Victoria Jenkins
Designer, CEO at Unhidden
Visual Arts, Fashion and Design
I still have to pinch myself some days to see the progress I have made just since October 2022 and being in the power 100 in 3rd place!
In February 2023, I became the first adaptive designer in the UK to host a solo runway show in London Fashion Week; with coverage on The One Show, Channel 4, Reuters and Vogue Business. Since that incredibly powerful show I have closed my first fundraising round (after facing the Dragons who didn’t back me- others who saw that pitch have however!) taken part in Models of Diversitys’ June fashion week show and in a huge personal triumph- had a profile about myself and Unhidden in British Vogue!
I have been so humbled seeing the models and people I have worked with get more opportunities and exposure on the mission towards an inclusive future due to being in Unhiddens’ runway show or highlighted on our social media.
It’s also hugely exciting to see the increase in interest from fashion design students and new adaptive brands emerging- more choice will only ever be a great thing for this community.
Finally I have to mention the ongoing support from Kurt Geiger which has been a serious game changer and has lead to other well known brands reaching out and beginning to take adaptive design seriously. I can’t say more just yet! But what I continue to remind myself is that this all started as an idea, in a hospital bed- it moved to my basement living room during Covid and now is in a gorgeous space at KG headquarters. All those little steps and milestones roll together eventually- in ways I hadn’t even dreamed of! But I also advocate for pacing- something I still struggle to do.
“I’ve heard no far more than I have heard yes- it is always disheartening but never the end of the road. Thanks to Shaw Trust, I hear yes a bit more often now and that is indicative of awards that raise us up as a community; a win for one of us is a win for all of us.”
Disability Power 100 2023 profile information has been self-submitted by the profile subject. Shaw Trust understands and respects that disability and impairment descriptors and language use varies from person to person. Shaw Trust assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or discrepancies in the content of this, or any other, profile page.
Image credits: Deb Burrows; Getty images; BBC’s Dragons Den
More from the Disability Power 100
Dr Shani Dhanda
Dr Shani DhandaDisability Inclusion Specialist, Social Entrepreneur and BroadcasterChair JudgeShani is a multi-award-winning disability inclusion specialist, thought leader, social entrepreneur, and accomplished broadcaster. She's driven change by establishing...
Lee Ellery
Lee ElleryWebsite Accessibility AssessorLee Ellery is from Swansea and has Cerebral Palsy which affects all four limbs and is also visually impaired. None of this stops him doing what he enjoys or working as a user-tester for Shaw Trust Accessibility Services. Using...
Simon Stones
Simone StonesSenior Medical Writer and Patient AdvocateSimon Stones is an Award-Winning Senior Medical Writer and International Patient Advocate. In 2023, he was awarded the inaugural Rising Star Award by the International Society for Medical Publication...