She said: “A lot of people who don’t have someone necessarily close to them or they don’t have a disability themselves are quite naive to what accessibility looks like.
“I definitely was.”
She looked into how the relationship between disability and fashion worked and “found this whole area of fashion that I had no idea even existed”.
From that light bulb moment, Recondition, which Brown said created every piece with accessibility and style in mind, was born.
“People want something that physically works for them, the function is there; with Recondition, it’s all about like marrying those two together.”
She said many of the features they had added to clothes were “not rocket science”.
Julie Blagbrough became a wheelchair user seven years ago and, overnight, she said she had to rethink her wardrobe.
“There isn’t any fashion for wheelchair users.
“You’re mainly in things like jogging bottoms and pyjamas, stretchy, elasticated waist.
“It made me feel like I’d lost my identity in a way.”
She is part of the Recondition codesign group, who make small changes to make fashion feel good again.
Julie said she loved not only the look of the jeans they produced but – with features like pockets on the front to make them really accessible and straps so she can lift her legs and a hook on the zip – they made “it really easy to get dressed”.
“They also look really trendy as well.”
She added: “It just makes me feel really happy to be able to walk outside and feel like I’m part of society.”
One of Recondition’s best-selling items are stoma bag covers.
