Accessible and Inclusive Fashion: Hirabayashi Kei / Representative Director, Japan Persons with Disabilities Fashion Association

"Direct Talk"

Our guest today is trying to change the world through the power of fashion.

Hirabayashi Kei.

He's making waves with fashion designs

that are accessible, inclusive and stylish.

In fall, 2022,

he plans to put on a fashion show featuring models in wheelchairs

during Paris Fashion Week.

I wanted to completely flip the script

in terms of how people view disabilities,

and this was the way to do it.

Hirabayashi aims to break down the barriers

between able-bodied people and those with disabilities.

He shares his passion for designing stylish clothes that can be worn by anybody,

not just those with disabilities.

Accessible and Inclusive Fashion

This is Hirabayashi's first creation, the "Bottom'all."

The wrap-around design makes it easy to put on and take off,

even for wheelchair users.

The zipper is also specially designed.

You can snap the sliders into place like so.

Then you hook your finger in here and can zip it up with very little effort.

This is the main feature of the Bottom'all.

His aim was to create clothing that could be worn by all people

regardless of their abilities, age or gender.

The thing is, there was one problem.

If you were to ask the average Japanese man

to wear a skirt to work starting tomorrow,

most guys would be like "Uh, I don't think so."

You get that knee-jerk reaction

because there's this preconceived notion that skirts are for women.

So I thought, what if we stopped calling it a skirt?

We combined "bottom" and "all" to make the "Bottom'all."

They're bottoms that are designed to be worn by all.

The name fits perfectly.

Hirabayashi began posting pictures of himself

and others modeling the bottoms to social media,

which quickly garnered attention.

The local mayor of Ibaraki, Osaka

has even worn one to public speaking engagements.

They promoted the product with special sales events

which were a great success with both disabled and able-bodied customers.

The inspiration for the Bottom'all

came from a conversation Hirabayashi had with a wheelchair user.

I was telling this person I wanted to change the world through welfare and fashion.

Then he told me that, as he got older,

he'd given up on dressing fashionably.

I couldn't understand what he meant.

Fashion is about expressing yourself.

You're free to do whatever you want.

I was honest with him and told him that I couldn't understand

why he'd repress that desire.

Then he explained to me that in his experience,

many dressing rooms were not wheelchair accessible.

And even if he were to get someone to help him into a dressing room,

he told me he would also often need their help

to put on the clothes he'd want to wear.

He told me it started making him uncomfortable

troubling others to help him satisfy his own desire

to look good or look cool.

So he began suppressing his desire to dress well.

Hearing that,

it really began to eat at me.

When you think about it, if there were more clothes out there

that were both accessible and fashionable,

he would never have had to experience feelings like that.

The concept of "universal design" or "design for all"

has spread worldwide.

But Hirabayashi believes that alone isn't enough.

The designs may be accessible to all,

but they don't exactly inspire all.

What we're trying to do is go beyond universal design,

an update, the next stage of universal design,

designs that everyone will want to wear that make their heart sing.

We're doing this to take universal design to the next level

on a global scale.

Hirabayashi was born in Osaka in 1977.

He aspired to become a famous hairdresser,

but severe eczema led him to abandon his dreams.

He says that, as an adult,

he became aware that he had ADHD.

I'd frequently double-book myself.

Or someone would ask me to bring something with me

and I would just forget.

It wouldn't just slip my mind,

I'd have no recollection of them asking.

I have a very limited working memory.

I forget things quickly.

I struggled a lot back before I knew I had a developmental disability.

I was hard on myself.

But when I realized there was a reason I couldn't do these things,

I learned to shrug it off.

That lifted a huge weight off my shoulders.

I let go.

I'm open and honest about the things I can't do.

The thing is, if it feels like you can't do anything,

it's hard to admit it.

But if you're aware of your strengths,

it becomes easy to be open about how you can and can't contribute.

It's so important to understand your strengths.

In 2017, Hirabayashi opened a school for children

with developmental disabilities in Hyogo Prefecture.

He provides one-on-one instruction

to help them develop communication and organizational skills

necessary to function in society.

He says that when he left the beauty industry and began working in welfare,

he noticed a certain pervasive attitude.

There was this prevailing sense that welfare had to be docile,

self-serious, modest, subdued.

Many welfare business owners seemed averse to the idea of making money.

But how are you supposed to attract talented workers otherwise?

That mentality was what surprised me most.

