It’s about time such inclusivity and diversity is displayed in store windows. It should now be a norm instead of a rare occasion.
One billion people are living with a disability around the world. According to statistics South Africa, mobility impairments are more prevalent among women than men (8.3% and 6.5% respectively).
However, inclusivity in the beauty and fashion industry is yet to be a norm. We still find ourselves throwing congratulatory parties for the few brands that are breaking barriers.
This is why the White Collection Bridal Boutique in England went viral on Twitter after a local artist who has a mobility impairment, Beth Wilson, shared a picture of the store's window display - a mannequin seated in a wheelchair.
Beth, who has been using a wheelchair for five years now, could not contain her excitement.
“The new wedding shop in town has a wheelchair using mannequin and it shouldn’t be exciting but it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a disability portrayed in a shop window,” she wrote.
READ MORE: CFDA report highlights what it will take to achieve a truly diverse and inclusive fashion industry
The new wedding shop in town has a wheelchair using mannequin and it shouldn’t be exciting but it’s the first time I’ve ever seen disability portrayed in a shop window. pic.twitter.com/N5sco2fLJf
— Beth Wilson (@doodlebeth) January 9, 2019
Her post was quickly flooded with numerous positive responses from people all over the world.
The tweet has been liked 35 000 times and has already been shared over 7 000 times.
Some people commented on how flowery and beautifully decorated the wheelchair was, which prompted Twitter user Marina Carlos to share how she draped her wheelchair for a wedding.
Went to my cousin’s wedding in Portugal last weekend and decorated my wheelchair to match her wedding bouquet??!
— Marina Carlos (@MarinaCpom) May 17, 2018
Thank you @coffeespoonie for the ‘flowery wheelchair’ idea! pic.twitter.com/on0dTN6q6F
My best friend is in a wheelchair and just recently got engaged. This is so awesome and is a huge deal! I shared your tweet with her and it made her so happy to see it. She loves the vines on the chair. Thank you for sharing this. ?
— Sabrina Brunton (@cosmicglowbug) January 9, 2019
After Beth’s tweet, other people started sharing their own pictures and experiences of being wheelchair-using brides.
“As a recently engaged wheelchair user this brought tears to my eyes... I’ve put off looking at dresses because of the fear of it not working with my chair/it not being the whole ‘say yes to the dress’ experience.
READ MORE: From the unconventional to the glamorous: memorable wedding dresses we loved in 2018
“The inclusivity here is amazing, but also sad I’m so shocked by it,” commented bride-to-be, Sarah.
Have to say, when I got married it was the most difficult and emotional element. So much pressure to be that bride. Bought @jimmychoo shoes to highlight wheelchair users love shoes too! Hopefully I looked ok! pic.twitter.com/PQOZSEfgbH
— Sarah BF Marl (@SarahBFraser) January 9, 2019
Had to share mine. It was my mom's that she made herself in '77 and then did a few alterations for me. pic.twitter.com/ZvXWEmbdsB
— Emily Stoker, RDN, LD (@EmilyStoker5) January 10, 2019
Me and my husband at our wedding. @TheWhiteCollect pic.twitter.com/0prAP5pYEp
— Charlotte Issyvoo (@CIssyvoo) January 11, 2019
One tweep wrote, “I’d love to see more representation of queer disabled people getting married and just existing — whether that’s within romantic relationships or not".
In a statement the store released on Facebook, they wrote:
Speaking to Today Style, the co-owner of the store, Laura Allen, said they had just removed an elaborate mannequin display that had a Cinderella carriage, a staircase and falling snow.
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“Our thoughts of having one of them in a wheelchair was ‘why not?’ We didn’t think too much about it,” says Laura.
This mannequin named Prunella officially gets the stamp of approval in our view.
Have you ever seen a local store window display any kind of physical impairments? Tell us here.