Alexa Jovanovic

Capstone Title

Braille In Fashion

Description of Capstone Project

Braille and disability are often stigmatized as a disadvantage. Focusing on blindness specifically, research indicates that only 25% of daily obstacles directly relate to the sensory disability, where as the other 75% deals with the negative interactions blind individuals have with the sighted. This oppression can be further noted in the exclusion of disabled customers within the fashion apparel and design market since most fashionable clothing attends to the needs of sighted users, while functional clothing for the disabled often neglects desirability and promotes otherness in a social environment. The purpose of this study is to research how the incorporation of Braille and universal design can increase the value and availability of accessible consumer packaged fashion clothing for both blind and sighted users. The results from this study will be applied towards the creation of beaded fashion garments that communicate clothing characteristics in Braille through beadwork and Braille buttons. The end product will be co-designed with participant feedback from the interviews and prototypes in this study. This initiative focuses on the design, co-ordination and informative value of clothing to fulfill the current unmet needs of disabled customers. In doing so, the opportunity to help provide equal access to the shared experience of fashion and social inclusion can be achieved by marketing accessible products with Braille to both blind and sighted individuals.