Before her granddaughter Maggie was born, Karen Bowersox had little interest in fashion and didn’t know very much about Down Syndrome.
As the little girl began to grow, Karen was inspired to create a range of clothing designed especially for people with this condition.
Karen met with a designer in 2010 and launched Downs Designs which caters specifically to each client, fitting their shape exactly.
People with Down Syndrome typically have a short thigh bone and upper arm bone which makes sleeves and pants too long and pants and shirts sleeves don’t break properly where they bend,’ she told Daily Dot.
With low muscle tone, they often develop larger tummies and may gain weight due to thyroid problems. Clothes off the rack generally don’t fit well at all.’
Jeans were a huge focus for Karen and her team as people with Down Syndrome often find buttons and zips difficult to wear.
One delighted mother of a young boy named Jasper posted pictures on the company’s Facebook page of her son wearing his new jeans while playing and horse riding.
She thanked the company saying: ‘He’s very comfortable and I love them because I don’t have to struggle with buttoning up this energetic little boy who won’t lie down for me to zip up other jeans over his belly.’
The mother of a young girl named Megan also expressed her gratitude writing, “Megan is loving her first pair of jeans made possible by Downs Designs!”
Images via Downs Designs
