Revolutionising the fashion industry and its approach to people with disabilities, 20-year-old Grace Stratton set out to change how companies define themselves as 'all-inclusive'.
Last night, the 2018 Young New Zealander of the Year finalist was crowned the prestigious Supreme Award winner in the Attitude Awards, a ceremony established to celebrate the successes of people living with disabilities.
She created All is for All, a business which set out to ensure disabled people can have both an experience of designer garments and a wardrobe that's accessible for them.
Stratton, who uses a wheelchair, shared that it is important to create a level of understanding in the fashion industry to prevent brands avoiding the conversation of inclusion out of fear of saying the wrong thing.
"What we do at All for is All is about creating space. It's not about me, or any one person, but the work we can achieve together. I think it's really important that we create bridges and understanding.
"We wanted to show that disabled people could be part of mainstream fashion and should be valued consumers in that realm."
From MAC Cosmetics to Stolen Girlfriends Club, the company has worked with a variety of notable designers to highlight their compatibility for people with disabilities.
With one in four people in New Zealand registering as having a disability, Stratton says inclusivity is incredibly important.
"I think it's also really important to help disabled people have experiences that are akin to their non-disabled peers.
"You know, young disabled people going to the mall, if we can make that easier for them and help them figure out what's going to work without having to have something specially made."
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