Eray/Carbajo, award-winning architecture and design studio, teamed up with Open Style Lab, a non profit organisation leading an inclusive design incubator with the mission of democratising style, to launch ADA: the first prototype of an adaptive, sustainable, gender- and race-neutral body form. ADA is created as a call to action for the fashion industry, to make retail more inclusive of differently-abled individuals.

“One in five people in the world identifies as having a disability,” says Christina Mallon-Michalove, board member and CMO of Open Style Lab. “Most businesses largely overlook this untapped market—particularly the fashion industry, as there are more clothing lines for dogs than there are for people with disabilities.”

The first prototype of ADA molds into different postures and movements that mimic wheelchair users, arm and leg amputees, and individuals with curvature in their upper back that’s typically due to aging, injury or illness.

“Creating different body types with flexible motion and assembly was key for practical implementation in stores and exhibitions,” said Inanc Eray, architect and partner at Eray/Carbajo. “It was also important for us to use wood instead of plastic in order to highlight the fashion industry’s need to become more sustainable.”

Future iterations of ADA will strive to include a wider range of positions and motions. OSL and E/C are currently seeking partners that can enable large-scale implementation and will support their efforts for further inclusion and sustainability in the fashion industry.

About Eray/Carbajo (E/C)

Eray/Carbajo is a New York- and Istanbul-based team of architects and designers who passionately creates with purpose. With over twenty international awards in diverse typologies such as architecture, planning, interior and product design, they build innovative pieces that enhance experiences, elevate the everyday, and address urban, social and environmental problems.

About Open Style Lab (OSL)

Open Style Lab is a non-profit organisation committed to making style accessible to everyone. Founded in 2014 as a public service project at MIT, they team designers, engineers, occupational therapists and people with disabilities to design fashionable solutions for unique dressing challenges. From wearable technology to adaptive raincoats, OSL has produced more than 100 pieces for those with a disability, including cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, amputation, paralysis and autism. OSL is a recipient of 2019 National Design Awards, awarded by Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.