UAE-based Asiya Rafiq is doing this through her newly-launched modest fashion label
"My work involved helping people of determination. I remember this one instance when a young man wanted to go for prayers but was having trouble with his shoelaces. He finally asked me for help and I obliged," she says. "But from then on, it opened my eyes to the fact that small things, such as being unable to untie laces, can go a long way towards making someone feel helpless or frustrated. I wanted to do something that could make life easier for him - and for people like him."
Luckily, there was something she could do to help. Hailing from Kashmir, India, and raised by a single mother, Asiya was always sensitive to the plight of others, going so far as to celebrate a birthday in an orphanage in the past. Another passion happened to be for clothes. "In Kashmir, there is a beautiful culture of handmade fabrics and embroidery. I grew up in Delhi, but I used to see my grandmother and relatives wear it and was fascinated. I was studying then, and didn't have the money to start my own brand, so I would design clothes for friends' boutiques."
Determined to properly understand the needs of people of determination, Asiya applied for an Applied Behaviour Analysis course from the Applied Behavioral Training Institute in Dubai. The course, aimed to help people become efficient educators and support assistants for those with developmental disabilities, helped her gather further knowledge which she used to set up Asiya Rafiq - a modest womenswear label made for women with disabilities.
"Of course, these clothes are not limited only to people of determination. Any woman can wear them," she says, adding that a brand only for people of determination can find itself in too small a market. But, through the use of zippers, velcro and magnetic buttons, they go a long way towards helping people who use wheelchairs or those with Parkinson's Disease dress themselves. All that while helping people of determination look and feel good. "It's a simple way to give them independence and dignity," explains Asiya. "It also makes life easier for their caretakers. A lot of the time, it is the family that look after people with disabilities, and they are human too, and may feel embarrassed dressing others."
The Asiya Rafiq brand was launched at the Dubai Modest Fashion Week 2019 held in March, and saw models wearing chic, conservative and comfortable clothes take to the ramp holding signs promoting inclusivity. As anyone can guess, it was quite the hit. "I wanted to prove that these clothes can be worn by anyone - whether you are a runway model or a person of determination. It was important to me that my brand is inclusive to all as that gives people with different body shapes the chance to wear designer clothing and celebrate themselves," says Asiya.
"Sometimes, people have very specific requirements according to their condition," explains Asiya. "In these cases, I'm usually contacted by a relative and take time out to meet the client personally and understand how to design something that will make their lives easier. That's actually the best part of my job - seeing that a product I have designed is useful for a person who has been struggling with clothing in the past."
With some estimates suggesting that 50 million people with disabilities reside in the Middle East, this is definitely a step in the right direction. While last year has seen some brands launch clothes for people of determination, with Asiya's creations being conservative and chic, it's just apt for the region.
"My ultimate goal is to help more people of determination. I want my clothes to reach all those who have real problems day in and day out," says Asiya. Well, it certainly looks like an achievable dream from a designer who is just getting started.
janice@khaleejtimes.com