Advancing Adaptive Fashion in Canada: A Shared Conversation
This event will be hybrid. If you prefer to join online, a livestream link will be emailed to you two hours before the event starts, directly from Eventbrite. All attendees to the event, in-person or virtual, must sign up through Eventbrite.
Adaptive fashion is rapidly emerging as a critical frontier in inclusive design—shaping how we understand dignity, independence, and everyday living for people with disabilities, chronic illness, and age-related changes. Yet across Canada, the field remains fragmented, with limited opportunities for designers, researchers, educators, industry leaders, and individuals with lived experience to collaborate.
This inaugural event marks the launch of the Adaptive Fashion Alliance, Canada (afac), a new initiative seeded by Kite Creates and the Fabric Based Research Platform (FIBRE), dedicated to building a national organization that unites and coordinates the many voices shaping the future of adaptive fashion.
Join us for an afternoon of thought leadership, dialogue, and community building. The event will open with a keynote address, followed by a dynamic panel discussion moderated by Caron Bitter‑Phinney, Assistant Professor of Design, Technology, and Diversity at the School of Fashion, Toronto Metropolitan University. Our panel brings together voices from academia, retail, fashion design, start‑up innovation, and individuals with lived experience—spotlighting the diverse expertise needed to transform Canada’s adaptive fashion landscape.
Featuring Izzy Camilleri, one of Canada’s most celebrated fashion designers and a pioneer in adaptive clothing; Mellissa Kuforiji, founder and CEO of XYZips; Andrea Wurster, Vice President at Silverts Adaptive Clothing & Footwear; and Anthony Lue, a keynote speaker who delivers inspiring messages of inclusion and perseverance.
There will be dedicated time for networking before the event starts and after the panel discussion with Tea, Coffee, and light snacks provided. Doors open at 2 p.m., the event will start promptly at 2:30 p.m.
Accessibility: The second-floor auditorium is a single-level room and is fully accessible by a large elevator, near the 550 University and Elm Street entrances. If you have any concerns, please email the event organizer.
About the Adaptive Fashion Alliance, Canada (afac)
The vision of the Alliance is to serve as a national secretariat that unites, coordinates, and empowers organizations and communities advancing adaptive fashion across Canada. As a collaborative backbone, the Alliance supports a future where adaptive fashion is recognized, accessible, and integrated into everyday life—removing barriers to functional, stylish clothing for all.
The mission of the Alliance is to facilitate, advocate, and steward collective action by providing trusted coordination, governance, and knowledge exchange. Our goal: to accelerate the development and adoption of adaptive fashion solutions grounded in lived experience, research evidence, and inclusive innovation.
This event is the first under the Adaptive Fashion Alliance, Canada banner and serves as the kickoff to a broader Adaptive Fashion Symposium taking place in the summer 2026, co-presented by KITE and TMU.