Adaptive fashion hits the high street as Primark launches first men and women’s range with Victoria Jenkins

 
• The collection features more than 40 affordable and stylish wardrobe staples across womenswear and menswear, adapted to meet a range of needs  

• Developed alongside award-winning adaptive fashion designer and disability campaigner Victoria Jenkins, the range will be available in 31 stores nationwide and through the 113 UK stores offering Click & Collect from Tuesday 28th January      

• New research highlights the challenges and frustrations disabled people face when it comes to fashion and buying clothing

• The collection is the next step in Primark’s commitment to accessibility across its business and follows the launch of its first adaptive underwear range in January 2024

Primark has unveiled a new affordable 49-piece adaptive clothing range for men and women which includes wardrobe staples based on Primark’s bestsellers – from trench coats and tees, to jumpers and jeans, all with features designed around the needs of disabled people or those experiencing temporary disability.

The new collection, which has been developed with award-winning adaptive fashion designer and disability campaigner, Victoria Jenkins, founder of Unhidden, will be available from Tuesday 28th January in 31 stores nationwide and through the 113 UK stores offering Click & Collect.

The collection’s adaptive features are designed to make dressing simpler, from magnetic zippers and snap fastenings to waist loops that help to pull up trousers and hidden openings for tube, stoma or catheter access. There is also a range of options for people who are seated, such as wheelchair users. Created to reflect a diverse range of needs, the collection was shaped through a series of focus groups and hands-on fit sessions with members of the disabled community.

New research commissioned by Primark in partnership with the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) shows that three quarters (75 percent) find it difficult to get accessible clothing. Seven out of ten (70 percent) of those surveyed state they must spend more on clothing that meets their needs while 80 percent say they feel excluded from buying fashionable clothes.

The findings highlight the challenges and frustrations that come from not being able to find the right clothing. Three quarters (75 percent) said that this has led to them being in a situation where they have felt uncomfortable, such as in social settings, on holiday or attending weddings. Two in five (42 percent) said that they often cancel plans due to difficulties in finding the right clothing.

Commenting on the launch, Ann-Marie Cregan, Trading Director for Primark said: “Primark has always stood for making affordable fashion accessible for everybody and every body. There are millions of people in the UK today whose needs aren’t being met on the high street. This collection is an important step in ensuring that more people can find clothes that help them to look and feel their best without the high price tag that often comes with more specialist items or having to invest in expensive alterations.

We’ve developed a range that focuses on timeless wardrobe staples that are carefully designed to be versatile and affordable. It has been amazing to collaborate with Victoria and bring her expertise and experience in adaptive fashion design to our teams. From discreet magnetic closures and waist loops on this season’s denim, to hidden tube access and soft, friction-free pyjamas, we’ve worked hard to incorporate adaptive features without compromising on style or comfort.”

Victoria Jenkins, Adaptive fashion designer and founder of Unhidden added; “It’s an incredibly proud moment to see this collection go live and see adaptive fashion come to the high street on this scale for the first time. Disabled people face lots of barriers in their lives and clothing shouldn’t be one of them. We don’t want to live in a uniform of jogging bottoms and t-shirts but often don’t have a choice. I hope this launch is a step in changing that narrative, bringing more choice to the high street. We’ve created pieces that are not only functional but fashionable and affordable, because everyone deserves to feel confident and stylish in what they wear. I hope this inspires the industry to continue moving toward greater accessibility and inclusivity for all.”

Charlie Magadah-Williams, Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Primark, said: “Since the launch of our accessibility commitments, we have been working to make Primark more accessible for our customers and colleagues and the last twelve months have seen us accelerate this, introducing wider changes right across our business. At each stage of the journey in developing this adaptive collection we’ve challenged ourselves to make every element of it more accessible – from the labelling used through to how a customer will experience the product when shopping in store. We’re so grateful for the expert partnership we’ve drawn on and the many colleagues and advisors we’ve worked with in the disabled community to inform this collection and our work, who have pushed us to go further and do more.”

Alongside the 31 stores offering the range, it will also be sold via Click & Collect – currently available in 113 stores and rolling out to all stores in Great Britain by the end of the year. For those looking to purchase the range via Click & Collect, colleagues will be on hand to offer assistance around the collection of their order.

Informed by experts

The collection builds on the success of Primark’s first adaptive lingerie range, launched in January 2024, which was unveiled alongside plans to improve accessibility for customers and colleagues. This includes offering more accessible products, creating inclusive store environments, fostering a culture of accessibility, and ensuring diverse representation across its campaigns.

To drive this forward, Primark has partnered with a number of organisations and consultants including the Business Disability Forum, Dr. Shani Dhanda, Purple Tuesday and AccessAble, who have developed Detailed Access

Guides for all Primark stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland to help customers plan their visits with confidence.

Dr. Gregory Burke, Founder and Executive Chair of AccessAble said: “We are delighted to partner with Primark to develop Detailed Access Guides for their stores and offices across the UK and Republic of Ireland. We know that 90% of disabled people search for accessibility information before visiting somewhere for the first time. Our Guides, produced through comprehensive surveyor assessment, cover everything from parking, to entrances, toilet facilities, lifts, fitting rooms and checkouts. Whether you need to know about walking distances, assistive listening, signage, seating or transfer spaces, they are here to help. To date, AccessAble has surveyed over 8,000 shops and shopping centres in the UK and is proud to collaborate with Primark to address the challenges disabled people face when shopping.”

The collection, like the majority of Primark clothing, has been tested against the Primark Durability Framework. This includes a number of physical testing requirements as well as extended washing in line with industry best practices, which replicate real-life washing and wearing habits, giving shoppers greater confidence that low prices don’t come at the expense of durability.