A Movement Sparked by Innovation
Fifty years ago, two remarkable women helped set the adaptive fashion movement in motion. Helen Cookman, a pioneering American designer, and Virginia Pope, a style editor for the New York Times, laid the groundwork for what would become a slow but powerful evolution toward inclusive, functional fashion.
Cookman’s early research at New York University’s Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation led to the launch of Functional Fashions—a groundbreaking collection of 17 garments designed to give people with disabilities greater independence and dignity.
Their designs weren’t just about function. They were stylish, practical, and empowering.
Cookman's innovations included:
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Blouse pleats
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Double fabric underarms for crutch wear
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Velcro fastenings
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Side zippers
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A wrap-around dress design (fifteen years before Diane von Furstenberg's!)
Perhaps most significantly, Cookman patented Trousers for a Handicapped Person—pants featuring full-length zippers on both sides and an internal belt to allow easy dressing and toileting. In postwar America, the autonomy these designs provided was inextricably tied to dignity.
Levi’s Collaboration: A Breakthrough Moment
In 1975, two years after Helen Cookman's passing, Levi’s produced the first-ever functional denim jeans based on her patented designs.
The jeans featured:
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Stretch denim for flexibility
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Full-length side zips
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A roomy seat
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Easy-to-reach pockets
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An internal half-belt system to hold the jeans in place when the seat dropped
Funded by the Levi Strauss Foundation, this collaboration marked the first major venture by a global fashion brand into adaptive design, setting a precedent for others to follow.
Yet, after the deaths of Cookman and Pope in the 1970s, momentum slowed. Adaptive clothing became more focused on functionality alone, often at the expense of style, and geared more toward recovery and aged care rather than everyday living.
From Buttons to Breakthroughs
Reflecting on the past fifty years, it’s clear the adaptive fashion movement has come full circle—bringing functionality and style back together, just as Cookman and Pope intended.
The journey of something as simple as the button mirrors this evolution. Originally used purely for ornamentation in the Indus Valley over 4,000 years ago, buttons eventually evolved into one of fashion’s most useful features. Yet, for many people with disabilities, buttons remain one of the most frustrating elements of clothing—particularly for those with limited dexterity or coordination.
At Christina Stephens, we design with these realities front of mind. We use magnetic closures hidden behind decorative buttons in many of our designs—retaining the look of a classic button-up without the daily struggle. It’s a nod to tradition, while firmly embracing the future.
Christina Stephens: Shaping the Future of Adaptive Denim
Today, Christina Stephens is proud to be part of the new wave of adaptive fashion that redefines what "functional" really means.
Our commitment to community-driven design means every product we create is tested, refined, and improved through ongoing conversations with the people who wear them. We partner with customer focus groups, collaborate with global textile innovators, and use sales data to continually refine our offerings—ensuring our designs work across a wide range of disabilities and fluctuating needs.
It’s a process that takes time, investment, and heart—but it's what makes our collections different.
The UN/HINGED Collection reflects this ethos, offering fashionable, functional options for everyday life:
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Seamless Jeans specifically designed for wheelchair users
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Bulletproof Denim developed for those with prosthetics
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Temperature-Regulated Fabrics to help cool or warm the body when needed
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Spill-Free Fabrics that move beyond outdated terms like "adult bibs," focusing instead on dignity and empowerment
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Sensory-Friendly Textiles, including sustainable luxe linen and bamboo
From Levi’s early adaptive jeans to our bulletproof denim today, we are bringing style and dignity back to adaptive fashion—one breakthrough at a time.
And we’re not stopping there. Very soon, Christina Stephens will launch an entirely new range of fashionable adaptive jeans—designed with even more cutting-edge features, flattering fits, and fashion-forward styling. Watch this space. It’s the next exciting chapter in our commitment to making denim truly inclusive.
A Call to Action: Join the Movement
Adaptive fashion isn’t just about making life easier—it’s about creating a fashion world where everyone belongs.
We invite you to be part of this change. Whether you're a customer, allied health professional, plan manager, or retailer, your support matters.
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Advocate for better, more inclusive fashion choices
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Support brands who prioritise function and dignity, not just appearance
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Help educate others on the value of true adaptive fashion
Explore the latest innovations from Christina Stephens at www.christinastephens.com.au
References:
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Levi Strauss & Co. (2019, April 10). Levi’s: An early adopter of functional fashion. Read here
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June Adaptive. (2024, January). History of adaptive fashion: Why learning about adaptive fashion is essential to inclusion in fashion. Read here
(Special thanks to Tracey from June Adaptive for her continued advocacy and thought leadership in this space.)