Bonus Insights: Dr Carolyn Mair - Fashion Business Consultant, Carolyn Mair Consulting Limited
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Dr Carolyn Mair is a Cognitive Psychologist, Chartered Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and recipient of their 2017 Distinguished Contributions to Psychology Education Award.
Carolyn's 2018 book The Psychology of Fashion is now available in five languages. She left academia in 2017 to work more closely with the industry and currently works with fashion companies and brands across the world. She has published broadly and is frequently cited in press and media.
WATCH her DELIVER Europe 2023 Keynote: The Population Ignored by Fashion Brands - Who Are Missing Out
Key Fact: 72% of people with a disability said wearing non-adaptive clothing or footwear made independent living more difficult (Coresight Research)
Understanding Inclusivity
“I think there needs to be a broader understanding of the size of this population of people with disabilities that spans the entire population, all segments, from birth right up to old age. And so how do we make our products inclusive, truly inclusive? Companies talk about diversity and inclusion, but they miss out disability, because many companies see that as an add on – and it needn't be. So we can talk about designing clothes for everyone.”
Designing for Everyone
“Even people without disabilities can't wear everything in a clothing collection. Make garments with Velcro fastenings, or magnets, or zips with large ring pulls. It's very important that people are able to read labels so they can take care of their clothes, in terms of sustainability, but they're tiny anyway! You can make labels in Braille. People with sensory disabilities, such as some people on the autistic spectrum, feel on their skin very differently. You can you have flat seams, removable labels, or labels printed on the insides of the fabric. And that's better for everyone.
So if we call it ‘inclusive design', rather than ‘accessible' or ‘adaptable', then we're designing for everyone.”
Mindful Retail
“Help the consumer think more carefully about their purchases, so they don't necessarily rush into buying something on the spur of the moment. Of course, we all do that, for different reasons. But this is about thinking more mindfully when they're about to buy something. Do they really need it, or do they want it? Are they going to enjoy using it? Is it going to be value for money? Customers want to see brands doing the right thing.”