Asiya Rafiq is on a mission to make fashion accessible to everyone

A childhood memory of a butterfly fluttering in her garden became the muse for Abu Dhabi-based modest fashion designer Asiya Rafiq as she set out to create her latest adaptive and modular design. Inspired by the transformative free spirit of butterflies, Rafiq designed a black detachable puffed sleeve jacket that can be easily worn by people of determination without any assistance. The sleeves are stitched with Velcro hidden inside the wiring that can be conveniently peeled off and attached. This unique design found the perfect model in Jessica Smith, the Australian Paralympian and disability and accessibility consultant, who was born without her left arm.

Since the debut of her label, Adaptive by Asiya, at Dubai Modest Fashion Week in 2019, the Indian expat has been experimenting with cloth materials, fasteners and structural design to make her adaptive and modular garments trendy and user-friendly. “Each body is unique. And I believe everyone should have the choice and access to fashion. My designs can be worn by people who have had an injury, or have gone through surgery or have physical disabilities. At the same time, these dresses can be adapted to be worn even by those who have no disabilities,” shares Rafiq.

Yet another black sequinned dress worn by Smith is adorned with a red cape with flared detachable sleeves. For Smith, the zips on the sleeves can open up to give more space to her arm. As an alternative design, the zips can be fastened to make a full-sleeved cape.

Modular fashion refers to clothing that has detachable elements that can be removed, swapped or remodelled to suit changing fashion and individual tastes. Globally, such transformable fashion is fast gaining ground as a sustainable trend. For Rafiq, her association with adaptive fashion began quite by chance. As a volunteer at the Special Olympics World Games held in Abu Dhabi in 2019, Rafiq was moved seeing the plight of Muslim women in wheelchairs struggling with their abayas, which would get stuck between the wheels and their ill-fitted clothes that restricted their movement further.

“I witnessed so many poignant scenes on the grounds, including a young man who was struggling to tie his shoelaces. All these incidents stirred in me an urge to use my creativity to design clothes that would make life easier for special people and their caregivers,” says Rafiq. Born in Kashmir, India, the designer studied psychology, had a stint as a model in Delhi, and worked in the advertising sector before moving to Abu Dhabi in 2013. She is a self-taught fashion designer, a special needs educator and a Sufi singer.

One of her first adaptive designs was for Maryam, a wheelchair-bound young Emirati, who was completely paralysed and could only move her eyes. The abaya designed by Rafiq could be opened from the back, fastened with zippers, in a deep shade of blue, chosen by Maryam herself. The project was an instant hit and soon Rafiq had bookings for customisation. “Stitching adaptive and modular garments take hours of painstaking work, research and sourcing. They are made with skin-friendly fabric, with hidden magnetic closures, magnetic buttons, modified zippers, Velcro and seams that open to accommodate prosthetics as well,” says the designer.

The wheelchair trousers she has designed has zippers on both sides and can be closed without moving the legs. As children with autism have sensory sensitivities, her clothes don’t have tags that might bother them. For people with Parkinson’s, who have trembling hands, her garments come with magnetic buttons for effortless closure. “Fashion boosts our confidence. Special people with sensitivities also deserve to turn out well. So you will see that my clothes are never boring. They are chic, durable and affordable as I understand that they already have medical bills to pay,” she tells.

Rafiq’s modest adaptive and modular designs have put a smile on many faces. As special individuals embrace the ease of dressing, they also love the distinctive styles and designs she offers them, especially as most brands do not design clothes for people of determination or those that can be customised to suit individual needs. She vividly recalls the joy and excitement on the face of her showstopper at the Modest Fashion Week in 2019. Instead of a celebrity or a model, Rafiq chose Hermann Kaur Arora, a youngster with cerebral palsy. “I can still recollect her eyes brimming with happiness as she waved at the audience when she was wheeled onto the ramp. That was the first time she had ever worn makeup and such fashionable garments (she wore an adaptive detachable jacket). Her parents were equally thrilled seeing the spotlight on their daughter. Their joy and gratitude was my biggest reward,” tells Rafiq. “Through my clothing line I want to give more confidence to such individuals that their needs and choices also matter.”

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