Anthropologie taps influencers and the wider disability community to launch its first adaptive collection

On Wednesday, Anthropologie will introduce its first foray into adaptive apparel via a collection of eight of its existing bestsellers reworked to better fit the lives and needs of members of the disabled community. The idea came about internally, from the URBN Adapt Employee Resource Group, which is dedicated to promoting accessibility and inclusivity for the company’s portfolio of brands, which include Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People and Nuuly.

In 2021, Glossy reported on the growth of adaptive fashion, noting new collections by brands including Universal Standard and JCPenney. Tommy Hilfiger has also been a pioneer in the space — Hilfiger himself has a disabled child. One billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, experience some form of disability

To develop the collection, Anthropologie tapped Lucy Jones, founder and CEO of FFORA, a fashion lifestyle brand that primarily caters to people with disabilities — she helped the brand connect with three members of the disability community to fit test the garments. To promote the collection, the brand tapped influencers Allison Lang, Maya Moore, April Lockhart and Bri Scalesse as models and ambassadors — the influencers also had the chance to try the collection before it was fully complete. In total, seven people fit-tested each garment in advance of its release, said Richa Srivastava, Anthropologie’s chief creative director.

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