ISU students design custom adaptive fashions for children with brain-based disabilities

Iowa State students recently saw their custom adaptive clothing designs for kids with brain-based disabilities featured on the runway during New York Fashion Week through a partnership with the International Institute for the Brain (iBRAIN).

As soon as Adeline Heilman, an Iowa State apparel merchandising and design student from Correctionville, learned about the needs and tulle-wrapped dreams of Cielo, a 10-year-old girl who uses a motorized wheelchair for mobility and an abdominal tube for nutrition, she said she felt inspired – and determined – to create something special.

“When’s Cielo’s mom told me how much Cielo loves rainbows and colorful designs, and her wish for a princess outfit, I was ready to get to work and create something she’d love wearing while also working in functional elements that would help support her needs,” Heilman said.