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ICYMI: ASOS Debuted a ‘Wheelchair-Friendly’ Jumpsuit & It’s a Huge Step Toward Inclusivity

Makena Gera

The fashion industry has long been in need of diversity, specifically size inclusivity, racial diversity, and definitely disability representation. Although brands have been getting better with diversity on the runways, there’s still so much more than can be done, specifically in the retail market. ASOS is already known for being one of the most inclusive online stores, offering curvy, tall and petite sizing as well as showing real-looking women in their campaigns, and now they’ve taken another great step forward. They’ve created a splatter-paint printed jumpsuit that’s wheelchair-friendly ✨. 

Just months ago, paralympic athlete Chloe Ball-Hopkins sent an email to ASOS suggesting that they create a wheelchair-friendly jumpsuit after she was soaked at a music festival one day. ASOS then stepped up to the plate and started collaborating with Ball-Hopkins on the design of the jumpsuit.

The $64 jumpsuit is practical, fashionable and fun, and it isn’t just for wheelchair-users. Features of the waterproof jumpsuit include a zipper at the waist (so you can wear it separately) cuffed ankles, and it’s longer at the back so it doesn’t ride up when sitting. In a tweet describing the jumpsuit, Ball-Hopkins said that “the key is it’s fashion that accessible, not disabled.”

“It was just literally those little tiny details that make the difference to people like me. We don’t want to have to look like we’re just doing practicality, we still want to be able to look fashionable,” Ball-Hopkins told BBC.

If other retailers begin to follow in the footsteps of ASOS and become more inclusive to not only all sizes, but to all body types and all people, then the fashion industry will be on the right track.

Makena is the Decor Section Editor, and former Style Section Editor and Editorial Intern at Her Campus. She is a senior at Marist College majoring in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a minor in Graphic Design. One day she hopes to put her writing skills to work at a magazine or women's publication.  Follow her on Instagram @makenagera and Twitter @makena_gera.