George at Asda is rolling out a 28-piece collection of adult adaptive clothing, honouring the legacy of breast cancer campaigner Nicky Newman.
The range, which will be available online only from 15 September, is designed for people with additional needs, with features including openings for feeding tubes, discreet pockets for stoma bags, easy on fastenings and metal-free zips.
It comes after Newman took to Instagram in March 2023 to ask if she could partner with a brand to create an adaptive clothing range.
The idea for the range came from Newman’s personal experience and her determination to make life more comfortable and dignified for others in a similar situation.
Nicky’s husband, Alex Newman, said “During one of the hardest times of our lives, Nicky was in and out of hospital, suffering side effects from chemotherapy. Having been fitted with a port, she found it undignified to constantly change in and out of her clothes into hospital gowns for scans or to allow access to the port.
“She looked for adapted clothing she could wear, but there wasn’t much choice. She bought a jumper from one brand and, while it really helped her, it cost £90, a huge expense at a time when our finances were already impacted by her leaving her job due to the effects of cancer on her health.”
George clothing vice president Karl Doyle said: “We have worked closely with Nicky, Alex and their network of friends to create this bold adaptive range that we hope has fulfilled Nicky’s wishes.
“We have taken time and passion to really understand the specific needs of each item produced, how we can make them more comfortable, fashionable, affordable and dignified.”
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Newman said Nicky was inspired to work with George at Asda to “really push for comfortable and affordable clothing lines with adaptable options for others like herself, clothing that allowed you to retain comfort and dignity at a time when that was already difficult”.
“She wanted designs that provided easy access for lines such as her portacath or stomas, and options that were metal-free for use in MRI scans, allowing people to wear their own clothes instead of hospital gowns,” he said.
“The first time Nicky saw the samples was the day she went into Woking Hospice. Five days later, she passed away. She wanted me to join her on the conference call, and that moment was so important for me because it gave me an insight into her passion for the project and the huge potential it had.”
In February 2023, George at Asda launched an adapted clothing range in support of independent dressing for children and young people with disabilities, marking a supermarket first.
Following the success of its easy on easy wear school uniform range in September 2022, the grocer created the collection of everyday casualwear specially adapted to make independent dressing easier for those with additional needs and reduced mobility.
