STYLE
Adaptable
Phoenix Fashion Designer Creates Clothing That Is Adaptable BY MAJA PEIRCE
K
Kim Warmack always looks ravishing. Right before a fashion show was about to take place, she took a seat near the runway, in a gorgeous ankle-length scarlet dress with large puffy sleeves. It was impossible not to notice her. Standing out is Warmack’s specialty and she has her heart set on helping others do the same. When Warmack was young, she had over 25 hip replacement surgeries that stemmed from an ice skating injury. It was her hope that she could walk again. Twelve years ago, she was given the news that she was going to be wheelchair bound. Ever since, Warmack has been rolling around in her wheelchair, wearing the most fabulous outfits designed by none other than herself.
Her fashion brand, “Adaptability,” grew out of her struggle to find clothing that fit the way she wanted it to as well as her love of fashion. As a kid, Warmack was teased for not having a school uniform that fit her because of her disability. Since she couldn’t go outside to play with her siblings, she spent her time redesigning her Catholic school uniform using her mother’s sewing machine and her sister's old skirts.
Warmack’s love of fashion blossomed. She worked at a highfashion retail store in Chicago before moving across the country to Arizona to attend ASU School of Fashion. Afterward, she decided to settle down and became a substitute grade school teacher. However, in her free time, she meets with clients about her fashion brand and has also been an integral part of Phoenix Fashion Week’s team for eight years. Warmack says that she has met a lot of clientele working the red carpet during Phoenix Fashion Week, especially. Warmack is very passionate about the fashion community in Phoenix and creating a space where women who are differently abled can feel powerful and stylish. She typically meets with clients one-on-one to get a feel for their style and what they have in their closet.
“Your disability becomes a mirror. They're looking at you. You have to realize you want people to say, ‘Wow, she's in a wheelchair and she's handling it.’ That's how I go about it every day. I gotta make sure I'm presentable because I know the eyes are on me,” Warmack said.
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The shopping experience for Warmack and her clients is usually not an easy one. Going from location to location and trying things on in dressing rooms is nearly impossible. Warmack, as well as her peers, usually purchase a garment in multiple sizes so they can find the one that fits the best. She says the whole experience can be a hassle.
Kim Warmack wearing one of her brightly hued adaptable fashions. Photos courtesy Kim Warmack
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