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What adaptive fashion is all about
DW (English)
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11/20/2024
Despite being differently abled, fashion designer Ruth Chirwa from Mzuzu, Malawi, is out to challenge perceptions of the fashion world around ability and adaptive fashion.
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00:00
This is not elitist haute couture, this is tailor-made fashion in the truest sense of
00:06
the word, simply fashion for everyone, because this Malawian label offers adaptable clothing.
00:15
It helps us improve our confidence, knowing for sure that we're there and competing with
00:21
other fashion designers in the industry.
00:23
It helps us to improve inclusivity, diversity and unity in the fashion industry.
00:32
Ruth Chirua never saw herself as disabled.
00:35
She has always challenged herself and has always strived for excellence.
00:40
More on why her childhood dream of becoming a pilot came to nothing later.
00:44
For now, let's take a look at what it means to her to be holding her first fashion show
00:49
in Mzuzu, Malawi today.
00:53
We showcase in culture fashion, mainly it's a fashion that you can only wear it once and
01:01
most especially occasionally.
01:05
I wanted to let people know that disability is not an ability in such a way that if we
01:11
can come together and showcase our talents and let the world know or see what we're doing
01:20
and it's also one way of letting people know that we people with disabilities, we don't
01:26
only wait for donations and all that.
01:30
Ruth who has been physically challenged since birth, was also the victim of a tragic accident
01:35
at the age of two.
01:36
Her nanny put her in hot water and then disappeared.
01:40
Although Ruth was treated in hospital as quickly as possible, the injuries left her physically
01:44
impaired for life.
01:46
How did she cope with this terrible experience?
01:49
What made her keep her faith in her fellow human beings and their willingness to learn
01:53
about possible inclusion?
01:55
I knew exactly where I wanted to be.
01:58
I know exactly where I want to be and I know exactly what I want to be.
02:05
So giving up was not a solution for me and knowing for sure that where I'm coming from,
02:13
it has been hard.
02:15
So it kept me going and for the fact that I had to accept myself the way I am.
02:21
So that really made me to go on.
02:24
Even though Ruth managed to finish school and attend a technical college, she had to
02:28
give up her dream of becoming a pilot and felt condemned to a life as a seamstress.
02:33
At least that's how she saw the fashion design course she was pushed into at the time.
02:38
What has changed since then?
02:40
After three semesters, that's when I thought that, okay, I think this is something that
02:49
I can do.
02:50
I kept on practicing.
02:52
I kept on researching more about fashion and all that.
02:56
Ruth finally graduated with a credit and an award as the top student and best fashion
03:01
designer.
03:02
But her journey had just begun.
03:05
I managed to win an award for focus on ability short film festivals.
03:10
In 2023, I managed to win an international award for Shining Stars Africa Awards.
03:15
I won as the best female fashion designer.
03:18
The same 2023, I managed to showcase my designs in Portugal through Riri Afonso.
03:24
Ruth has never walked to say, look, notice I don't have ABCD.
03:29
She comes in to say, I can do that.
03:31
I can do that.
03:32
She's got that commanding attitude that she says, I can do it.
03:36
I like the spirit of Ruth, the way she comes in.
03:39
She doesn't look at herself that way.
03:41
And what she presents and how she does it, you overlook at that.
03:47
The well-known fashion designer Lili Afonso is Ruth's mentor.
03:52
She was the first to test her designs internationally at Portugal Fashion Week.
03:56
When I started looking at these pieces after the fashion show, I was shocked.
04:02
So the excitement that I had inside, if I was excited based on that, I was also behind
04:07
the designs.
04:09
How do you expect the person receiving it?
04:11
She made for me a lot of things for two years, which I have been a customer to her.
04:15
Look at this beautiful dress.
04:18
She made it for me.
04:19
I have lots of Shitenje made clothes, as well as shorts, whatever I want, suits.
04:25
So it's a lot of things which I made through her collection.
04:30
With her current collection, Ruth Chirwa has reached yet another milestone on her journey
04:35
to inclusion.
04:36
I'm focusing on continuing uplifting my fellow fashion designers, most especially those people
04:43
with disabilities.
04:45
And we're looking forward to have trainings and we're looking forward to hosting more
04:50
fashion events, promoting inclusivity, promoting unity, diversity, and promoting the skills
05:00
and talents that people with disabilities have.
05:05
In five to 10 years, I see myself as being one of the best fashion designers to come
05:10
out of Malawi, me showcasing outside Malawi, being known to other countries.
05:18
Ruth Chirwa shows us what inclusion looks like with every stitch in every tiny piece
05:23
of fabric.
05:24
Fashion for all, inclusive fashion, and an inclusive life, making that possible is her
05:31
passion.
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