Photo by Michael Lee
As we crash land into the fall season, top designers are emerging from around the world to showcase their visions in the form of runway shows. These shows often come one after another in a prestigious and prominent time known as New York Fashion Week (NYFW), a bi-annual event that happens every September and February. Fashion is ever changing, as such, the opportunity to showcase one’s collection in NYFW can be invaluable.
With the opportunity to attend an August virtual press conference with a variety of designers fresh to the New York fashion scene, one particular designer stood out. Dee Dee Tufts, an Ohio-based designer who’s been in the business for decades, takes a different approach to her creations. Her “no zipper, no buttons, no wrinkles” technique in her designs ensure they’re easy for clients with limited physical dexterity to wear. As seen on Tuft’s website, she specializes in glitzy evening gowns that are one of a kind creations. Each with carefully selected fabrics and meticulous attention to detail. Her dresses are designed to be “step in dresses”, crafted in a way to make a positive dressing experience for all clients. Tufts expressed that she is ready to have her creations featured in a NYFW show, hoping to share her designs around the world.
A new wave of designers are entering the industry and the call for more inclusive and accessible fashion continues to rise. While the spotlight has shone bright on big name designers such as Coco Chanel with her classic tweed, Dior’s dedication to preserving hyperfemininity, or Maison Margiela and its theatrical designs, highlighting small designers like Tufts can lead to a fresh wave of functionality and fun. As more attention is brought to inclusive and accessible designers, aspects of their creations may fall into the hands of reporters, trend analysts and smaller designers dedicated to translating high fashion into the mainstream.
Shining a spotlight on everyday designers is the key to ushering in a new way of inclusive and accessible design, ensuring people of all shapes, sizes and ability can afford to be fashionable without worry. Toeing the line between fashion and functionality can be difficult, but with a constantly changing world and market, the possibilities remain endless.