New disability-friendly clothing dominates Victorian expo

Key points:

• An adaptive clothing brand for women with disability was officially launched recently at the Developing Australian Communities 2024 Melbourne Disability Connection Expo
• The designer of the Mon Cheri Design dresses, Monique Jeremiah, commented that adaptive clothing for people with disability can be functional as well as ‘glamorous, sophisticated and alluring’
• Diversity Models will be attending future events such as the 2025 Brisbane Disability Connection Expo to model more inclusive clothing for women with disability

The owner of a model agency for people with disability has expanded her sights to create an inclusive clothing brand for women with disability, proving that adaptive clothing can be attractive.

Models wore adaptable dresses during the fashion catwalk at the Developing Australian Communities 2024 Melbourne Disability Connection Expo. 

Mon Cheri Design creates elegant, flexible and stylish day and evening dresses for all women and abilities to wear, creating more opportunities for women with disability to dress formally without restrictions. 

Mon Cheri Design creates inclusive clothing for women with disability that is functional and beautiful. [Source: Diversity Models; Ali Hassan]

 

Normally, adaptive clothing is made specifically for people with disability according to information from Swinburne University of Technology and may include different materials such as:

• magnets instead of buttons for people with motor difficulties;
• shoes with velcro or elastic instead of shoe laces;
• gentle fabrics for people with sensory issues; and
• custom designs with different cuts of fabric.

For example, clothing brands such as Tommy Hilfiger use models with disability on their website for the brand Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive, which began in 2016. Some of the clothing adaptions include magnetic buttons, velcro, pull-drawstrings that don’t require tying and one-handed zippers. 

However, at Mon Cheri Design, dresses can be custom-made, using material cuts and ties tailored to the person the dress is designed for, and are made of a stretchy-soft material with detachable chiffon. The length of each dress can be modified and the dresses fit women with disability between the sizes of six to 18. 

The designer of the Mon Cheri Design clothing range, Monique Jeremiah, commented on why adaptive clothing should be more than purely functional. 

“Other brands who claim to be inclusive have really dowdy fashion and there’s nothing beautiful about it. There’s nothing stylish — nothing fashionable,” she said.

“The ladies loved [the dresses] —  they were really shining so bright on the catwalk the other day. They were so excited because they couldn’t believe that there is a brand that now makes them look spectacular.”

In French, ‘mon cheri’ means ‘my darling,’ a sentiment that Ms Jeremiah believed women with disabilities should have and feel more self-love when wearing attractive clothing such as Mon Cheri Design, rather than generic adaptive wear.

“[The dress] is designed to make women look glamorous, sophisticated [and] alluring, [no matter] how they wear the dress,” she said. 

Models at the recent disability expo in Melbourne get prepared backstage before strutting their stuff on the catwalk. [Source: Diversity Models; Ali Hassan]

 

Although Mon Cheri Design dresses are not yet available on the mainstream market, you can contact Monique, the dress designer, through the Mon Cheri Design Facebook and Instagram pages. The Mon Cheri Design website is currently under development. 

Tops and dresses are available in the current collection with a range of colours available for order.

Ms Jeremiah expressed gratitude to many people involved in the first catwalk for Mon Cheri Design and highlighted the importance of making events accessible for everyone.

“[I’d like to] thank [River Night from Australian Developing Communities] for allowing us the platform at his Melbourne Disability Connections Expo [and] for the chance to do that [catwalk],” she said.

“Thank you to our models for wearing the fashion, our team and the other designers.”

Ms Jeremiah took her passion for helping others achieve and interest in modelling to include people with disability.

While behind the scenes at the recent catwalk, Ms Jeremiah interviews a model about her thoughts on the new Mon Cheri Design dress. [Source: Diversity Models; Ali Hassan]

 

Diversity Models will be attending Australian Developing Communities Disability Connection Expo in Brisbane and Sydney in 2025 with more fashion catwalks for Mon Cheri Design. Contact the Diversity Models Agency to find out more about how they can attend your next event. 

Signed models at Diversity Models include children and adults as well as people with and without disability. Models are booked for paid modelling opportunities and photoshoots, which increases the visibility of disability in the media and advertising.

However, NDIS participants who want to learn more about what a modelling career might be like can enrol in the Diversity Models Academy.

Diversity Models Academy, a sister company of Diversity Models, offers modelling retreats for girls, teens and women with disability who are interested in learning about modelling and developing their social skills.

Approximately 5.5 million Australians live with disability according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. 

 

What types of clothing would you like to be made more inclusive?

Let the team at Talking Disability know on social media. 

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