Meet The Lady Who Designs Adaptive Clothing For People With Disabilities

Spread the love

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. This is what Suomita Basu did. When psoriatic arthritis got the better of her affecting over 80% of her mobility, and she had to give up her work and career because of this chronic illness, she decided to start a brand of her own. And thus was born Zyenika, a range of adaptive and inclusive clothing for those with disabilities and physical challenges who found dressing up difficult or needed assistance.

“Zyenika is a house of trendy, fashionable, and functional clothing which is easy to wear, and comfortable. My aim was to increase the independence and dignity in dressing”, says Soumita who is based in Kolkata.

The clothing industry does not cater to this section of people in society. Chronic pain sufferers, people with physical disabilities, senior citizens, autistic people can find it difficult to dress up or maybe semi or totally dependent on a caregiver. Being wheelchair-bound or bed-bound can also mean that wearing regular clothes is a challenge. But this should not mean having to wear boring ill-fitting clothes. When her own illness progressed, Soumita found it more and more difficult to manage on her own.

“My wardrobe discouraged me from meeting people or even getting on a video call. Missing my cousin’s wedding became the turning point: I refused to be locked in anymore. And I refused to dress in pain every single day”, she reminisces.

“A person with physical challenges knows how difficult or cumbersome and even painful something as basic and necessary as clothing can be. These challenges may be mild, moderate, or severe”, says Soumita who is a wheelchair user herself. But she feels that this should not compromise on the sense of dressing or fashion. “Your style and dressing speak volumes about you. It defines you. It’s a form of expression of who you are. When you are deprived of that it can lead you feeling low, sad, depressed and that doesn’t help any more than what you are going through already”. Soumita wants to empower them with the freedom to choose and wear what they want to by providing them with a label of bespoke wear because why not?!

Uniquely designed traditional men’s kurta, with no buttons or fasteners

After enough research, identifying a vacuum in the market for inclusive wear, and her own body for trials, Zyenika was born. It sure hasn’t been easy but Soumita is happy with the support and response she has received. A wrap-up saree which can be worn lying down, a kurta without buttons, pre draped sarees which can be worn effortlessly, and adaptive innerwear for men and women are the kind of clothes she is working on.

Sourcing the fabric, conceptualizing the designs, explaining it to the tailoring team, and overlooking the execution are all done by her. With no formal training in this industry, Soumita is self-taught and spent a lot of time learning the art and the trade. Not having formal training also came as a blessing because that gives her a space to think outside of the norms and comfort zone of the art form and that’s where most of her designs come from.

Easy to slip on top made with handloom cotton, No need to raise arms easy for poor grip/low fine motor skills

“It’s important to have that space where one is not told to ‘adjust’. When people ask me, “is it possible to design that way?” Yes, it is. It’s always possible to be thoughtful. That’s all it takes for good design, I say”. Adapting to the challenges of Cerebral Palsy for a customer, the clothing Soumita designed has many hidden features like a knee pad to support her when she crawls with the zips on both sides of the palazzo to transform it to shorts for easier wear and washroom use.

Also, Soumita wants to make sure that her team at Zyenika involves the deserving section of the society, and hence it is a women-led organization. “We strive to have a more inclusive team and ensure more dignified livelihood opportunities for marginalized sections of the society as our suppliers and workers. We are supported by GIAN (Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network), Ahmedabad at the ideation stage.”

Zyenika is also conscious about not adding to the landfill and believes in reusing and recycling. “Give us your old clothes and we will create your new restyled clothes”, says Soumita.

For Soumita, Zyenika is more than a brand or a vocation. It’s her desire to move forward in life despite her disability. It is her hope and wish that she is greater than that and no matter however small her effort may be today, she is consciously making an effort to better someone’s life and that feeling is not a small one.

Zyenika clothing is available at zyenika.com

Spread the love

For a working woman, taking care of skin is hard, especially when the market is flooded with millions of products. It is difficult to understand which combination of product to use and when to use, which will suit your skin type. Most women end up using moisturiser, cleanser, toner, cream, etc. in random order. Like every skin type, the order in which you use your beauty products also vary. So, why is it necessary to use these products in a specific order? Does it matter?

