2026 Theme

What we wear to work and events shapes how we are perceived, how we move through professional spaces, and whether we feel confident, credible, and included. Yet in the UK, only around 53% of disabled people of working age are employed, compared with over 82% of non-disabled people - a persistent employment gap of roughly 29 percentage points. Disabled people are also more than twice as likely to be unemployed as their non-disabled peers.

This summer programme focuses on rethinking workwear and formalwear through a disability-led, co-design lens, bringing together designers, engineers, and people with lived experience to create solutions that are both functional and stylish. By addressing what it means to show up at work and events - comfortably, confidently, and authentically.