Victoria’s Secret will sell intimate apparel for women with disabilities

By Parija Kavilanz, CNN

New York (CNN) — Victoria’s Secret, for the first time, has introduced a collection of bras and panties specifically designed to meet the needs of women with disabilities.

The retailer announced the launch of the VS & PINK Adaptive line on Tuesday and said the merchandise is now available to customers online and in select stores nationwide.

Victoria’s Secret said its adapting offering, priced at $16.50 for panties and $36.95 for bras, is available in popular styles and in a variety of sizes under both its namesake and Pink brands, including Body by Victoria and PINK’s Wear Everywhere.

Among the collection’s adaptive features are magnetic closures, sensory-friendly fabric, fully adjustable and convertible front straps and panties specially designed with magnetic side closures.

The retailer said it developed the collection in consultation with GAMUT Management, a consulting firm that works with and for people with disabilities.

The move by Victoria’s Secret is the latest example of mainstream brands and retailers – and not only niche sellers – catering to differently abled consumers.

Up to one in four adults in the United States has some type of disability, such as mobility vision, hearing and self-care challenges, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Several brands have stepped up.

Zappos in 2020 told its customers it would start selling single shoes and mixed size pairs to people with disabilities and specific health conditions. For the 2021 back-to-school shopping season, JCPenney launched its Thereabouts children’s clothing brand that incorporated adaptive features such as easy-access openings, sensory-friendly seaming and no tags. In 2022, Kohl’s rolled out adaptive apparel options for adults in three of its most popular private-lable brands.

“Consumer demand has been the driving force behind the movement towards inclusivity and adaptable clothing,” Kristen Classi-Zummo, apparel industry analyst at Circana, said in a comment to CNN. “Notably, the children’s and intimate apparel markets have led this charge and set a high standard for the broader apparel sector, leading the way in this crucial movement.”

The-CNN-Wire
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