According to Dr. Heather Rogers, a certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon, applying your skincare products in the correct order to ensure your skin gets the overall benefits of each product. “The skin’s job is to keep things out, but many of the skincare products we use have ingredients we want to get in. Only a minimal amount of these key ingredients can penetrate the skin, even when perfectly formulated and perfectly applied,” says Dr Roger. To get the best result of your skincare regimen, it is essential to apply them in the correct order.

What is the correct order?

The thumb rule to follow is to apply your products in order of thick to thin. First, use the product that you want your skin to absorb and then finish with the product that you want to keep on your skin for a flawless look.

Daytime Regimen

Cleanser: Morning skincare regimen is all about protection from the sun and pollution. Start your day by washing your face with a gentle face cleanser. The second most important step is to choose the right toner that suits your skin type. It is generally believed that toners are harsh, but that’s not true. Most toners are designed to maintain pH of the skin and enrich your skin with antioxidants and vitamin B. But, if you do not use a toner and your skin is perfectly fine without it, you don’t need to start using one.

Serum: Another essential step is to use the antioxidant serum. Serums serve various important purposes that improve the quality of your skin. It not just protects the skin from harmful UV rays but also heals damages done to your skin.

Eye Creams: Then comes the eye cream. Most people think eye creams are for nights and older people, but that’s not true. Eye creams can be used in the morning and you should start using it in your early 20s, it is all about maintaining the beauty than fixing it. Improving the skin quality in this area early on ensures that the eyelid skin does not quickly lose laxity and its smooth appearance later on”, says dermatologist Annie Chiu. She also advises wearing sunglasses to protect the eyes from UV light damage.

Spot treatment: Spot treatment creams are ideally used at night, as it is the only time when your skin gets to relax and heals itself. But, you can try treating the spot in the day time as well. Just apply a little of the spot treatment cream before, so it penetrates the skin and let it do its job while you do yours.

Moisturiser: Then comes the most important of all—the moisturiser. Make sure you choose a light, gentle, hydraulic-based moisturizer preferably with a sunscreen of at least SPF 30, so you don’t have to use a separate sunscreen. It will save you time, as well as an extra layer on your skin. Apply it gently over your skin and let it sink into your skin for five minutes before you apply makeup.

Sunscreen: Sunscreen should be applied at the end if you prefer using a mineral or physical sunscreen. For those who prefer using sunscreen with zinc, should apply that before moisturiser. Dr Roger advises using physical sunscreen as it is safer and effective, which physically blocks the harmful rays from the sun.

Nighttime Regimen

Nighttime regimen is most important as you need to cleanse your skin properly to get rid of all the dirt, and then applied skincare products. It penetrates the surface of the skin and helps it to heal by providing it with all essential vitamins.

Cleanser (double): It is always advisable to first clean your skin and get rid of all the dirt and makeup and then, cleansing it again to remove all the dust particles and powder that you missed out in the first step. This double step cleansing ensures that your skin is open to absorb your skin regimen.

Toner: Use toners or essence which will hydrate and nourish your skin. Then gently apply eye cream to avoid dark circles and wrinkles. Eye creams also protect your eyes from other skin care products.

Spot treatment creams: Nighttime is the best to use treatment creams as your skin gets time to absorb and repair itself. But, make sure you use it as it is prescribed and never overuse it. Overusing treatment creams can lead to irritation and rashes.

Hydrating masks or face oil: For dry skin, one can also use hydrating masks or face oil as your skin needs a bit of hydration.

Moisturiser: At night, water evaporates from your skin, so you may not want to use the same moisturiser in the morning as well as at night. Night moisturiser is little thicker and gets absorbed on the skin slowly, unlike day moisturisers. So, using the right moisturiser at night can prevent dehydration of your skin and will help maintain a high water content in your skin which makes it look fresh and healthy.

Lastly, you need to remember that your skin is precious and unique. What suits others may not suit your skin type. It is essential to find the right combination of products for your skin to enjoy trouble-free beauty forever.