On May 15th, Global Accessibility Awareness Day gains a new focal point: Visible Voices, a fashion-forward, fully inclusive platform showcasing talent with disabilities.
Fashioning a Fresh Narrative
Founded by writer and accessibility advocate Bérénice Magistretti (who is visually impaired) and creative director Reuben Selby (who is neurodivergent and lives with narcolepsy), Visible Voices challenges limiting stereotypes and celebrates disability as an aspect of identity rich with style, creativity and power. ‘We wished we had [a platform] when navigating the early days of our respective conditions,’ says Magistretti, reflecting the founders’ experience and the initiative’s inspiration.
Three Pillars of Expression
- Magazine: Insightful features – like Anna Cofone’s work to make fashion shows accessible and Caterina Frongia’s braille-woven tapestries – spark new conversations around beauty, art and lived experience.
- Creative Voices: A rotating digital gallery of artists, photographers, writers and poets who identify with disability, from illustrator Florence Burns to curator Riva Lehrer.
- E-Shop: Carefully curated goods that unite function and flair – Neo-Walk’s colourful mobility aids, Auzi’s jewelled hearing devices and Liberare’s adaptive apparel – offering choice beyond ‘just practical’.
Designed for Delight
Built in collaboration with award-winning agency Droga5, type foundry Modern Type and sound studio Lucky & Bamba, the site adopts accessibility (with a hyper-legible font) and sensory richness (including a unique sonic identity). Accessible design and aspirational aesthetics coexist, underscoring that inclusive experiences can be both empowering and beautiful.
Visible Voices isn’t merely a platform launch – it’s a statement: disability is an integral part of the human spectrum, deserving visibility, respect and celebration.
