Hayley Schwartz is one of the millions of people who have been diagnosed with POTs. However, she is also the designer of a one in a million brand-a disabled led fashion brand designed for disabled people.
Hayley grew up seeking refuge in fashion. Clothes became a way to stand out for more than her illness, and the act of designing became a form of therapy. So she attended the one and only Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan to expand her wealth of knowledge. However, during her time there, she recognized a lack of stylish and accessible clothing.
The majority of fashion brands that do happen to have accessible clothing were designed by able-bodied people. Despite best intentions, these lines often put function over form in mind. To put it simply, many brands simply aren’t stylish or visually appealing. With 16% of the world’s population having a disability, it seems obvious that there is a market for stylish, accessible clothing. After all, disabled people deserve fashion-forward clothing too! So Hayley founded her own brand, Vertige Adaptive.
Vertige Adaptive is a brand based in inclusivity, empowerment, and a commitment to serving others. From my personal observations, Vertige stands by their beliefs. This is a brand that constantly and consistently listens to their customers. They actively seek out feedback on what people want and they are open-minded to any concerns. Despite only starting in 2024, they have proven to be a much needed voice in the fashion world. Vertige Adaptive has thousands of followers on social media and only continues to grow in popularity.
Including being fashion-forward, the clothing by Vertige Adaptive comes with a wide range of adaptive features which are all plainly laid out on their website for an easier shopping experience.
Their Adjustable Bootcut Pants are your new go-to pants-perfect for work or a date night out! They feature an adjustable waistband and elastic back, which is perfect for weight fluctuations and bloating while also maintaining comfort for wheelchair users. The interior, water resistant pockets are great for holding tubes and medical devices. The invisible zippers that line each pant leg were thoughtfully designed for the easy access to leg braces or compression socks.
The Ribbed T-Shirt looks like your average tee with a trendy edge. With its lettuce hem and silver snaps, no one would guess that it’s actually an adaptive piece! The soft textured fabric is sure to hide any tubes or wires while the shoulder snaps make accessing a picc or port a breeze!
Need a cute spring dress or a new edgy jumper? Well Vertige has you covered with their Breeze Button-Up dress and Convertible Jumper! The front closures give easy-access to any medical devices for any adjustments throughout the day. Adjustable side pockets were designed to keep medical devices and stomas safe. And with side slits in the pockets and cord keepers, these dresses are truly a dream for anyone with a feeding tube since it has never been easier to discreetly and comfortably keep your tube in place.
Though I haven’t had the opportunity to personally review these items, the range of adaptive features and styles excites me! I personally look forward to seeing the growth of Vertige Adaptive.
This post is not sponsored*
