Tactile sessions aid sight impaired fashion fans

London Fashion Week - the buzz, the cameras, the bright lights, the glitz and glamour - is a visceral feast for the eyes.

But could there be a way for people who are visually impaired to properly experience the spectacle?

This year, non-profit organisation Hair & Care created an "immersive tactile experience", allowing guests to touch runway pieces and hear detailed audio descriptions.

Designers including Chet Lo, Roksanda and SS Daley took part in the initiative.

Jessikah Inaba, the UK's first blind black barrister, said she usually used the descriptions of clothes to create an image of the piece in her mind.

But this opportunity led to something she called "a reverse experience".

"I get to feel the texture, hear the description, and imagine how the written description would capture what I'm sensing.

"Chet Lo has been amazing at describing everything — the colour, the pattern, the material.

"It plays such a huge role in helping me really understand and appreciate the garments."

Another of the guests, student Aleks Tamasauskas, said that although fashion is "a very visual thing" the audio descriptions and swatches "definitely help to paint a better understanding".

"It helps you put one and one together - having a visual impairment means that sometimes you cannot see if something is a dress or a suit.

"We were seated right in front of the models so we could see the details and the outfits.

"The audio description provided to us was quite well thought out. It gave some explanation of what the models were wearing and the materials used."

Lucy Edwards, an influencer and model who lost her sight when she was younger, said she knew nothing about fashion or styling.

"The world felt shut out to me.

"There was no reference point, no way for me to participate. It felt like my sense of self was ripped away.

"For years, I was missing out, but now, with this tactile experience I'm finally able to feel and connect with the pieces in a way I've never been able to before."

The project is not just about feeling the pieces, but getting a deeper understanding of the inspiration for the clothes.

The designers ensured each garment was fully described through audio for the blind and low vision guests, creating a more immersive experience.

Ms Edwards said: "Hearing Chet's cheery voice on the audio description but also knowing about him and why he wants to create the things he does makes it so much more meaningful and I think that is the gift of blindness.

"It brings the catwalk to life. This is the future.

"Audio description is simple, it's just an inclusive way to be, it's 2025.

"Just learn, just do it, don't be afraid, disability is all around. Tactile is king."

Mr Lo said he "always believed that fashion was not just for a specific kind of person.

"I like to design for all genders and races and differently abled people."

Jane Manley from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) said she had "a much better experience than sighted people" who didn't get to feel the intricacies of Chet Lo's work.

She added: "It's about helping us decide if the style, colour, and shape fit our identity," she added.

"If you're a clothing brand, make sure you have alt text on your images so we understand what we're looking at."

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