For millions of disabled people, getting dressed often means choosing between style and practicality – a compromise Kaci Horseman believes shouldn’t exist
Why are disabled people still an afterthought in fashion? It’s a question that sits at the heart of everything Kaci Horseman does. The fact adaptive clothing remains unusual says less about her and more about an industry that still isn’t designing for everyone.
“Everybody has to wear clothes,” adds the founder of Kaci Kemp. “So why can’t everybody just wear clothes without struggling?”
POWER DRESSING
The Leeds-born designer didn’t set out to become an advocate for adaptive fashion. She always wanted to work in fashion, but a job in orthotics changed her perspective. While making straps and components for orthotic devices, she began noticing a glaring – and ugly – disconnect between medical functionality and personal expression.
“There was – and still is – a massive gap in the market,” Kaci points out. “People need to start putting both together.”
Instead of accepting the status quo, she got creative. Her label combines adaptive clothing with bold, fashion-forward designs. Think magnetic closures, clever drawstrings, and functional details. But all of this is done with a twist: the adaptive features are hidden inside garments that look just as at home on the catwalk as they do in everyday life.
Every design is tested, refined and challenged by real-world feedback. Kaci remembers one piece – a poncho – that looked perfect… until it got caught in the wheel of a wheelchair. Where most designers would have seen a problem, Kaci saw an opportunity. She added a drawstring that created a flattering silhouette, but solved the practical issue. “It looks fashionable,” she explains, “but it was actually for a functional purpose.”
That philosophy has become her trademark. “Everyone wants to be stylish, and keep up with trends,” she says. “That includes disabled people. They want to wear bright colours and pretty clothes too.”
RUNWAY READY
Kaci has since showcased her line at London Fashion Week. And, despite the city’s reputation for innovation and self-expression, she was the show’s only adaptive fashion designer. When Ayuna, her disabled model, entered the runway, the audience response caught even Kaci by surprise: “Everybody was clapping. You could tell they were thinking, ‘Wow, this is amazing’.”
Not because the clothes were adaptive, but because they were fashionable. And that’s the point – Kaci isn’t asking for a separate space for disabled people within the industry. She’s asking why they’re not included in the first place. Her ambition is simple: bigger runways, broader representation, and an industry that finally reflects the people it serves.
As she puts it: “It’s time to break the boundaries a little.”