'I struggled to find clothes - now I design them'

A clothing designer born with one forearm says his disability has inspired his passion for accessible fashion.

Ryan Rix, from Swansea, grew up as one of six siblings and says the clothes available to him made him feel like he was having to hide himself.

So he decided to learn how to craft and adapt his own clothes, and now designs pieces that cater for others with physical disabilities.

The 22-year-old is taking part in a new ITV show in which designers compete against one another for a role with high street brand Marks & Spencer.

“I was born without my left forearm and, growing up, when I would try and find clothes, there weren’t things that I felt comfortable in, I felt like I was hiding myself,” he said.

“I needed things that were more functional and adaptable. The biggest example is jackets.

"I never buy something that is full sleeves or at least sleeves that I can’t pull up or alter.”

He said he designed jackets with zippers on the sleeves so they could be left on or removed.

“So I can wear it, but if my twin brother wanted to wear it he could too,” Ryan added.

He said he went shopping for a blazer before a recent event in London and, despite finding one he loved, “it just didn’t feel right”.

“My left arm was completely covered and I didn’t feel like myself,” he said.

“I felt like I was hiding, and that’s something I would never do. So I adapted it, and I felt 1,000% happier.

"It’s about dignity, and respect for yourself.”

Other techniques he uses frequently include avoiding buttons and using velcro and poppers, so people with disabilities can dress themselves more easily.

Ryan said: “It’s all about functionality, but still being very fashionable.

"That’s the challenge. A lot of things you see on the runway these days are very high fashion, but sometimes not the most wearable."

Ryan described his own style as “simple and comfortable” but stressed this did not mean he did not care about being fashionable.

“A lot of people think if you work in fashion you have to be really out there,” he said, adding he felt society was yet to “grasp accessibility”.

“The world has come so far in terms of inclusivity, in gender, in race, it’s absolutely fantastic. But I still feel people like me are the last thought, still left behind," Ryan said.

He added that a few brands had begun to tap into the accessible clothing sphere, but added: “I just don’t think they realise there is a true market for this, and some have been designed by people who aren’t in that space.

“Whereas I know first hand exactly what I need. I grew up around and in artificial limbs clinics so I have seen the struggle.

“I didn’t grow up with a background of wealth, so doing everything myself has been a challenge but I’ve made it work.”

He added: “My grandad, towards the end of his life, had no legs and I would see how my nan would struggle to dress him.”

Inspired by his own experiences, Ryan studied fashion design and construction at Gower College and Carmarthen School of Art.

Ryan said: “As I grew up, I started to care a lot more about how I dressed… I decided to do my degree in fashion design, and I’ve been making my own clothes ever since.”

He said he created “pieces that still aren’t out there on the market”, with the bulk of his work being commissions and bespoke orders as well as alterations.

“I get emails daily from people who have maybe lost a limb and they just want advice,” he said.

As well as designing and making clothes, Ryan works as a social media content creator, and said it was someone online who brought the ITV show opportunity to his attention.

“I got a phonecall for an audition, and the next thing I knew I was in London filming,” he said.

“It was so quick and bizarre how it happened, but it’s been the best experience I’ve had in the fashion industry so far.”

M&S: Dress the Nation sees 10 designers compete with one another in a series of challenges, with the first episode airing on 17 September.

Ryan said the highlight of the show was meeting other designers and feeling able to be himself, adding: "We’re really close as contestants, we have a group chat and we talk everyday.

"We definitely all inspired each other.”

Looking to the future, Ryan hopes to gain experience with brands, but ultimately showcase his clothing under his own name, and help others to “catch on” to the need for adaptable clothing.

He added: “In Swansea, it’s such a small place, a lot of people didn’t understand, still don’t understand what I’m doing.

“I would like to bring more of an eye to Wales in terms of fashion, because it’s all in London.”