24-05-2025
Visually impaired people inspire fresh-feeling new digs
At a pop-up event at the Shinjuku Takashimaya store, which has already ended, digital signage was used on the walls. The photo was taken in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on April 9. (Nanako Matsuzawa)
Takashimaya Co. has collaborated with visually impaired people to create clothes that can be enjoyed by touch, challenging fashion's usual reliance on visual elements.
At pop-up events in Tokyo and Osaka, the company aims to show that inclusive designs result in comfortable clothes with enjoyable textures for people who have disabilities—and everyone else.
Takashimaya revealed 10 tops designed with features such as easy-access chest pockets for IC cards, and ribbons that don't come untied. They are priced from 8,800 ($61) to 12,100 yen.
These are the first creations of a new project called 'Fashion for all your senses,' which was inspired by ideas from Takashimaya employees.
The consulting firm Playworks Inc., which is dedicated to realizing inclusive designs, is participating in the project, and Adastria Co. is in charge of product planning.
From June last year through January, these companies held workshops with visually impaired people and designed 10 tops based on their feedback.
For the T-shirts with chest pockets, the pocket material has a different texture from the rest of the shirt.
The shirts with fixed ribbons were designed after hearing visually impaired people say they usually hesitate to wear ribbons, since they wouldn't notice if they became untied.
Kunihiko Morinaga, designer of the apparel brand Anrealage, supported the idea and joined the project. He created a dress which can be worn backward and forward.
Colors are described in terms that visually impaired people can easily imagine. Pink is described as 'like flowers swaying in warm sunlight,' and yellow 'like fresh vitamin juice that makes you full of energy.'
The layout of the sales floor was also carefully designed to be easy to navigate for visitors with canes. The mannequins' feet were secured to the floor so that they won't be knocked over when visitors examine the clothing by touch.
Playworks President Keita Takizawa remembers hearing at the workshop, 'I don't want to wear clothes for disabled people.'
However, he explained, 'Such feedback motivated project members to design clothes that everyone would want to wear.'
Kenta Takemura, Takashimaya's merchandiser and leader of the project, said that a department store's role is to deliver the joy of fashion to diverse people.
"We hope this project will help more people to love fashion,' he said.
Pop-up events selling the clothes will be held until April 29 in Takashimaya's Osaka store and from May 7 in Tokyo's Nihonbashi store. At the Shinjuku Takashimaya store, the clothes are available in a permanent sales section.
