Shalini did not stop with that – her wheelchair bound aunt was her next show stopper. Her aunt who was unable to visit temples as she felt religiously inappropriate to visit one in a night gown was later draped in an adaptive saree by Shalini. This saree was like a maxi gown but only with pleats and a blouse stitched together. “She is really happy with it. She says it’s very comfortable and makes her look very elegant! Since I have designed it in one-piece, she doesn’t have to wear a separate in-skirt,” Shalini told The Better India team.
The NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology), Chennai graduate went ahead to research about specially challenged children and what adaptive clothing would cater to each of their need, from Vidyasagar, an institute for the kids. She created a an adaptive clothing line which cater to the needs of every specially challenged model that she picked for her 2017 fashion show rampwalk.
From casual and traditional wear to party wear she has custom made every genre. These clothes are designed in such a manner that it helps the specially challenged wear clothes on their own without any difficulty and also not depending on anyone. She concluded, “You see, I have added all these features like Velcro and elastic for convenience, but I have also seen to it that it’s not visible. The clothes look like any normal clothing, so they won’t attract any curious stares. Why should adaptive wear be unattractive and baggy? I want to make pretty clothes for these people! I can always get celebrities and models to walk down the ramp, but seeing the happy and content faces of these people on my ramp will be a million dollar experience.”
