Toronto-based fashion designer Izzy Camilleri knows high fashion. Celebrated in the fashion world for decades, Izzy has dressed stars such as David Bowie, Meryl Streep, Angelina Jolie, and Daniel Radcliffe, and her work has been featured in magazines like Vogue and InStyle.
But it wasn’t until she received a unique design request in 2004 that she discovered her true design passion. A Toronto Star journalist who used a wheelchair was on the search for a shearling cape that would work in her seated position.
“She asked the fashion editor at the Toronto Star who she would recommend, and the editor pointed her in my direction because, at that time, the fashion collections I was making included leather, fur, and shearling,” reflects Izzy. “I had never made clothes for someone who used a wheelchair, but she was so helpful in explaining her needs.”
The shearling cape was a hit, and the journalist hired Izzy to make similar versions in denim and cashmere, as well as a pair of pants. “It was through this that I started to understand all the challenges and limitations she had with clothing,” Izzy says.
Fashion for wheelchair users
The IZ Adaptive coat is cut to follow the line of a seated person.
The experience opened Izzy’s eyes to a wider need. She began gathering feedback from other wheelchair users in a focus group.
“I figured that there had to be a lot of other people who had similar problems,” Izzy says. Through the group, she found her next client: a young, fashionable woman who became paralyzed after a sports injury.
“She was very stylish and particular about her clothing,” Izzy says. “I made a coat for her, and it turned out to be more gratifying than I could have imagined. A week after she got it, she called me and thanked me, saying people were stopping her on the street. It was then that I realized I had given her way more than a coat — I gave her a sense of self, dignity, inclusion — all of these things that I had never really given people in my previous fashion career. I got a lot of compliments on my work, but this was way deeper.”
After working with this client, Izzy began exploring ways to make a complete collection for people with disabilities. At the time, the adaptive clothing options were primarily for seniors or people living in long-term care. “These people were young and didn’t want to dress like their grandmothers,” Izzy says.
In 2009, IZ Adaptive was born. In this collection, Izzy combines her experience in high fashion with adaptive designs custom-made for people with disabilities.
Inclusive designs
While most of the IZ Adaptive clothing is designed for wheelchair users, Izzy tries to create designs that work for a broad audience. Her clothing features a variety of closures to cater to different ability levels and comfortable fabrics that stretch. Two of her most popular items are seamless-back pants that reduce the risk of pressure sores and coats cut to follow the line of a seated person.
IZ Adaptive pants have a seamless back panel and high rear waistline.
“Our coats look just like regular long coats, but they are bottomless, so they are easier to put on,” she says. “And I redrafted the coat pattern to remove any extra length in front, so they do not bunch up in a seated position.”
A popular accessory in her line is an elastic strap available in a variety of sizes that holds the knees together while seated.
To keep her designs fresh and able to serve a large audience, she relies on feedback. “Over the years, I’ve learned a lot, and I’m still listening, learning, and trying to find common ground, because I know I can’t be everything to everybody,” she says.
The future of adaptive fashion
The adaptive fashion industry has exploded in recent years, but Izzy is frequently called the “OG” of adaptive fashion. She credits social media with the segment gaining traction.
“Social media has allowed people with disabilities to gain visibility and make their voices heard,” she says.
The growing number of major retailers entering this arena — such as Target, Zappos, Primark, and Anthropologie — is shining a brighter light on and normalizing the need for adaptive clothing. Highlighting the growth of the industry, Izzy frequently receives requests from students to work or intern at her company.
Whether for these aspiring fashion designers or bigger brands looking to expand into adaptive clothing, Izzy’s advice is the same: “Educate yourself. Meet people with disabilities to gain a deeper understanding of their challenges and spark fresh ideas. Ask yourself if you can create pieces that will simplify someone’s life while still making them feel sexy, stylish, or attractive. And don’t assume you know the answers unless you’re living it yourself or have experienced it through someone close to you.”
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