💌 From Rut’s Studio

Every day I meet someone who says,
"I want to design for everyone—but I don't know where to start."

Here’s the truth: inclusion isn't a side-project. It's a way of thinking.
And you don’t need to create a separate line to be inclusive—you need to shift your process.

In this issue, I’m sharing what I’ve noticed lately: missed opportunities, inspiring innovation, and one simple mindset shift that could change how you design, forever.

📩 Hit reply and tell me: What’s one accessibility challenge you’re currently facing?

PS: I’ll be taking a short 10-day break, so there’ll be no newsletter for the next two weeks.
Back soon with more insights from the studio ✨

💡 Notice this

Kizik Infant Shoe vs. Nike FlyEase: Similar Tech, Different Purpose?

This year, Kizik’s Roamer Infant Shoe won a Red Dot Design Award — a major moment for accessible footwear. But here’s the question buzzing in design circles:

Isn’t this just Nike FlyEase, repackaged?
Let’s unpack it.

🔍 At First Glance: They Look Similar
Both offer hands-free entry:

• Nike FlyEase: Uses a bi-stable hinge and tension band that snaps into place

• Kizik: Uses a spring-back titanium arc and flexible heel cage

Both remove the need to bend, tie laces or use both hands — fantastic for disabled wearers, people with limited dexterity, or carers.

🎯 What Sets Kizik Apart
Kizik applied this system to baby shoes — a bold shift in user-centred thinking.

👶 Parent-first accessibility: Shoes that slide on with one hand while holding a baby
🧦 Stretchy opening: Supports chunky baby feet and wriggling movement
🌬️ Sensory comfort: Breathable and irritation-free materials for delicate skin

🆚 Meanwhile, Nike FlyEase remains focused on independent dressing for teens and adults.

💡 Why It Matters
Brands often think accessibility is about inventing something new.

But true innovation lies in contextual design:

✨ The same idea, reimagined for a different user group
✨ From independence → to caregiver assistance
✨ From athlete support → to early childhood dignity

Kizik didn’t invent the hands-free shoe.
They reimagined its context of use, and that’s what earned the Red Dot recognition.

🧠 Takeaway for Designers:

Innovation ≠ new tech.
Innovation = new relevance.

📎 What tool or process already exists in your world... that could serve someone new?

🧠 Curious about…

What makes a garment truly inclusive?

When everyone can wear it.

Take magnetic closures, for example:

🔹 For disabled people, they offer autonomy
🔹 For everyone else, they offer speed and ease

Everyone benefits.
That’s the power of inclusive design done right—it solves real problems without excluding anyone.

Let’s stop thinking that inclusive fashion is only for disabled people.
It’s smart, adaptable, and human-centred—for all bodies, all needs, all lives.

💭 Designers, the future is inclusive.
Are you designing for everyone?

📖 Read here

🗓️ Agenda: Upcoming Events in Inclusive Fashion

💻 Design + Accessibility Summit 2025 (Online)

📅 September 16–19, 2025 — CreativePro’s 6th annual virtual event offering hands‑on sessions on document accessibility (InDesign, Acrobat, PowerPoint), WCAG/ADA compliance, smart tools, and AI integration.

🔗 More info / registration: HERE

🌍 Amsterdam Fashion Week – Inclusive & Sustainable Editions

📅 August 30 – September 4, 2025
Amsterdam Fashion Week returns with a full city-wide programme that celebrates creativity, sustainability, and diversity. Look for showcases spotlighting inclusive, circular, and multi-abled design innovation across public and private venues.

🔗 More about AFW 2025

🧵 Innovation corner

🔹 Primark introduces wheelchair mannequins in stores

Primark has introduced seated mannequins—named Sophie—in 22 flagship stores across 9 countries, including the UK, Ireland, the US, and across Europe.

Co-created with disability advocate Sophie Morgan, the mannequins appear alongside both adaptive and standard collections—setting a new standard for visibility and inclusion in retail.

🧠 Why it matters:
This isn’t just about display—it’s about dignity, representation, and normalising accessibility at every stage of the shopping experience.

🔗 More on the story – FashionUnited

🔹 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund highlights adaptive design

At the 2025 Fashion Fund Challenge, adaptive fashion took centre stage—ten designers collaborated with accessibility consultancy Tilting the Lens to create inclusive garments.

Industry figures like Sinéad Burke and Tommy Hilfiger praised the shift as a defining moment in luxury fashion’s future.

VOGUE