Alexandra Burn

Formee is the conceptualization for a lifestyle retailer dedicated to disabled young adults. While adaptive clothing and products exist within specialty markets, many of the designs are intended for an older customer base and are not easily accessible within a mainstream retail environment. Retail and the fashion industry as an extension have largely operated under the assumption that disabled people are primarily elderly and do not make up a large enough demographic to contribute significant spending power. This leaves disabled young adults with few appropriate product options and many negative shopping experiences. Fromee aims to resolve this issue by providing space within retail that is specifically designed to make shopping easy, fun and safe for all disabled young adults. Formee is a multi-brand retailer, providing a careful curation of adaptive designed products made by and for the disabled community, focusing on the lifestyle categories of fashion, home decor, and wellness/personal care in order to best serve the basic needs of all young, disabled consumers who have too long been neglected.

I feel that the concept of evolving is particularly close to me as a designer because I was forced to adapt to so much change in my personal life over the past four years. When I began in Fashion Communications, I knew I loved fashion and wanted a job in the industry but had no idea of what my passion was or how I wanted to actually change the industry. Around halfway through my first year, my health started taking a turn for the worse. At this same time, I was introduced to CripFashion and disability studies through a class led by our former Chair, Dr. Ben Berry. The collision of these two elements sparked a drive within myself to make the Fashion Industry more accessible and inclusive for the disabled community which I had found so much love and support in.