From a young age Maria was winning Irish and British National Dressage championships, but the real prize for her was wearing top hats and tails. Maria may love tailoring, but she has a massively eclectic taste range. From screen printing Sid Vicious t-shirts to raving in sequins, it’s all part of the many layers of Maria’s style influences. The many facets of Maria O’Sullivan Abeyratne is the reason the Cork native enrolled in the British Academy of Fashion Design (BAFD) and on to her current business venture.
Image: Courtesy of Adaptista.
Always one to challenge herself, Maria was an avid triathlon and half iron-man enthusiast but in 2015, everything changed. It was the beginning of Maria’s relationship with spinal arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis.
As the years progressed, Maria’s mobility became more difficult, but it was during the preparation for her wedding in 2019 that her eureka moment would arrive.
Not to be mistaken for the apple falling from the tree moment, Maria’s eureka was borne out of sheer frustration when looking for a wedding dress. She wanted what all brides want, to feel beautiful while managing the simplest of tasks. It was not an outrageous request, but no suitable dress could be found. This iron-woman was not going to take this lying down.
Image: Courtesy of Adaptista.
How do you solve a problem like Maria
It was during this time that she enrolled in BAFD. Maria was going to do it herself. She was going to make accessible, stylish, adaptable clothing. Getting married need not involve a bank breaking, custom made dress. It’s simply not necessary. Maria found BAFD a brilliant support for her vision and said that “Aine is one of the best instructors I have ever had, and the classes were so interesting and informative "
Image: Courtesy of Adaptista.
Like a Phoenix from the Ashes
Not one to wait around, Maria and Jon joined forces both in marriage, and in business. They pooled together their personal experiences and shared life challenges and through their gritty defiance, Adaptista was born.
The goal of Adaptista is to change the perception of adaptive fashion while creating an inclusive marketplace where fashion can be enjoyed by all, and she means all. It is not about creating special or bespoke garments to suit individual needs.
It is about removing the “Othering” of people with disabilities and making clothing that is fun and accessible to everyone.
Maria has done her homework and discovered that a well-known high-street luxury brand is already accidentally adaptive. She found that 80% of their clothing was in fact suitable for many of the needs of people with disabilities, and they didn’t even know it! It can be as simple as the placement of a zip or using poppers instead of clasps. Change, it seems, is not that difficult.
Image: Courtesy of Adaptista.
But a change in attitude is the real challenge.
The road to Adaptista has been a bumpy one including 3 false starts but finally, in July 2022, the doors opened. At first there were issues with images and descriptions of people with disabilities on social media. With no logical or justifiable explanation for banning such posts, a dialogue was opened, and Maria now speaks highly of the diversity and inclusion team of Meta. Other platforms, however, have been a brick wall of exclusion.
She is also nurturing a massively supportive relationship with Vogue Business who are brilliantly enthusiastic for Maria’s vision.
Image: Courtesy of Adaptista.
There are obstacles everywhere and accessibility on websites is another hurdle.
Websites need to be accessible to all and AAA rating is the goal. This includes screen readers, alt text and even colour contrast. When building a website or app, these are not difficult to include, but sadly, they are simply not known.
But Maria is optimistic. Being the change, living the change and encouraging and incentivising those who are accidentally getting it right, is a positive move in the right direction.
Show don’t tell
Maria’s next move is to create an Adaptista capsule collection including evening and bridal wear. Clothing people want to wear without limiting their style choices to accessibility.
The BAFD gave Maria the opportunity to learn about fashion design on her terms. She IS the change, and that change is not nearly as complex as one may think. Style, fashion, fierceness, beauty – these ideals are not the reserve of those without additional needs, these are human passions and can be available to everyone, all the time! Life is full of unexpected turns and many people find themselves in changed situations overnight. But that doesn’t mean you have to become a different person.
Image: Courtesy of Adaptista.
Maria O’Sullivan Abeyratne is a true inspiration. The BAFD has been a platform that has allowed to take her talent to the world and now she is showing people how we can be many things, all at once. Maria is more than her physical challenges; she is a fashionista, a punk and a woman of force and drive.
Photography production team and models: Creative Directors: Maria O Sullivan-Abeyratne and Jasmine de Silva; Photography Jasmine de Silva (Editorial) and Liam Chong (Product); Retouching: Mattia Maestri; Stylist: Sian O Donnell; Set Design: Amy Exton; Hair: Judit Florneciano; MUA :Shona Adele; Photoshoot Assistants: Anisah Yousaf, Naomi Menson. Shot on location with thanks to Istituto Marangoni. Models: Shaun White, Jasmine West, Thomas Hearn, Raiche Mederick, Bobby and Leo Ryan (kids).
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