The fourth annual Penn-Mar and Jemicy School Inclusive Fashion Show is just days away, and for the first time, the public is welcome to attend the runway show.The outfits are special as they are tailored to models with disabilities and sensory issues and made by students with their own learning differences. Jennifer Hisey is the program manager for Penn-Mar Human Services.”Historically, there really hasn’t been a lot done in the fashion industry for people with disabilities, and so it’s nice to see the people that we support having a light shined on them,” Hisey said.But a collaboration between Penn-Mar Human Services and students at the Jemicy School is giving a new generation of fashion designers a different perspective. Parker Rinehart is a student at Jemicy.”This is for my model Karen. She wanted a cute top and a skirt to kind of look like a dress so she could flip it on easily,” Rinehart said. “And then for Derek, I gave him pants with a bunch of fringe and then a button-down top.”Rinehart is a senior who is designing her outfits to not only fit her models but also to be functional.”It’s so important just to help people get their clothes on. It’s so much easier, and it’s really important to think about so everybody can feel beautiful,” Rinehart said.Important for models like Aimee Buswell, who is excited to show off her outfit and new wheelchair on the runway.”The outfit has magnetic closures so it’s easy for me to get in and out of instead of buttons or zippers or snaps,” Buswell said.Avi Shaisax also learned about how some people struggle with textures and closures.”It expanded my thinking and how clothing actually works instead of making something for fun. I got to explore how to make a collar and how to make a shirt and pants, which I normally make dresses and skirts,” Shaisax said. He is also working with two models. He made a gold and red fringy skirt with a red waffle fabric shirt for one of his models and for the other, who is in a wheelchair.”So, I’ve been making this shirt and pants for him, which have the magnetic snap so they can come up on him easily,” Shaisax said.Penn-Mar Human Services supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, while the Jemicy School teaches students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences. The fashion show highlights the incredible talents and abilities of people with differences and disabilities.”So, other people get the opportunity to see what disabled people can do, too,” Buswell said.The fashion show is Friday at 5 p.m. at Jemicy School, and tickets are free.
The fourth annual Penn-Mar and Jemicy School Inclusive Fashion Show is just days away, and for the first time, the public is welcome to attend the runway show.
The outfits are special as they are tailored to models with disabilities and sensory issues and made by students with their own learning differences. Jennifer Hisey is the program manager for Penn-Mar Human Services.
“Historically, there really hasn’t been a lot done in the fashion industry for people with disabilities, and so it’s nice to see the people that we support having a light shined on them,” Hisey said.
But a collaboration between Penn-Mar Human Services and students at the Jemicy School is giving a new generation of fashion designers a different perspective. Parker Rinehart is a student at Jemicy.
“This is for my model Karen. She wanted a cute top and a skirt to kind of look like a dress so she could flip it on easily,” Rinehart said. “And then for Derek, I gave him pants with a bunch of fringe and then a button-down top.”
Rinehart is a senior who is designing her outfits to not only fit her models but also to be functional.
“It’s so important just to help people get their clothes on. It’s so much easier, and it’s really important to think about so everybody can feel beautiful,” Rinehart said.
Important for models like Aimee Buswell, who is excited to show off her outfit and new wheelchair on the runway.
“The outfit has magnetic closures so it’s easy for me to get in and out of instead of buttons or zippers or snaps,” Buswell said.
Avi Shaisax also learned about how some people struggle with textures and closures.
“It expanded my thinking and how clothing actually works instead of making something for fun. I got to explore how to make a collar and how to make a shirt and pants, which I normally make dresses and skirts,” Shaisax said.
He is also working with two models. He made a gold and red fringy skirt with a red waffle fabric shirt for one of his models and for the other, who is in a wheelchair.
“So, I’ve been making this shirt and pants for him, which have the magnetic snap so they can come up on him easily,” Shaisax said.
Penn-Mar Human Services supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, while the Jemicy School teaches students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences. The fashion show highlights the incredible talents and abilities of people with differences and disabilities.
“So, other people get the opportunity to see what disabled people can do, too,” Buswell said.
The fashion show is Friday at 5 p.m. at Jemicy School, and tickets are free.