They think they can't profit because they receive subsidies from the government.

I would tell people that I wanted to build a gorgeous facility

that children and their parents could get excited about visiting,

a place they could be proud of.

But people would say,

"That's nice and all, but we'd prefer you focus

on educating and supporting these kids."

In my mind, decor and service are unrelated.

But to them, stylish interior design meant subpar service.

Following that logic,

a chic restaurant must have subpar food.

It's ridiculous, right?

It was as if they thought of being fashionable as evil.

Alongside his work with children, in 2019,

Hirabayashi and his colleagues established

the Japan Persons with Disabilities Fashion Association.

Their goal is to bring about change in the welfare industry through fashion.

If you want to get somewhere quickly, go alone.

But if you want to go far, gather a big crew before you set out.

You need numbers to bring about real change.

The power of one superman isn't enough, and I'm no superman.

I'm not everyone's cup of tea.

But with numbers, you can accomplish things

you wouldn't have the ability to do yourself.

In addition to the Bottom'all,

the group has created a jacket designed for wheelchair users.

The length is kept short so it retains its crisp look

and doesn't wrinkle when seated.

This kimono allows wheelchair users to show up

to their coming-of-age ceremony in style.

The bottom features a wrap-around design.

The top features sleeves that fold up

so that they don't get caught in the wheels.

The group's current goal is to put on a fashion show

during Paris Fashion Week 2022.

Here, they discuss plans for a jacket with sleeves

designed for easy wheelchair maneuvering.

What if you could roll up the sleeves to expose friction-resistant fabric?

It can be difficult to roll up sleeves.

When driving the wheels, you want fabric to protect your arm.

So let's rethink the sleeves.

The group plans to present a total of ten looks,

including their signature Bottom'all.

To convey its founding vision,

the show will feature a mix of disabled and able-bodied models.

The theme is going to be "If."

What if we lived in a world where wheelchairs were the norm?

What kind of fashion trends would we be seeing?

We live in a world where walking on two legs is the norm.

We're hoping to completely flip the script,

a world where wheelchairs are ubiquitous.

Many people still have somewhat negative associations toward disabilities.

But what if we could show them something cool and stylish?

That might make them pause and rethink their preconceptions

and maybe see that times are changing.

It's about updating the public image of people with disabilities.

They're not weak or inferior.

They don't need your pity.

What if we could see disabilities as abilities,

as cool and inspirational?

That's what we want people to see.

The group plans to use special fabrics for the new pieces.

They're tapping the techniques used to make high-end silk textiles

in the Nishijin weaving district of Kyoto.

Here's the Nishijin-woven fabric designed by Hirabayashi.

He spent over six months developing a design

that was distinct from traditional Japanese patterns.

The color scheme and pattern are completely different.

The weave is the same but the end product is different.

They've really brought my idea to life. Wow.

We don't want this to be a one-off show,

so we have some surprises in store,

ideas for showing the functionality of our designs.

I enjoy the creative process leading up to the show,

and I'm super excited for the show itself.

But what really excites me is the day after.

That's the high point for me.

You never know what comes the day after the show.

How will people react? How will the world be affected?

You just never know.

The thrill of the day after is what I live for.

Hirabayashi hopes to change working environments for people with disabilities.

- Hello.
- Hello!

Production of the Bottom'all is outsourced to a business

that employs workers with various disabilities.

What do you enjoy most about sewing?

Hm...

Maybe when you finish a difficult task?

Every task is difficult.

I see.

- Sewing clothes is difficult.
- Yes, it is.

The reality is that wages for workers

are often not enough for them to make ends meet.

Hirabayashi believes that if he can cause a stir in Paris with the Bottom'all,

he can help improve working environments for those with disabilities.

The problem facing employment support offices for the disabled

is that they're unable to offer good wages to workers,

to the people who come to them for work.

Putting on a fashion show during Paris Fashion Week

will raise the profile of the Bottom'all.

If we can increase the value of our product,

we can increase the amount being paid to the workers making it.

If you're making something of value,

it's only natural that you're compensated accordingly.

It would be great if I can build that framework using the Bottom'all.

That would change how people think of employment for those with disabilities.

(Do you have any words to live by?)

"Let your heart sing."

For me, doing something to help others,

helping make someone's future brighter,

that's what makes my heart sing.

You only live once,

so I want to live my one life with joy and excitement.

Live your best life.