Debenhams embraces disability!

This week, Debenhams has become the first High Street store to feature a disabled model within one of their advertising campaigns. Shannon Murray is now appearing on advertisements in the Oxford Street flagship store for the new Principles range by Ben de Lisi. Alongside her, there is also 5'4" petite model, and a plus size model whom wears a size 16 - to me, this is a brilliant starting point in terms of reflecting the population in a realistic way within advertising.

The groundbreaking use of a visibly disabled model within High Street advertising campaigns has come from a partnership with Gok Wan's 'How To Look Good... With A Difference'. He has set a president in terms of getting disabilities to be recognised by other High Street retailers, which in my eyes can only be a positive thing. By putting a fashion conscious disabled woman in the public eye, I hope this will be the key to challenging misconceptions and stereotypes about disability. All women (and men for that matter!) have the right to look and feel amazing, regardless of height, weight, race or disability.

Although Debenhams' actions are a big step for inclusion and representation of disabled people within the fashion industry, I can't help but wonder whether they will end up being a one off. All the right intentions are there, and I think that what Principles have done is amazing, but I hope that other High Street advertisements follow their lead and embrace disability and diversity too. In order to broaden peoples perspectives on disability, it has to be in the forefront of the publics mind at all times, which to me means that more retailers need to be hot on the heels of this campaign; one store simply isn't enough.

I'll finish by saying I have my fingers firmly crossed that this campaign keeps moving forward, as I really believe it could aid the acceptance of different disabilities within our society. It has put an even stronger fire in my belly to ensure that the 'Disabled & Sexy' fashion show is a success and raises awareness of fashion forward disabled people everywhere. At the end of the day, we are all equal and all deserve to enjoy fashion :)