Mindy Scheier

In the world of adaptive fashion, there's a moment that changed everything. Picture this: a mother standing in her son's bedroom, watching him struggle with the simple act of getting dressed. Oliver, born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, was starting middle school and desperately wanted to wear jeans like his classmates. But every pair of jeans required him to lie down on his bed, fight with zippers and buttons, and often need help—a reality that made him feel different when all he wanted was to fit in.

That mother was Mindy Scheier, and in that moment of watching her son's frustration, she made a decision that would eventually transform an entire industry. "I took a pair of his jeans, I removed the zipper, I removed the button, and I basically replaced it with a drawstring and some Velcro," Mindy recalls. "When he put them on, he started to cry. He said, 'Mom, these look like real jeans. I can do this by myself.'"

What started as a mother's simple solution to help her child would grow into Runway of Dreams, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making fashion accessible for people with disabilities—a community representing over 1 billion people worldwide.

Early Life

Mindy's path to adaptive fashion wasn't linear. Growing up, she always had an eye for style and design, but her career began in the corporate fashion world. For years, she worked in traditional fashion roles, focusing on trends, aesthetics, and commercial success. She was building a solid career in an industry she loved, but something was missing—a deeper sense of purpose.

Everything changed when Oliver was born. "When you have a child with a disability, it opens your eyes to things you never noticed before," Mindy explains. Suddenly, she was seeing the world through a completely different lens. Simple tasks that most people take for granted—getting dressed, finding clothes that fit properly, feeling confident in what you wear—became daily challenges.

The fashion industry, despite its claims of inclusivity, had largely ignored the needs of people with disabilities. Adaptive clothing, when it existed at all, was purely functional—focused on caregiving rather than style, dignity, or personal expression. "I realized that fashion was not accessible to everyone," Mindy says. "And that's when I knew I had to do something about it."

Threads of Wisdom

One of the most profound lessons Mindy learned from her journey was the power of perspective. "Having Oliver taught me that inclusion isn't just about doing the right thing—it's about recognizing that when we design for people with disabilities, we often create solutions that benefit everyone." This insight became a driving force behind her work. Features like magnetic closures, adjustable waistbands, and seated fits don't just help people with disabilities; they benefit elderly individuals, people recovering from surgery, or anyone who values comfort and ease.

Mindy also discovered the importance of dignity in design. "When Oliver cried because his adaptive jeans looked like 'real jeans,' it hit me that appearance matters. People with disabilities deserve to feel fashionable, confident, and stylish—not just functional." This revelation led her to advocate for adaptive clothing that looks exactly like mainstream fashion while incorporating necessary modifications.

Another crucial thread of wisdom came from understanding the business case for inclusion. "I learned that you have to speak people's language," Mindy reflects. "When talking to fashion executives, I couldn't just appeal to their emotions—I had to show them the market opportunity." She armed herself with statistics: people with disabilities represent $13 trillion in annual disposable income globally, yet the fashion industry was serving virtually none of this market.

Perhaps most importantly, Mindy learned the value of collaboration over confrontation. Rather than criticizing the fashion industry for its exclusion, she chose to work within the system to create change. "I realized that partnerships would be more effective than protests," she says. This approach led to groundbreaking collaborations with major brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Target, and Zappos, bringing adaptive fashion into mainstream retail for the first time.

The ripple effects of her work extend far beyond clothing. Mindy discovered that when people with disabilities feel confident in their appearance, it impacts their willingness to participate in society. "Fashion is a form of self-expression," she explains. "When we make it accessible, we're not just providing clothing—we're providing confidence, independence, and the ability to show the world who you are."

Reflections

Looking back on her journey from corporate fashion to disability advocacy, Mindy sees how each experience prepared her for this work. Her years in traditional fashion gave her industry knowledge and credibility. Becoming Oliver's mother gave her perspective and passion. Together, these experiences created the perfect foundation for systemic change.

"I think about the boy who wanted to wear jeans to middle school, and now I see adaptive fashion in major department stores," Mindy reflects. "But we're still just at the beginning. There's so much more work to do."

Her hopes for the future are ambitious yet grounded in reality. She envisions a world where adaptive features are seamlessly integrated into all clothing, where fashion designers consider accessibility from the very beginning of the design process, and where people with disabilities have the same style choices as everyone else.

For the next generation, Mindy's message is clear: "Look around and see who's being left out. Innovation often comes from solving problems for underserved communities, and there's so much opportunity to make a difference." She encourages young people to see challenges as opportunities for creativity and to understand that business success and social impact aren't mutually exclusive.

The thread that runs through Mindy's entire story is the belief that small changes can have enormous impacts. A pair of modified jeans for one boy led to an industry transformation that has improved the lives of millions. It's a reminder that innovation often begins with empathy, and that the most powerful solutions come from truly understanding the people you're trying to help.

Today, as Mindy continues her work with Runway of Dreams, she carries forward the lessons learned from that moment in Oliver's bedroom. She's proven that when we design with intention and compassion, we don't just create products—we create possibilities.