The Shortlist

Tiffany Saunders

“I am thrilled to be part of this. I hope we will inspire more designers to take on the challenge of incorporating wheelchair-friendly pieces into their collections. Wouldn't it be amazing for a young person in a wheelchair today to see themselves rightly reflected in fashion, in fashion magazines and on the runway? In more high-street shop windows? Not as a novelty but as a normal experience.”

Tiffany is the Runway and Campaigns Director at Oxford Fashion Studio and has helped more than 700 designers to launch their collections across the UK, US and Europe producing 10 seasons of international shows across New York, London, Milan and Paris. Tiffany helps fashion brands, working directly with designers and their teams, to map out their strategic direction and to build meaningful relationships with media, stockists, supporters and patrons. This year, more than ever, Tiffany is committed to playing a leading role in helping designers and fashion brands to bounce back from Covid and find their place in this new changing landscape.

Heidi Herkes

“Challenges are what makes life interesting but overcoming them, is what makes life meaningful.”

Heidi is an inspirational social media influencer and disabled personal stylist. After experiencing a sudden accident seven years ago, which left her instantly paralysed from the chest down, she shares her life through social media, to inspire and motivate people to overcome their limitations and believes that anything is possible. Coming from a background as a hair and makeup artist, Heidi knows firsthand the difference that body confidence and having belief in yourself could make, so was determined not to let her new situation stop her from helping other people to express themselves. Retraining as a personal stylist, Heidi began with makeovers and style consultations for other people in wheelchairs, specifically adapting to the body needs of a seated person.

Faduma Farah

“As an able-bodied adult I had developed a sense of style and identity over many years, I was known for wearing my personality on the outside! Almost overnight I was required to erase that and start with a blank canvas but it was like I had my paint-box taken away and was only offered a palette of beige with which to recreate myself. I'm looking for a talented designer to work alongside me to create something innovative, practical and beautiful. I want to be able to express the joy I feel on the inside for having been offered a second chance at life.”

Suffering a near-fatal case of meningitis in 2011, Faduma was rendered paralysed from the neck down at only 34 years old. A mother to two young boys and the heartbeat of the Somalian community in London, Faduma had once fostered ambitions to become a psychiatrist. By sheer will and her extraordinary faith, Faduma has managed to regain control of her neck, upper body and arm muscles and believes she can go further. As a lover of fashion and particularly of vibrant colour, Faduma has become frustrated in the last decade by the lack of clothing available to her being in a wheelchair. Fashion empowers each of us to express our identity.

Virginia Chadwyck-Healey

“The disparity between the number of brands designing maternity wear versus those designing for wheelchair users really hit me. Women adapt their wardrobes for only 10 months of the entire pregnancy and post-partum journey. Yet if you rely on a wheelchair, this is often a permanent change to your lifestyle and the clothes can wear. Everyone deserves to dress in a way that lifts the spirits. This collection should be a wake up call to the entire fashion industry.”

Virginia worked at British Vogue for 12 years, most recently as the Executive Retail Editor. This role gave her a breadth of knowledge across the industry, acquiring a balanced interest in both the commercial and the creative. She launched her own consultancy, VCH Style in 2018 and now works with brands of all sizes to enhance the customer experience and product offering, whilst sharpening the focus on transparency and sustainability. As an Ambassador for SmartWorks Charity and contributor to Sky News and writes a weekly column, Dressing for Britain, in the Sunday Telegraph.

Anusha Couttigane

"We are at one of the most exciting times ever in fashion. We have just been through a real challenge in society which means people are open to innovation and open to change and I think we need to capitalise on that attitude and receptiveness to change as well. This collection could be a catalyst that provokes further positive change in the fashion industry too."

Listed as one of Drapers 30 Under 30 Rising Stars of the Fashion Industry 2018, Anusha is a leading expert in the fashion field, covering everything from cut-price clothing to luxury labels across both hard and soft fashion. Anusha is passionate about sustainability and diversity, empowering brands across all consumer goods sectors to progress against both environmental and social goals. Anusha has spent the last 5 years leading Kantar’s fashion research and strategy and collaborates with Oxford Fashion Studio to boost the visibility of independent designers. Anusha holds a degree in History & English from the University of Oxford, where she wrote her thesis on Dior’s New Look and perceptions of social class.