AN ADAPTIVE FASHION BRAND, INSPIRED BY FAMILY, AIMS TO EMPOWER EVERY WOMAN
By: Erica Commisso
As the CEO and founder of Lady Fines Adaptive Fashion, Lady Natasha Fines made her childhood dream a reality. Like many kids, her love of fashion started with a trunk full of dresses and accessories. It was love at first sight and, from a young age, her passion pointed her towards starting her own fashion line.
Image Source: Lady Fines Adaptive Fashion
“One Christmas morning changed my love of fashion forever,” she says. “I was about six years old when my parents surprised me with a trunk full of dresses and accessories. We have this moment captured on camera and I’m pretty sure it was love at first sight. Ever since then, I always gravitated to anything that had to do with fashion.”
Though she eventually grew up to work in the fashion industry, as a buyer for The Home Shopping Network, her first chance at designing for someone came in the form of a unique opportunity - she designed a pink tracksuit for her aunt, her hero, who had been diagnosed with cancer. “The set is designed for someone like her who frequents the hospital and needs an accessible outfit that still showcases confidence and their fashionista personality while also being functional for something like a chemo visit,” she says. “The set includes a zipper on the chest for easy port-access and zippers on the forearms for easy i.v. or picc line access. The material is also very warm, soft and cozy for those long hospital visits that can sometimes turn into overnights.”
Born and raised in Tampa Bay, Florida, of Puerto Rican descent, she finally made her dream to a reality. In 2023, she launched and became the CEO of Lady Fines, which uses signature details like princess puff sleeves, studs and sparkles to create a brand with a trendsetter in mind. A Lady Fines fan isn’t afraid to stand out from the crowd and show off the boldest parts of her personality. Inspired by her favorite film and television characters, Lady Natasha Fines takes looks she sees in popular culture and adapts them to the real needs of women who are chronically ill or suffer from disabilities - women like her aunt.
“She was a fashion trendsetter herself but, once she was diagnosed with cancer, (my aunt) stopped dressing the same as she did and also gradually was unable to dress herself and needed help,” Fines says. “That was a trigger point for me to want to make a difference and create fashion forward adaptive clothing for someone like my aunt. When I would look for adaptive clothing online or in stores the only thing that was available was something designed for someone who wasn’t a fashion lover and was in the elder years. I was already working in the fashion industry as a buyer and knew that this was truly a gap in the industry that I wanted to be a part of helping impact and change for the better.”
The brand’s first collection has 14 pieces, but they’re more than just show-stoppers: they’re designed with accessibility in mind, so features like wider neck openings, side zippers and magnetic buttons are thoughtfully incorporated to make the act of dressing - and looking good - easier for all. It’s an idea Lady Natasha Fines wishes would spread across the fashion industry.
Image Source: Lady Fines Adaptive Fashion
“Representation is incredibly important, especially for the young children growing up and seeing people like them in magazines or movies,” she says. “The MET Gala is a great example and opportunity for the industry to include more people with physical disabilities and showcase a more accessible event so everyone can be included and represented.”
Lady Fines clothing is here to stay, its CEO says, and focused on its goal of inclusivity. “Our mission is to increase independence and confidence for women with disabilities, by providing them with fashion-forward apparel to express their unique selves,” she says. The brand also runs the Rebels With A Cause Foundation, which educates people about the importance of adaptive fashion and accessibility.
As for the future? In addition to collaborating with other like-minded brands, Lady Fines aims to create a brick-and-mortar store where everyone can feel comfortable to peruse designs. The vision, Fines says, includes “fully inclusive mannequins that show physical disabilities” inside “an accessible store that has things such as wheelchair-friendly clothing racks and dressing rooms.”
Image Source: Lady Fines Adaptive Fashion
Of course, a key part of the Lady Fines strategy is to develop brand awareness and spread the message of inclusivity. And Lady Natasha Fines’ designs are well on their way. A preview of her second collection was shown on one of the biggest stages in the world: the NYFW runway. The presentation featured models representing diverse backgrounds and disabilities, highlighting the brand's commitment to authenticity and inclusivity. Each proudly wore the Lady Fines designs that combine both trends and functionality. “I hope to support women who are not only under-represented but whose needs are ignored by mainstream fashion brands when it comes to easy-to-wear apparel options,” the founder said. “We are thrilled to bring our vision to NYFW and showcase that adaptive fashion can be at the forefront of style.”