Autism Soccer: Autism and Fashion

Fashion translates emotion, attitudes and culture in a language that we all understand.

The fashion world is something that draws everyone’s attention to a greater or lesser extent, after all, we all need to get dressed. For people with autism, fashion can represent an adventure: from choosing socks soft enough to not irritate their sensitivity to touch, to learning to combine patterns and colors. Knowing this, some designers and fashion houses have implemented adjustment and alternatives in terms of clothing for people living within the autistic spectrum. In today's article we will explore a little the influence of the autistic spectrum in the world of fashion.

Fashion Alternatives for People with Autism: Textures, Shapes, and Fabrics

Sensory processing disorders are common among people with autism. Their central nervous system has a difficult time receiving and organizing sensory stimuli correctly, leaving them either overly sensitive to stimuli, or not quite sensitive enough. This manifests in many ways, but here's one good example, according to experts like Kristie Koenig, chair of the Occupational Therapy Department at New York University: “You know that scratchy feeling you get from a tag in a new t-shirt? Imagine that agitation multiplied by 10. That’s what a dysfunctional sensory perception can feel like”.

To help people with this special condition, Caravan Design (2015) launched the Sensewear Fashion Line, thinking especially to help ease the sensory process of people within the spectrum. In general, Sensewear isn't ordinary apparel, it's an exotic-looking line of prototype clothing designed as an example of how apparel could help treat people with sensory perception disorders. Emanuela Corti and Ivan Parati, Dubai-based designers who make up the Caravan design collective, imagine the collection of jackets, shirts, and scarves as sort of garment-therapist prototypes for people who undergo sensory occupational therapy.

Wearing a Sensewear jacket isn't like wearing an ordinary jacket. It doesn't just keep you warm, it can give you a “hug” sensation, thanks to its inflatable lining. When you put on a Sensewear scarf, it does more than wrap around your neck. It can also emit soothing aromas that bring back pleasant memories. Very useful for calming the nerves.

The Sensewear line imagines clothes as a toolkit for handling those uncomfortable sensory moments. Because they're modular the way all clothes are, they easily adapt to different situations. Most importantly, they let patients learn to soothe themselves, which empowers them and could take pressure off therapists.

All these pieces are meant to be incredibly versatile. Corti and Parati — who were furniture and product designers before working on this particular line —, worked with researchers at the Dubai Autism Center, who told them that sensory reactions vary with every person in therapy. “Every kid reacts in a different way to the therapist, so they have to try everything with them”, Corti says. “So the idea was to give the pieces different interpretations”.

As you have read, sensitivity is an important issue for people within the spectrum, an issue that some kind, caring people are taking measures of by now. Who knows how many wonderful pieces that we all can enjoy they might come up with? Only time will say it, but as of now, we have hope for new fashion alternatives that can be useful and practical for those with autism.

At Autism Soccer we care about all manners of advancements that provide comfort and integration to all the members of our community, so don’t hesitate into following on our social networks and leave your comments in the section below!