Ellen Fowles: “Fashion is for everyone regardless of age or ability”

“Fashion needs to become genuinely inclusive, not tokenistically diverse.”

“You can have a disabled person on the cover of a magazine, but if all the clothes and products in the magazine do not work for that person, is it really authentic?”

In a process that began while she was living with her grandparents during her BA studies at Ravensbourne University, Fowles noticed that the older and more physically frail her grandparents grew, the smaller their representation in the fashion industry became. Frustrated at the lack of affordable clothing options for those with disabilities, for her master’s degree, Fowles crafted a capsule collection of eight garments, made not just for disabled people but with them in mind.

“Growing up, my nan had the most amazing style,” recalls Fowles. “She’s 84 now and, while she still has a good eye, she doesn’t feel represented for her age or her disability in the fashion industry. Providing options for people in real life is important. That was a big consideration of mine, to find affordable clothing that is both beautiful and functional because you don’t want to look like you’re wearing a medical garment.”

“I didn’t really like the hype around fashion. I preferred things that were a bit more grounded. I almost studied to be a nurse.”

Growing up as the eldest of three siblings, Fowles showed an avid interest in the arts from a young age. Despite this, however, her desire to become a fashion designer didn’t arise until her A-levels. “I didn’t really like the hype around fashion. I preferred things that were a bit more grounded. I almost studied to be a nurse,” reveals Fowles, whose earliest memory of fashion was drawing clothing for her mother at age eight or nine. “I think it involved some leopard print,” she laughs.

Discussing her creative process, the designer says that the concept of co-design was immensely beneficial in the making of her final collection. “[Co-design] is looking at your ownership of the design as the designer and designing with other people, with the wearers in mind,” says Fowles, who worked with her nan at every stage of the design process, from initial research to fittings to fabric choices. “I was lucky to work with my nan because we’ve got such similar tastes. We usually agreed on everything.” Fowles also conducted case studies on the different needs of those suffering from disabilities, from a wide range of age groups. “That’s where it starts for me. I don’t start with an image. It’s more like: what is the problem? Then I work from there with lots of ethnographic research.”

The result of this exhaustive research is a line-up of practical yet elegantly-made garments that tackle the many difficulties faced by her nan in her day-to-day life. A particularly ingenious piece – a favourite of both Fowles and her grandmother – is a crisp tailored shirt with a subtle handkerchief pocket built into the sleeve. “My nan sometimes gets a runny nose, so she always has a tissue stuffed up her sleeve. I put a pocket in the sleeve, so she doesn’t have to have it on her skin. It’s not super high-tech innovation but it’s something that works for her,” says the designer.

“I had to consider where the garments would be worn, in hospital, rehabilitation or at home. If you’re in hospital you need to wear light colours so you can easily detect blood.”

Colour also played a crucial role in contextualising Fowles’ garments. “I had to consider where the garments would be worn, in hospital, rehabilitation or at home. If you’re in hospital you need to wear light colours so you can easily detect blood,” she says. As for her fabrics, Fowles used seersucker due to its crease-resistant properties. “The clothes had to start and end with function,” she adds. “They also had to be comfortable. It was about finding that balance.”

Having already established the majority of her garments pre-lockdown, the COVID-19 pandemic did not impact the outcome of Fowles’ collection. The biggest hurdle during lockdown, she explains, was getting her nan to download Zoom. “My nan and I had to adapt because I don’t live with her. It was a whole new experience. We did Zoom a bit but she does prefer the phone,” she laughs. Amid the crisis, for the first time in its history, the RCA graduate show went digital, with Fowles choosing to present her final collection as a lo-fi documentary. While the designer admits it wasn’t anything ‘super amazing’, she delighted in having her nan record the voiceover. “Having my nan in the final presentation made a massive difference,” says Fowles. “The clothing is about her and for her.”

“With a few small tweaks, you can make a fashion line adaptable and therefore accessible to many more people.”

As for what the future holds, Fowles plans to launch her own brand of adaptive wear essentials that is both unisex and suitable for all body types. “It’s a continuation of my graduate collection,” says the designer. “It’s not a stigmatised collection for one person. It is for people with all sorts of disabilities.” Fowles has also begun working as a consultant, advising luxury brands on adaptive wear and the process of co-design. “With a few small tweaks, you can make a fashion line adaptable and therefore accessible to many more people,” she points out. “I think that’s how I can make the biggest impact.”