Ellie Brown’s inclusive jeans presented for the first time at catwalk shows

A recent fashion graduate from Manchester Met’s Manchester Fashion Institute has showcased her adaptive clothing range including a new design for inclusive jeans to a global audience at London Fashion Week. 

BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology graduate Ellie Brown was invited to show ten looks across two shows from her adaptive fashion brand Recondition, which she’s been developing since graduating in 2023. 

Recondition used the catwalk shows to present their new accessible jean design, the first product that the brand will launch in May, alongside other key pieces that are in development and archival pieces. 

Brown was selected as one of four designers to feature in The Future of Fashion runway event which took place on February 22 and formed part of the official London Fashion Week programme. 

The show focussed on adaptive and inclusive fashion and featured models with disabilities, either hidden or visible, to shine a spotlight on adaptive clothing and highlighting how fashion can be a force for future change.   

In addition, Brown was one of six designers featured in the Fashion Represents catwalk show on February 21 which profiled sustainable fashion designers.

Brown said: “It was such a wonderful opportunity for the brand to take part in shows at London Fashion Week and to be profiled on such a big platform. The whole experience was fantastic, and I feel very proud to have showcased my designs during London Fashion Week and help bring adaptive clothing into the spotlight.”

Recondition aims to create fashionable and sustainable adaptive clothing for people living with disabilities. 

Brown was inspired to set up Recondition after she accidentally fell and suffered a badly broken ankle resulting in her using a wheelchair for several months during her recovery – an experience which gave her insight into the challenges faced by people living with disabilities, including the limited clothing options available. 

Since launching in 2023, the brand has gone from strength to strength and, after being awarded funding from Innovate UK, has developed and taken their first product to market. 

Working alongside a group of women who have varying disabilities, together they have co-designed a pair of inclusive jeans with innovative accessible features. 

The jeans will be available with two different hip sizes for a better fit and the design includes a metallic popper instead of a button, a ring pull added onto the zip to make it easier to grip, and soft fabric selected with comfort in mind. 

Brown first started to develop Recondition while studying for her degree at Manchester Fashion Institute where she learned beneficial skills involved in the production of fashion product, skills which she uses day-to-day now.

Brown also received the Santander Universities UK: Emerging Entrepreneurs Award which supported her in establishing her business after graduating. 

Barbara Shepherd, Reader in Fashion Business at Manchester Fashion Institute, said: “Ellie, a recent graduate of the Manchester Fashion Institute, exemplifies the Institute’s commitment to equipping our students with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complexities and seize the opportunities presented by our dynamic fashion industry sector.”