According to Scheier, those who tested out the samples were overwhelmed with the difference. Her modifications include using magnets instead of buttons on shirts and longer flies on pants to allow alternate ways to take the clothing on and off. "Runway of Dreams" founder Mindy Scheier (L), ambassador Laura Watson and intern Shannon Zuber pose for a photo. Closures like buttons, snaps, zippers and hook and eyes are especially a problem. To prove to retailers that there is a need and want for such options, Scheier conducted a survey with a marketing agency that found that parents of children with a variety of conditions - from muscular dystrophy to cerebral palsy to autism and dwarfism - had the same difficulties when buying clothing. “Do they have to make the choices that I did? Well, if he wanted to wear jeans, he wouldn't wear his braces that day. It was actually quite expensive.”Īs a former designer for Federated Department Stores, which owns Macy's and Bloomingdale's and other shopping destinations, Scheier has the skills to tailor clothing to fit Oliver, but she wondered how other parents were dealing with the same problem. “It wasn't current, it wasn't mainstream, and, to be honest, it wasn't even quite affordable. “It anywhere close to what their typical age group was wearing,” she said. While adaptive clothing exists to accommodate those with special needs, Scheier said the options are simply not that appealing to children. However, jeans wouldn't fit over his leg braces and his scoliosis required adjustable waistbands that are difficult to find. “He desperately wanted to wear what the other kids were wearing,” she said. The idea came to Scheier last year when Oliver, the middle of her three children, was frustrated by his lack of options. Her hope is to inspire other mass clothing companies to include options for children with special needs. She then partnered with a major children's wear retailer to create samples of the items and displayed them in a local fashion show on Tuesday. Starting with her own son's closet, Scheier has taken trendy, cute kids clothes and adjusted them to be optimal for kids with disabilities. Mindy Scheier of Livingston, New Jersey founded Runway of Dreams, a non-profit organization advocating for adaptive versions of mainstream apparel. The buttons on his shirt and pants are replaced by magnets. Mindy Scheier and her son Oliver at the Runway of Dreams fashion show. That frustration turned into inspiration for his mother, a former fashion designer. But the simple act of wearing trendy clothes like the other kids is difficult due to a rare form of muscular dystrophy that requires him to wear leg braces. Like most 10-year-olds, Oliver Scheier wants to fit in with his friends and classmates.
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