In the interest of inclusivity, Barbie has launched a Blind Barbie doll as part of the Fashionistas line, as well as a corresponding Barbie x Aille Design collaboration that includes T-shirts, dresses and a scarf accessory, each featuring fully legible braille on select ready to wear garments, from Swarovski pearls. For years the low vision/blind community have long been overlooked when it comes to fashion, and this collab gets the Barbie stamp of approval, welcoming in a conversation around inclusive fashion. Whether you’re blind or not, these pieces usher in new visibility for a community and allow you to wear powerful and intentional clothing. The collection is officially live on ailledesign.com and the Barbie doll is available at all retailers worldwide. We chatted with Aille Design founder Alexa Jovanovic to learn more. —Noa Nichol
What inspired you to create Aille Design, and how does the Barbie collaboration align with your original vision for inclusive fashion?
Aille Design first started as my final university research project when I was in fashion school and has since evolved organically into an internationally recognized and award-winning brand. When I first had the idea for braille fashion, many of my peers made comments like “if you’re blind, why would you care what you look like?”, but those misconceptions could not be further from the truth, and instead, they propelled me to create change. I saw a significant gap in the marketplace where individuals with disabilities were overlooked or misrepresented. I began working with the blind community to understand their challenges with fashion and we discussed everything from closet organization and if clothing trends matter, to society’s misconceptions of what it means to “look” or “feel” blind. The visually impaired individuals I worked with were so impacted by what we created together that they encouraged me to turn my braille fashion into a business.
Not long ago I was in my dorm room sewing one braille bead at a time. Fast forward to today, my brand Aille Design just launched a global campaign and braille fashion collection with Barbie, one of the most iconic brands in the world. Most importantly, my goals and vision for the company have remained the same since day one; to create enough conversation, awareness, and action in the inclusive fashion space that we could eventually partner with a large established brand to promote our message and show the importance of disability representation and inclusion on the world stage.
Being approached directly by Mattel to create the Barbie™ x Aille Design Braille Fashion Collection was an incredible milestone for us as a brand and has certainly made it clear that we are on the right track. I can’t imagine a better partner to bring our braille fashion to a global audience.
Could you share more about the process of incorporating braille beadwork into fashion pieces? What unique challenges or innovations did you encounter?
Each of our pieces is co-designed alongside a diverse group of visually impaired individuals, braille readers, disability advocates, fashion stylists, and influencers. Together, we learn from each other’s unique lived experiences and create products that promote the importance of disability representation in all areas of fashion. This co-design process is the fundamental reason we have been able to build our brand authentically and ensure that all of our designs can be loved and worn by anyone, whether or not they have a disability or read braille. I also want to note that in the early days of Aille Design, we went through extensive research and testing to determine the best way to apply our braille beadwork. We knew that the braille on our pieces would be a cornerstone for the brand we were building and had to ensure it was created not only to be beautiful but to be functional as well. On every Aille Design piece, the braille is fully legible, easy to read, and machine washable.
The Barbie x Aille Design collection includes a range of garments with braille beadwork. How did you decide on the designs and which elements of Barbie’s brand identity did you incorporate?
T-Shirt
We created a bright pink t-shirt featuring the phrase “this Barbie is” in white pearlescent text, followed by white Swarovski® pearls that read “inclusive” in braille beadwork. We specifically chose the word “inclusive,” as it perfectly represents the diversity of dolls in the Barbie Fashionista line. With the “This Barbie is inclusive” t-shirt, we want every person to feel seen and celebrated. To everyone who feels like they don’t fit in or didn’t grow up feeling represented in fashion or media, we see you, and you are beautiful.
Classic Chevron Dress
Inspired by the original 1959 Barbie and her black and white bathing suit, we reimagined the iconic chevron print with a modern silhouette and inclusive braille beadwork. Designed to tell a story about Barbie’s journey as the original style icon to a leader in disability representation and empowerment, this dress is the perfect way to celebrate the Barbie 65th anniversary. The braille on this dress features a series of empowering phrases which ultimately highlights the impact of Barbie™ and the significance of our braille fashion collaboration. Alternating from left to right, this is the braille transcript for the dress: “original style icon,” “changing the world,” “inspiring since 1959,” “limitless possibilities,” “powered by purpose,” “fashion is for everyone,” “Barbie x Aille Design,”the future is inclusive.”
