Zalando and VORN Celebrate the Future of Inclusive Fashion at Berlin Fashion Week

Zalando and VORN Celebrate the Future of Inclusive Fashion at Berlin Fashion Week

(IN BRIEF) Zalando and VORN – The Berlin Fashion Hub have unveiled the 10 finalists of the 2024-2025 Design Academy, a program that champions adaptive fashion for individuals with disabilities. The program, which ran from April 2024 to January 2025, attracted participants from 20 countries and focused on inclusivity, sustainability, and accessibility in fashion. The finalists presented adaptive designs, including accessible winter vests for wheelchair users and adaptive lingerie for prosthesis users. The program’s goal is to bridge the gap between fashion and disability, empowering designers to create functional yet stylish garments. The showcase will be held at VORN’s Berlin hub on February 1 during Berlin Fashion Week.

(PRESS RELEASE) BERLIN, 1-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — In an exciting development in the world of fashion, Zalando and VORN – The Berlin Fashion Hub have unveiled the 10 finalists of the Design Academy, a pioneering program that blends innovative design with inclusivity. The finalists, all emerging talents, presented their adaptive fashion creations, demonstrating the future of style that caters to the needs of the disabled community. This marks the final event of the 2024-2025 Design Academy, with a special showcase on February 1 at Berlin Fashion Week.

The program, co-hosted by Zalando and VORN, represents a crucial step forward in bridging the gap between disability and fashion. Aimed at addressing the unique needs of people with permanent or temporary disabilities, this year’s program expanded its reach, drawing nearly 50 participants from 20 countries. The 16-week course offered training on sustainability, branding, business development, and, notably, inclusivity and accessibility—culminating in the eight-week design sprint for the 10 top designers.

This collaboration focused on co-designing pieces in close partnership with the disabled community. The resulting fashion lines include garments ranging from accessible winter vests for wheelchair users to stylish adaptive lingerie for prosthesis users. These designs are not just about functionality; they reflect a deep understanding of how fashion can enhance personal expression while offering comfort and practicality for those with specific needs.

Jemma Garner, Team Lead for Product Diversity & Inclusion at Zalando, expressed, “We have learned that collaborating with the disabled community yields invaluable insights into the struggles they face in finding suitable fashion. We are proud to bridge the gap between fashion and accessibility and to support a future where fashion is inclusive for everyone.”

The Design Academy is a vital part of Zalando’s ongoing social impact efforts. Since its inception, the initiative has helped push boundaries in fashion design, with the third edition setting new standards for adaptive fashion. “Our aim is to equip designers with the right knowledge and tools to craft a more sustainable and inclusive future for fashion,” stated Daniel Enke, Director of Public Affairs at Zalando.

VORN’s co-CEO, Marte Hentschel, emphasized the importance of making adaptive fashion a standard, not a niche. “Co-creation with the disabled community leads to real impact and demonstrates that making fashion more inclusive is crucial for progress,” said Hentschel.

The showcase will be held at VORN’s Berlin hub, with a public exhibition available from 12:00 to 18:00 on February 2, 2025. Guided tours of the designers’ works will also be available from 13:00 to 16:00.

About Zalando

Founded in Berlin in 2008, Zalando is Europe’s leading online multi-brand fashion destination. We are building a pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce, along two growth vectors: Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B). In B2C, we provide an inspiring, high-quality multi-brand shopping experience for fashion and lifestyle products to more than 50 million active customers across 25 markets. In B2B, we leverage our logistics infrastructure, software, and service capabilities to support brands and retailers in managing and scaling their entire e-commerce business, both on and off the Zalando platform. Through our ecosystem vision, Zalando aims to enable positive change in the fashion and lifestyle industry.

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press@zalando.com

SOURCE: Zalando