Primark debuts adaptive garments with our alumna Victoria Jenkins, supporting the disabled community
Even international fashion giants are starting to recognise the demand for adaptive clothing, and now it’s Primark’s turn to join in. The retailer has teamed up with our alumna Victoria Jenkins, the founder of the adaptive brand Unhidden, to launch a new collection of 49 adaptive pieces for both men and women. This inclusive and affordable range went on sale just yesterday and is now available in 96 stores across 10 countries as well as at 113 Click & Collect points.
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Victoria Jenkins: Designing Fashion for All, One Adaptive Piece at a Time
Victoria Jenkins’ name speaks for itself. A celebrated designer and one of the UK’s leading experts in adaptive fashion, she has fearlessly challenged industry standards to create innovative clothing tailored to the needs of people with disabilities.
After graduating in Fashion Design from Istituto Marangoni London, Jenkins has always been driven by a mission to share her personal journey with disability through inclusive fashion, providing adaptive clothing for a community of consumers that is often overlooked.
In 2016, the Istituto Marangoni alumna founded Unhidden, an award-winning adaptive fashion brand inspired by her own experiences with disability and a commitment to normalising universal design. Unhidden made history as the first adaptive brand to join the British Fashion Council and host solo runway shows during Fashion Week.
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In 2023, Victoria Jenkins earned a spot on British Vogue’s prestigious Vogue 25 list and was ranked the second most influential disabled person on The Shaw Trust Disability Power 100. A passionate advocate for disability rights, Jenkins is also an accomplished speaker and writer.
Beyond her work in adaptive fashion, she serves as an ambassador for Models of Diversity and Purple Tuesday and is a patron of icandance and Path to Success.
How Inclusive Fashion is Empowering Lives for People with Disabilities
What exactly is adaptive clothing, and why is it so important in the fashion industry? This category of clothing is designed to simplify daily dressing for people with disabilities or those experiencing temporary impairments. Through thoughtful modifications, adaptive fashion makes garments more comfortable, functional, and easier to wear.
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To illustrate these differences, let’s take a look at Unhidden’s collections. Some of its best-selling items include a double-layer dress with a hidden zip for easy access to the stomach, a high-neck top with a wrap design, and twill trousers featuring concealed zippers, including invisible zips at the leg hems.
As sustainability increasingly becomes a priority for luxury and fashion brands, inclusivity has emerged as a key theme. Adaptive clothing, designed to cater to all, exemplifies this shift. With its emphasis on simplicity, wearability, and comfortable fabrics, it is poised to shape the future of fashion—making style accessible to everyone, without exception.
Adaptive Clothing To Hit the High Streets
Victoria Jenkins is “on a mission to normalise inclusive design through the lens of her own journey with disability after life-changing surgery in her 20s,” she says.
Her personal struggle to find clothing that met her needs has clearly resonated, prompting even a retail giant to embrace her inclusive vision. This collaboration between Primark and Jenkins has resulted in a 49-piece adaptive collection now available worldwide.
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The collection is all about catering to disabled people’s specific needs. From trench coats and tees to jumpers and jeans, each piece is designed with functionality in mind—featuring magnetic zippers, snap fastenings, waist loops for easy trousers adjustments, and hidden openings for effortless access.
Jenkins added, “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.”
Can Adaptive Fashion Really Go Mainstream? Primark’s Push for Accessibility for 16 Million in the UK
Adaptive clothing is specifically designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities, chronic conditions, age-related challenges, and those recovering from surgery. Through thoughtful design modifications, adaptive clothing aims to make dressing simpler and more comfortable for all.
Research commissioned by Primark, in partnership with the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers, reveals that 16 million people in the UK live with a disability, and 59% would purchase more adaptive clothing if it were available in mainstream retail stores. Yet, 62% of those surveyed reported struggling to find clothing that is both comfortable and suitable for their needs.
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As WWD reports, Primark plans to roll out its adaptive collection across all UK stores by the end of the year, championing universal design to make fashion accessible to all.
Primark’s Journey in Inclusive Fashion: From Post-Surgery Underwear to Adaptive Clothing Co-Designed with Victoria Jenkins to Meet Real Needs
Primark has long been committed to inclusive fashion, expanding its product range to include specialised items products such as post-surgery underwear, menopause wear, period clothing, and swimwear.
In 2024, the retailer launched its first adaptive lingerie collection, designed with two key principles in mind: comfort and functionality. The collection features unseamed, soft fabrics and discreet magnetic closures. Each piece was co-designed with technical experts, disability advocates, and disabled customers to ensure that the designs truly met their needs.
Fashion can—and should—be inclusive, comfortable, and easy to wear. For this to happen, the fashion industry needs to embrace creative talents like Victoria Jenkins, whose innovative designs are reshaping the landscape to cater to a diverse range of consumers.
Silvia Tarini
Editor