inclusive design Archives - Penn-Mar

Fashion Forward: Jemicy School Designers Showcase Inclusive Styles for Penn-Mar Models

ggorham — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:44:39 +0000

A Penn-Mar model demonstrates the “loungewear-esq” style of the 2025 Fashion Show as she walks with Leila Chan-Sweenie. Photo courtesy of Jemicy School.

Trending at the 3rd Annual Inclusive Fashion Show held April 11th at The Jemicy School in Owings Mills, MD were soft fabrics with a “loungewear-esq” vibe, according to Tina Chan Sweenie, Associate Director of Development at Penn-Mar Human Services and one of the program’s organizers.

The unique event paired 12 design students from Jemicy, which specializes in education for students with dyslexia and other language-based differences, with 18 people that Penn-Mar supports with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The show was an incredible display of style and innovation, embracing inclusion and adaptive fashion.

The student designers were tasked with creating adaptable and accessible clothing concepts that would meet the specific physical needs and style preferences of their eager models.

Students took measurements and conducted personal interviews with their Penn-Mar models back in January to explore any difficulties they might be having with traditional clothing. They were challenged to work around leg braces, consider wheelchair restrictions, rethink fastening devices, all the while combining comfort with personal style.

A Penn-Mar model shows just how soft and stretchy this year’s outfits were as he strikes a pose at the end of the runway. Photo courtesy of Jemicy School.

“Brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Target, and JCPenney offer limited lines of adaptive clothing, but there is still a lot of room to grow,” said Tina. The Jemicy students had four months to strategically and thoughtfully incorporate adaptable elements before sending their models down the runway in their functional, stylish, and custom-designed looks.

This year most folks expressed a preference for a soft fabric feel, inside and out, which helped to address a lot of the sensory challenges people with disabilities sometimes experience. Stretchy materials made it easier to slip outfits overhead, and fasteners such as magnets, large plastic zippers, and Velcro empowered people to dress with less assistance.

Examples of innovative styling from the Fashion Show collaboration abound.

At the first Fashion Show event in 2023, a student used creative problem-solving to design a wrinkle-free suit for a model who utilized a wheelchair by selecting a thick, spongy Neoprene fabric that provided extra padding and a more comfortable fit.

Mary Dotson modeled in last year’s Fashion Show, fulfilling a life-long dream to be part of such a magical event. She used an oxygen reservoir bag that was connected to her nostrils, so her clever design student created an outfit with a matching bag that doubled as a purse for the oxygen bag. Sadly, Mary passed away since then and the organizers fittingly dedicated this year’s Fashion Show in her memory.

A Penn-Mar model shows off the bow on her dress as a Jemicy student helps her with the finishing touches on her makeup.

Tina’s daughter Leila, a senior at The Jemicy School, enlisted her mother’s help backstage, fastening a belt with a bow to her model’s dress. Tina was impressed by how effortlessly the Velcro held everything in place, keeping the belt secure and the bow perfectly positioned. Another simple, but effective example of adaptive styling.

In an interview with WBAL TV-11News, Pauline Savage, The Jemicy School’s Visual Arts Department Chair, described the deeper motivation of her design students for this project. “When they make clothes for people who need and wear them, all of the sudden there’s a level of meaning and purpose that goes beyond just making clothes for themselves.”

Tina has noticed that over the years, many of the Penn-Mar models continued to wear their custom clothes long after the show. “The entire experience has helped them articulate the styles they love most and elevate their own personal style. Now, rather than settling for clothes that simply met the basics, they’re exploring options that better reflect their personal style and comfort.”

“These designers are our future,” stated Tina. “They will take this experience with them wherever they land. It is a wonderful way to acquire knowledge about adaptive fashion, about the dignity and independence of people with disabilities, and their need to be able to express themselves through fashion without having to go through hurdles when dressing each morning. The exercise was not just about fashion.”

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Penn-Mar Human Services Partners With Jemicy School For Inclusive Fashion Show

nvenn — Fri, 12 May 2023 20:19:44 +0000

- People Supported by Penn-Mar to Model Clothing Designed Specifically For Their Disabilities -

May 11, 2023

Baltimore – Penn-Mar Human Services, the region’s leading provider of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), will host its first-ever inclusive fashion show, featuring people that are supported by Penn-Mar, who will model original clothing designs created by 18 students from Jemicy School, a Maryland-based independent school that educates elementary, middle, and high school students with dyslexia or related language-based learning differences.

The show will take place on May 19, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at Penn-Mar’s Day Learning Center at 310 Old Freeland Road in Freeland, Md. Though the event is closed to the general public, it will be livestreamed on Facebook and recorded for rebroadcast. Invited guests and members of the press are encouraged to attend.

The Jemicy students have created 20 original articles of clothing that are conducive with, and favorable to, the specific developmental and/or intellectual disabilities of people that Penn-Mar supports. Where appropriate, clothing will be designed to slip overhead easily, utilize stretchy materials with minimal seams, and rely on large zippers, magnets, or ties to secure. Then for the show, several people supported by Penn-Mar will “hit the catwalk” and model the Jemicy student’s unique designs, highlighting how fashion can, and should be, inclusive for everyone.

“Everything Penn-Mar does is centered around a commitment to inclusion and equity for the IDD community- so why should fashion be any different?” says Penn-Mar CEO Greg Miller. “This project gives the people we support a chance to embrace their disabilities with clothing that works with them and supports who they are as individuals, rather than having to conform and adapt to what’s being offered by the clothing industry.”

