthetic?
I would say, I do my best! I try to start with the silhouette or design I would want to wear/ think would look good on people and then I build in the access, refine it until the elements are there—whether that’s fabric or access or pattern. Despite the brand name, I do actually do my best to hide the adaptations; so often adaptive fashion has had a medical look and been obvious and while that absolutely has a place and I have seen some stunning work in that way – it is not the aesthetic I have gone with (for now!).
What different kinds of disabilities and chronic conditions does Unhidden take care of?
As many as possible, with the very real understanding that it is not possible to keep 1 billion people happy with such a small collection as it currently stands. One size doesn’t fit all in general and more so for the disabled and chronic sick community. But there are many considerations that have benefits for all. Extra openings, elasticated waistbands, new access points, a specific pattern – the range caters to wheelchair users, stroke survivors, people with stomas and medical lines in their arms or chests, people going through chemo or radiotherapy or who have diabetes. People with dexterity issues or sensory. There is quite a lot built in as standard in the new collection as well.
What kind of fabrics and patterns work well for adaptive clothing?
It entirely depends on the condition; satin is not great for wheelchair users as it can cause them to slide around in their chair. Rough fabrics can aggravate skin conditions and cause tension on sore joints. As a sweeping statement, soft, draping fabrics work the best, and especially if there is stretch. Then there are a number of specific patterns that help, changing tension areas or creating new access openings. The sky is the limit really!
Which major markets do you cater to?
The majority has been the UK, but there have been orders from the US and Australia. Once we have stock and move away slightly from made to order, we’ll be able to ship quicker and much more easily around the world.
Which are your best-selling products?
The trousers to date have been the best sellers across the board for both standing and seated options, with a wrap front or not. I do acknowledge that for 50 per cent of the disabled community, who are more likely to live in poverty, our price point is too high, but as a one-woman brand who has been made to order to date, I couldn’t help this. By the end of the year, however, there will be stock and more colours from the core range, and in the new year there will be stock of the range I am showing at London Fashion Week.
What are your plans for future?
Oh, so many plans… I have licensing rights to some exceptionally popular cartoon characters, so I will be releasing a kidswear range for pre order on December 3rd! I want to film workshops showing people how to adapt their existing clothing, as well as have a roster of machinists trained in these sorts of alterations who can then work for their local communities. The really big plans include a scholarship fund to encourage, and support disabled and chronic sick students into the fashion industry and a fully accessible, luxury brick-and-mortar store with medically trained staff and a community feel. I also want to have a dabble in accessories and perhaps even homeware, and really build Unhidden as a universal design brand. I think it’s important to remember that. When we design for everyone, it excludes no one; rather than designing an adaptive and non-adaptive version of an outfit, design it universally so all can wear it. This is the future of fashion and sustainability in my mind.
Published on: 29/09/2022
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
