In 2022, fashion label Christina Stephens made its debut at Australian Fashion Week, becoming the very first adaptive clothing runway in Australian fashion history. It was a sellout runway and made headlines around the country for its historic feature.

It’s difficult to imagine the iconic brand began with just a few simple sketches. But that’s exactly where founder Jessie Sadler started in building her business to what it is today.

“One of my biggest successes is that we’re still here today,” Sadler told Women’s Agenda, “and we’re growing.”

Sadler was new to the fashion industry when she launched Christina Stephens. In fact, she was well into a career in the energy sector, working for an oil and gas company for more than a decade.

She was on maternity leave for her second child when her mother had a fall whilst out shopping, badly injuring her arms. Sadler, wanting to help her “fashion-forward mother”, went looking for clothing she could wear whilst recovering from her injuries.

There wasn’t much out there. But it gave Sadler an idea.

“I just started sketching and coming up with some ideas for tops that she could wear easily that we could get made-up,” Sadler said.

“Because when she had her accident, we had a look online and couldn’t find anything other than hospital-looking clothing, or one-size-fits-all.

“She’s a very health-conscious, fashion-forward lady, and we didn’t like what we saw.”

Sadler enjoyed designing and creating fashionable and practical clothing for her mother. She consulted with her friend, who was an occupational therapist, for expert advice on the best designs.

Suddenly, the idea for Christina Stephens was conceived. And to bring it to life, Sadler took a risk: after a ten-year career, she left her job in the energy sector.

“I was quite enthusiastic about being in the creative space during my maternity leave, and so I made the decision to throw that in and test this to see if the idea stuck,” she said.

Thankfully, it did.

‘To wear what they want, not what they’re given’

When Sadler began Christina Stephens, her collection was aimed at women just like her mother: mature women who might have injuries from arthritis, tennis shoulder or are recovering from surgery.

She soon discovered there was a whole other market she and the rest of the fashion industry was leaving behind.

“I met a friend who is an advocate in the disability space,” Sadler said, “and we were talking through the collection, and she said ‘this is great, but I think there’s a bigger market that you’re missing’.”

Sadler and her team engaged with people working in allied health services, people working in the disability space at a grassroots level, and people with disabilities, to learn more about how her fashion business could support everyone in the disability community.

Now, Christina Stephens caters for people with disability, dexterity issues and changing bodies – “to wear what they want, not what they’re given”.

“It’s taken a lot of educating the market, mainstream fashion retailers, even the allied health sector, to get to where we are” Sadler said.

Of course, it wasn’t easy. Sadler was new to all of it – not only as an entrepreneur, but a fashion entrepreneur. Throw in having her second child just as she launched the business, and you can see the challenge that was ahead of her.

To add to these challenges, Christina Stephens launched in early 2020 – just as the nation went into the very first wave of lockdowns as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were a brand new business startup in a new category that not many people knew about,” Sadler said.

“And so getting cut through marketing wise to get out message across was particularly difficult in and amongst all of the constant media about COVID.”

Persistence

Sadler overcame those challenges. Flashforward to 2022, and Sadler’s small idea sketched out on a bit of paper walked the runway of Australian Fashion Week – the very first time an adaptive clothing brand did so.

“It was a huge ordeal for us, but I think because it was a new category, people with disability had obviously been waiting a long time for something like this,” Sadler said.

“We had a sellout runway, probably one of the biggest media coverages of that week, and that really put us and the adaptive clothing category in the spotlight.”

How did she get over the hurdles? Persistence.

“I think that’s still the case at the moment,” Sadler said.

“We’re a growing business, and getting that cut through and communication out there has been a challenge, but it’s just been part of what it is.

“I think in any small business, persistence is a key characteristic you need to have.”

Thanks to our partner CommBank. CommBank supports women in business and the community across all industries and sectors through its Women in Focus team. For more information head to WomeninFocus.com.au.