Miller adds that while there are no formal plans to make the show a recurring event, both teams have expressed interest in doing it again.

The first inkling for the event began in 2019 as a natural extension of Penn-Mar’s person-centered approach to support. Jennifer Hisey, Penn-Mar’s community supports day program manager, discussed having a fashion show with people who attend Penn-Mar’s day learning center. They loved the idea, but then the pandemic halted any plans.

Then, in April 2022, Tina Chan Sweenie, Penn-Mar’s associate director of development, attended a fashion show at Jemicy where her daughter, Leila, was a featured student designer. Realizing that there was already interest in holding a fashion show at Penn-Mar, Tina and Leila approached Jennifer about a collaborative effort between Jemicy and Penn-Mar. Jennifer loved the idea and soon after, the Penn-Mar team contacted Pauline Savage, Leila’s teacher and Jemicy’s US visual arts department chair and college counselor for the arts. Upon hearing the proposal, Pauline knew it was a terrific opportunity for her fashion students to fully express their talent and creativity.

“My students are brilliant visual spatial thinkers, ingenious when it comes to problem solving,” says Pauline. “They have a talent for making unusual connections that allow them to see opportunities that many people cannot, and they shine brightest when engaged in real-world design opportunities.”

She adds that the partnership with Jemicy is especially appropriate, given the school’s commitment to inclusion and finding ways to overcome learning obstacles for neurodivergent and dyslexic children for the past 50 years. Jemicy students have unique methods to learning, based on who they are as individuals, which is not dissimilar for someone with an IDD and how they approach and adapt to daily living. In fact, for 42 years, Penn-Mar has been helping people with an IDD achieve their own personal goals and find success in a world that is very often not inclusive of their needs.

In addition to the fashion show, eight Jemicy film students will be recording the entire show for a future documentary.

The press is encouraged to attend but must RSVP by contacting Roger Mecca: roger@vitaminisgood.com. Photos and video of the event will also be made available.

About Penn-Mar Human Services

Penn-Mar Human Services is a nonprofit that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to Live Courageously, whether that’s securing a job, being an active member of their community, building independence, or developing new relationships. Penn-Mar accomplishes this by supporting people on their own unique personal journeys. Founded in 1981, Penn-Mar operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in northern Maryland and southern Pennsylvania. They support 500+ adults with disabilities daily through an array of customizable services.

www.penn-mar.org.

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Jemicy Students Collaborating with Penn-Mar on Unique Fashion Show Event

nvenn — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 14:42:46 +0000

By Pauline Savage, US Visual Arts Department Chair, College Counselor for the Arts | Jemicy School

I teach fashion design at the Jemicy School in Owings Mill, MD, a school that educates students with dyslexia and related language-based learning differences. My students are brilliant visual spatial thinkers, ingenious when it comes to problem solving. They have a talent for making unusual connections that allows them to see opportunities that many people cannot.

Just prior to the pandemic, Tina Chan Sweenie, Penn-Mar‘s Associate Director of Development, Volunteer and Donor Relations — whose daughter Leila is one of our students — told me that Penn-Mar was planning to organize a Fashion Show for the people it supports. Would our students be interested in designing clothes for them?

My immediate response was “we can totally do this!” The Jemicy community is built on a foundation of inclusion. We honor and celebrate neurodiversity. Our gifted young creatives shine brightest when they engage in real-world design opportunities.

Luckily, we have two very large fashion design classes with 18 students. Their goal is to have all of their original fashions ready for a May 19 live streamed event staged at Penn-Mar’s Central location.

In the midst of all this planning, I shared our assignment with Jemicy’s videography teacher when she realized that this would be a perfect storyline for her students’ documentary project.

What could be better than documenting their peers meeting with their clients about their fashion preferences, following them through the creative process and final fittings, and watching them on the sidelines cheering on their models during the Show?

This is yet another example of what is so exciting and special about Jemicy that we as teachers have the flexibility to expose our kids to real work.

As I write this, our students have completed their measurements and created storyboards with a picture of each Penn-Mar model that includes their goals, style and clothing preferences and colorful images of fashion examples and material swatches to inspire their work.

Twenty original designs are now in work that address each person’s sensory issues. Where appropriate, clothing is designed to slip overhead easily, utilizes stretchy materials with minimal seams, and relies on large zippers, magnets or ties to secure.

During the measurement and subsequent design sessions, Cindy from Penn-Mar expressed a need to feel good and comfortable in a dress that is easy to put on. She prefers rainbow colors, a drawstring waist and pockets.

Daryl was very specific about wanting a “cho-cho train bucket hat;” Laura asked for a pink purse; and Gene was looking for a dragon shirt and belt.

Nick preferred a slim fit gold shirt with sequins, swirls and fancy buttons paired with black pants and gold-lined cuffs with additional sequins.

Derek asked for a dark colored jogging pant that would be loose enough to accommodate his leg braces and made with a “Velcro-friendly fabric.”

Julia noted that she was allergic to cashmere but would be comfortable in a royal blue off-the-shoulder wool dress with straps.

These are just a few examples of the unique collaboration between our designers and Penn-Mar’s models that are allowing our students to work with purpose. I can assure you that they have a lot of joy in their hearts while they are completing their assignment, not something you usually hear about with high school-age teenagers!

We are so grateful to Tina Chan Sweenie for approaching us with this idea and to her daughter Leila who is a leader in this inclusive Fashion Show initiative. Our Jemicy creatives are thrilled to share smiles, creative vision, and most importantly, a fun experience with the wonderful people at Penn-Mar.

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