Inspiring Stories Braille Scarf Accessory
When it comes to visual impairments, there isn’t just one kind of blindness or universal experience. We each have our own story, that something that makes us unique, and so I really wanted to create a one size fits all accessory that was as versatile as our customers. Featuring over 400 Swarovski® pearls, the braille beadwork on this design encourages you to share your story and think about how you wish to be seen. Feel empowered not only by the written text, but your full control on how it can be worn and what it represents. Braille text reads: “When we learn about those around us, we in turn learn even more about ourselves. The stories we share define who we are, build community, and make us better together.”
Collaborating with Barbie is a significant milestone. How did this partnership come about, and what does it mean for Aille Design to be part of such an iconic brand’s commitment to inclusivity?
The day I received an email from Mattel asking if I would be interested in collaborating completely changed my life. Working closely with the Barbie and the Mattel team over the past year has easily been one of the most genuinely rewarding experiences I have been a part of.
We made a significant step towards the future of inclusive fashion when we launched the Barbie™ x Aille Design collection alongside Mattel’s very first Blind Barbie Fashionista Doll. And what made this milestone that much more monumental for me, is knowing that we were able to share this life-changing experience with three visually impaired models who until now, have never seen themselves represented in fashion media. This fashion collection is more than a braille shirt, dress, or scarf. It’s a movement for every person who has ever felt different to feel encouraged to share their story and show the world who they really are and how they wish to be seen.
Inclusive fashion often bridges a gap between style and accessibility. How do you ensure that your designs are both fashionable and functional for individuals with visual impairments?
One of the most common questions we receive about our braille designs is why we don’t add printed text next to the braille showing what it says. This was a very intentional choice we made early on. In our co-design sessions, we agreed that the braille should be the design focal point of each piece and that it should be done in a way that signals beauty and elegance. We wanted to show that braille is beautiful and our differences are something to be celebrated. By not including printed text, our pieces generate conversation (our customers can attest to this!) and build awareness around accessibility. Instead of someone just seeing your braille garment, reading what it says, and moving on, they are more likely to ask you “Hey, is that braille?” and follow up with “That is so interesting! What does it say?”.
While the braille is the primary accessibility feature on our garments, it is not the only one. We also add washable QR codes to the garment tags on each of our designs. This QR code will bring you to the individual item’s product page on our website which provides a full transcript of the braille beadwork as well as care instructions, and additional product details. The use of this QR code helps those who are blind or visually impaired learn everything they need to know about a garment from our website which is screen reader accessible, while also enabling those who are sighted to easily learn more about their garment.
The collection features visually impaired models as advocates. Can you tell us more about their involvement and why representation is crucial in the fashion industry?
It’s rare to see blind models in a photoshoot, let alone a photoshoot for a large established brand. What’s also rare is how visually impaired model Chelsea Langerud felt when seeing herself in the Barbie™ x Aille Design campaign photos for the first time.
“Looking at the pictures I feel like my disability is gorgeous, which is something I’ve rarely ever said or truly felt. I’ve always known my eyes would never be perfect, but I feel so beautiful and powerful in the pictures. More confident than I have ever felt.” – Chelsea Langerud
This quote alone is why authentic representation and inclusion is crucial in the fashion industry. For this campaign, we put each of our visually impaired models on the global stage showcasing their disability in the light and beauty it deserves.
Each of the visually impaired models worked closely with our phenomenal creative director and fashion stylist Kassandra Hazlehurst to ensure their individual outfits accurately represented their own personal style. Given the misconception that people with disabilities don’t like fashion or can’t dress well, it was especially important to us that the models have a prominent role in determining what they wore.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of inclusive fashion, and how do you envision Aille Design continuing to lead in this space?
As I think about the future of inclusive fashion, I hope to see more mainstream brands create adaptive products, feature diverse models, and promote inclusion for all body types and abilities. Beyond collections and collaborations, I think one of the most immediate changes that can be made by leading brands in terms of increasing accessibility is for disability representation and mainstream fashion to co-exist. I think the industry needs to move in a direction that doesn’t highlight fashion and inclusive or adaptive fashion as two separate categories, but instead just create products that have accessible options. The majority of clothing on the market already comes in multiple sizes, colors, and fit. Why can’t they also come with accessible options as well?
I recently read a statistic from the World Economic Forum that only 4% of companies are focused on making their offerings inclusive of disabilities. That’s a huge problem, but it also means there’s a huge opportunity for change. Our collaboration with Barbie is just one example of what that change can and should look like.
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