«Para» is a rain protector specifically designed for wheelchair users. People in wheelchairs have great difficulty finding suitable and fashionable clothing that also meets the technical requirements. In the area of outdoor clothing and rain protection in particular, there is a great need for new and innovative solutions. The jacket, for instance, needs to be cut shorter than a conventional rain jacket and generally have a better and more adjustable fit. For safety it is important that the hood can be adjusted so it rotates with the head. Wheelchair users need more freedom of movement in the shoulder area, aiding the arm movements required for locomotion. For this purpose, a mesh insert was sewn into the back to provide elasticity. The fasteners of the jacket and the leg protections have all been designed to be easy to use, even with reduced mobility of fingers and hands. The zips have large tabs that can be handled with the thumb or the whole hand. All other fasteners are magnetic.
«Rainwear is trendy, but not for people in wheelchairs – as a target group, they are ignored by brands, and the garments on offer to them are old-fashioned and unpractical. Tabea has identified a gap in the market. Her finished prototype is the result of perfectly optimized modern cutting techniques/aesthetics and consists of 20 (!) functional detail solutions which allow individualization and easier use (for example, the shortening of the sleeve with a single hand movement or the generous sleeve opening at the torso). This Bachelor’s project is a very comprehensive work, conceptually well designed, and aesthetically accomplished in every detail – and it is market-ready, to be ordered from Tabea!» – Excerpt from the supporting statement of the Subject Area Industrial Design
«Para» utilizes the aesthetics of conventional rainwear, but has been adapted in detail to the requirements of wheelchair users and their wheelchairs – products like this did not exist before. – Tabea Wschiansky
«I see myself as a product and fashion designer who would like to work on products and ideas that connect and touch people.» – Tabea Wschiansky
