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Disabled models get their turn in the spotlight on the Swedish School of Textiles catwalk

Disabled models took to the catwalk for Louise Linderoth’s Swedish School of Textiles collection [Photo: Getty]
Disabled models took to the catwalk for Louise Linderoth’s Swedish School of Textiles collection [Photo: Getty]

It’s only day two of London Fashion Week SS18 and we’ve already seen a lot more diversity on the catwalks.

On Friday, design duo Teatum Jones cast one of the UK’s leading disabled models, Kelly Knox, for their relaxed show. Alton Towers crash victim Vicky Balch also walked, wearing a moss green dress and revealing her prosthetic leg.

Friday night saw a similar scene with Swedish School of Textiles’ incredibly inclusive collections.

The designer herself is now a full-time wheelchair user [Photo: Getty]
The designer herself is now a full-time wheelchair user [Photo: Getty]

Showcasing creative designs from young talent (who are a lot more likely to think about the multicultural and multi-sized world around them), the show kicked off with a collection by Louise Linderoth.

Entitled ‘Have A Seat’, models appeared in all manner of oversized denim looks, accessorising with fluffy shoes that were made all the more noticeable by the fact they were in wheelchairs.

Yes, disabled individuals are finally getting a look in in the notoriously exclusivist fashion industry.

She found that jeans are the hardest thing for disabled people to wear so based her collection on denim [Photo: Getty]
She found that jeans are the hardest thing for disabled people to wear so based her collection on denim [Photo: Getty]

The designer herself suffers from a spinal cord injury that has moved her off of crutches and into a wheelchair. Finding that jeans were “almost the hardest garment to wear” for a disabled person, Linderoth set out to tackle her ultimate problem.

“I think it’s important to open up and see different bodies and different postures on the runway, and in fashion,” she told Vogue.

This is the second case of true diversity at London Fashion Week so far [Photo: Getty]
This is the second case of true diversity at London Fashion Week so far [Photo: Getty]

While it’s unclear whether all of the models were full-time wheelchair users or simply taught how to “walk and roll” as the designer put it, it’s still a prime example of why we need to stop the focus on able-bodied white size 6 women.

We long for the day when stories like this don’t create headlines, when all kinds of women are represented, and when the old guard of the fashion industry in particular don’t think twice about casting someone in a wheelchair.

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Read more from Yahoo Style UK:

Teatum Jones makes the case for diversity with amputee models

Ashley Williams proves she’s the girl of the moment

How London Fashion Week is luring the biggest names in the game