The American Association of Textile Chemists (AATCC) is an association that works to promote science and education in areas of textile design, coloration, materials, processing, and testing. The 2021 C2C (Concept 2 Consumer) Student Design competition celebrates the association’s 100th anniversary. As such, the theme is to reinvent fashion from a decade in the past 100 years with a focus on one the following: fit/sizing for various body types, sustainable fashion, personal protection, new textile materials/knowledge.
Moonchild is a collection inspired by the retrofuturism of the 1960s. The sixties was a decade full of energy and power and fashion that made a statement. This collection embodies that spirit in its playfulness and originality, from design to production. Developed for children with ASD, this personal protection line combines functional needs and fashionable trends into adaptable clothes for everyday wear.
The idea for this collection was born from a desire to reinvent fashion to be innovative and relevant to the present. I noticed a lack in the market for adaptive clothing, specifically for children with ASD, and wanted to bring style and trends to an area that is not always included in that conversation. The 1960s was the perfect decade to drive this collection because it was an era of bold lines and strong colors. Given the target consumer, the collection needed to be streamlined and practical, and the silhouettes and visual features of the sixties allowed me to blend adaptive needs into fashionable pieces that were fit for the children in 2021.
The design process for this collection required a serious consideration. My main goals were comfort, mobility, independence, and style. The market for children’s adaptive clothing is limited in range, and I wanted to push for a collection that could meet all of these aspects. Independence and self-care were given significant focus in my design because of how clothing can influence the wearer and their relationship with themselves. For children with ASD in particular, expression through clothing contributes to their self image as well as their interactions with peers. As such, I went through multiple iterations of different closures and locations of openings to maximize ease in independent dressing, settling on magnetic or velcro closures and elastic bands. Flexible sizing and additional space was included to support high movement and comfort on the body.
For the actual design of the garments, I looked into research done on adaptive clothing and the responses of people with ASD to clothing. Through my findings, I discovered that simple designs with minimal decorations were preferred and any unnecessary embellishments should be avoided. This streamlined my looks, and any surface patterns or designs were kept to digital print to address sensitivity to inconsistent fabric textures. I did not want to distract from the disability but rather enhance the unique aspects of the garment and capture the liveliness of young children in the collection. Each piece needed to be trendy and cool as well as functional to break down the stigma between disabled and non-disabled in clothing.
