Fashion, Disability, and Advocacy: Hot Press Meets with Sinead Burke

A writer, fashion blogger, PhD candidate and advocate for disability and mental health, it's almost impossible to compress Sinead Burke's multitude of talents into a brief description - so I asked her to, instead. "I listen, I ask questions and I use whatever power or privilege I possess to amplify other voices." was Burke's gracious answer. "Those skills pertain to my PhD research on the voice of the child within the primary school classroom, my advocacy work within the disabled and little people communities and the space I've obtained within the fashion industry, challenging diversity and inclusive design."

Burke, aka Minnie Melange, is known for winning Alternative Miss Ireland, writing the interview series Extraordinary Women, and for being an ambassador for the ISPCC. And now she's using her talents, formidable work ethic and public platform to discuss fashion and disability. It's an important move for Burke, who has been a lifetime lover of fashion - though her relationship with the industry is complicated.

"Fashion is often depicted as a facetious industry," she notes. "One that bows to a one-dimensional definition of beauty. And while that may be true at times, we must all wear clothes. Fashion gave me agency and autonomy - so much of my aesthetic is manipulated by my condition of Achondroplasia, but fashion equipped me with an ability to reframe the narrative and choose how I wanted the world to look at me. Fashion has never been a frivolous exercise for me."

Burke is now a board member of the Inclusive Fashion Design Collective, the first fashion trade association for people with disabilities.

"The aims of the IFDC are to increase the impact of inclusive products in the global economy," she explains. "We want to build this market and communicate its profitability to key user groups. In addition, we're looking to provide resources to small and large companies and organisations who seek to include and to demonstrate the new and empowered disability narrative."

Burke's advocacy for people with disabilities and a more diverse and inclusive attitude in the fashion industry was recently acknowledged and rewarded with an invitation of the utmost prestige - a trip to the White House.

"The White House - it still feels surreal to say that aloud!" says Burke. "The White House hosted #DesignForAll - a panel discussion and fashion show that celebrated inclusive design, assistive technology and prosthetics. The room was populated with industry leaders, such as Erika Albies and Philip Fry from IMG Models. They've made a commitment to actively recruit a more diverse portfolio of models. One such recruit is Jillian Mercado; a wheelchair-user who has been transforming the New York fashion industry from the inside. She has been the face of campaigns for Beyoncé, Diesel, Nordstrom and Target. No big deal!"

Burke also met other influencers, such as two of her "disabled feminist heroes", Rebecca Cokley and Claudia L. Gordon.

"Rebecca is the executive director of the National Council on Disability and a fellow little person," says Burke. "Claudia is the first deaf African American attorney in the US and was the first deaf person to work in the White House in a detailee capacity. It was an amazing day and to see the Obama administration supporting and validating such an initiative is so heartening. Hopefully it will motivate the fashion industry to put momentum behind their promise to change."

Of course, for a fashionista heading to the White House, choosing the right outfit was important! Along with her close friend and stylist, Colm Corrigan, Burke decided she wanted to highlight an Irish designer who believed in inclusivity - but found it difficult to pinpoint a designer who created garments for people with disabilities.

"We Leslie Jones-d it and sent a tweet," says Burke. "It said that I had been asked to speak at an international event and asked for ideas. Minutes after the tweet was published, I received a DM from Moya Doherty inviting me to Riverdance's costume department to meet with costumier Monica Ennis. I was in awe at her incredible kindness. She didn't know that it was for the White House when she made the offer. It was an incredible process, too.

"Colm and I created a moodboard and four visits later, I was jetting off with the most beautiful white blouse with a cut-out detail to create a bell sleeve and an enormous, pleated, royal blue satin skirt. Mags O'Rourke from MoMuse in the Powerscourt Shopping Centre in Dublin also lent me beautiful bangles and earrings to complement my outfit. It was magical and I felt like my best self."

Burke's passion for mental health, education and social justice all converge in her life philosophy, which promotes kindness and equality in all areas of life - including fashion.

"For me, fashion is the perfect mélange of beauty and necessity," says Burke. "We all wear clothes and whether or not you pay heed to the catwalks of New York, London, Paris and Milan, we each make active choices about the clothes we place on our skin. People with disabilities deserve beautiful solutions to the necessity of dressing just like everyone else."

You can find Sinead Burke having interesting conversations with interesting people at minniemelange.com, at @minniemelange on most social media platforms and at inclusivecollective.org for the evolution of the IFDC.