Tampa native Lady Natasha Fines dreamed up the idea for her fashion brand Lady Fines when she witnessed her aunt fight a debilitating cancer diagnosis. After her aunt went through chemotherapy, some of her clothing no longer fit, and wearing it began to hurt. Sometimes, nurses would cut and ruin her shirts to get to her chest.
As a fashion buyer, Fines was fully aware of the underrepresentation in the industry. She noticed all clothing mannequins looked the same - skinny, proportional and unfit to represent people who did not conform to typical body images. The fashion industry desperately needed more adaptive and inclusive clothing wear. Fines decided to do something about it.
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Courtesy Lady FinesLady Natasha FinesShe reached out online to girls with disabilities and learned that her aunt’s disability-related clothing struggles were not unique. She discovered the common clothing accessibility issues they faced. These girls, whom Fines affectionately dubs her “rebels, taught her exactly what the fashion industry needed. They became the inspiration behind Lady Fines.
“It's such a success, seeing the girls get excited about the brand,” Fines says. “It’s really cool to hear that feedback of, ‘Wow, I wish I had this brand when I was younger.’”
A fashion brand for underrepresented body types
The online fashion boutique, Lady Fines, was born to serve those severely underrepresented in the mainstream fashion industry. The adaptive fashion line creates stylish clothing for all body types.
The brand incorporates thoughtful aspects to tailor to certain disabilities -things many mainstream companies would not have previously considered. From wide side zippers for those in wheelchairs, sensory-friendly fabrics and even removable sleeves for amputees, Lady Fines is meticulous about designing clothes that meet the needs of those with disabilities.
Fines hopes to open a storefront within the next two years. Like the brand’s clothing, the brick-and-mortar shop will meticulously incorporate features that support customers’ accessibility needs, like lower racks for those in wheelchairs and mannequins that will truly reflect them.
Unique and di
stinct style
On top of functionality, Fines' pieces offer a unique and distinct style. Scroll through the website and you’ll see a juxtaposition of pink, puffy dresses and dark, studded outfits. The common thread is that they’re bold and created for those not afraid to stand out.
“Rebel princess,” Fines calls it.
“If I’m not passionate about what I’m designing, you’re not gonna feel it,” says Fines. “We have pink and we have black. We have bling and we have studs. I really wanted to marry the different aspects of my personality into it. One day I wake up and want to feel like a princess. One day I want to wake up and feel like a rockstar.”
Taking the stage
The Rebel Princesses have taken the stage at notable fashion shows, such as Tampa Bay Fashion Week and Tampa Connect Fashion Week.
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Courtesy Lady Fines.Lady Fines' "Rebel Princesses" showcased the adaptive clothing brand at Tampa Connect Fashion Week. The brand makes its New York Fashion Week debut in September. But as Lady Fines gains recognition, it also encounters the accessibility issues that plague the fashion industry, such as stages not approved to support girls in wheelchairs.
Despite the obstacles, Fines, who is now based in Pinellas Park, says the brand is here to stay.
“Lady Fines is a revolution,” she says. “I hope we’re the first of many brands that are breaking barriers in the fashion industry. Because we’re not going anywhere. Despite the crazy obstacles that the fashion industry likes to throw at everybody.”
Making a difference
Fines wants to be a revolutionary in the fashion industry and a force for change in people’s daily lives. At the same time she launched the Lady Fines brand, she established the Rebels With a Cause Foundation, a nonprofit aims to tackle underrepresentation in the fashion industry and advocate for those who feel left behind by modern fashion brands.
“It isn’t just about clothes being adaptive, it's about giving girls like my models a platform to share their stories and other girls the chance to look up to them,” says Fines.
Through the foundation, Rebels will donate clothing pieces, raise funds for those in need of medical devices, go out on ‘mission trips’ to educate the public about disabilities and share job opportunities for those in the disabled community.
“We wanted to make sure that we were not only making a difference in the fashion industry but also making a difference in people’s lives,” says Fines.
Lady Fines and the Rebels With a Cause Foundation have a vision that looks beyond fashion. It’s about empowerment and advocacy. With each piece of clothing, the brand stylishly pushes the world towards a place of inclusivity.
For more information, go to Lady Fines and Rebels With a Cause Foundation
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