Selma Blair wants to create accessible fashion line for disabled people after MS diagnosis

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After revealing her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis in October 2018, Selma Blair was thrust into the spotlight thanks to her unbridled honesty about the condition. She explained via Instagram, "I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy."

Stepping out on the red carpet at the "Vanity Fair" Oscars party, Blair sent an important message to chronically ill and disabled people all over the world, and, no, it didn't include the word "inspiring."



Too often, disabled people are used as able-bodied inspiration, but in a new interview with Vanity Fair, Blair — who is known for her iconic roles in movies like "Cruel Intentions" and "Legally Blonde" — debunked that idea. Instead, Blair sees "a need for honesty about being disabled from someone recognizable," which is why she walked the red carpet with a cane; a chic cane, no less, designed to coordinate with her truly stunning Ralph & Russo caped gown.

But when she's not preparing for the red carpet, Blair admitted to Vanity Fair that "dressing is a show" — something that people with lifelong conditions know only too well. Blair went on to say accessible fashion should "fit right and look cool."

Many disabled people will tell you that when energy is a commodity, fashion is sadly one of the things that gets sacrificed in day-to-day life. But Blair wants to change that.

As Vanity Fair reports, Blair's main complaint about being diagnosed with MS is "the lack of stylish clothing available to disabled people. It might sound frivolous, but to Blair, who has always used clothes as a form of self-expression, it is a matter of identity."

Furthermore, fashion is a form of self-expression for which chronically ill and disabled people are regularly an afterthought.

But Blair might have a solution for which the world is most definitely ready.

"I would like to partner with someone like Christian Siriano on a line for everyone — not just people who necessarily need adaptive clothing, but for those who want comfort, too. It can still be chic. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice style. Like, let’s get elastic waistbands to look a little bit better," Blair said.

Who better to make Blair's idea a reality than Christian Siriano, a designer who continually strives for inclusivity and body positivity?



Blair is currently starring in the Netflix series "Another Life," and she's determined to use her platform to normalize disability and chronic illness. She's already doing that by using a cane as a mobility device, and she has ideas for improvement.

As Blair hilariously revealed to Vanity Fair: "I bought an acrylic cane that was very Miami 1980 — kind of fabulous and horrible. But the problem with an acrylic cane with MS is that you drop the . If it’s acrylic, I’m like, 'Oh my God. My cane just shattered and it’s everywhere.'"

Importantly, Blair wants to end the unease anyone feels using mobility aids or the prejudice that might result when interacting with a person using one. "You want to still be part of the living, not a shuffling person people get out of the way for because they're queasy," she explained, "A cane, I think, can be a great fashion accessory."

The "Hellboy" actress also understands that demystifying disability is a difficult process that's going to take time: "I really feel like people with disabilities are invisible to a lot of people. Because they’re uncomfortable, or don’t have the energy to dress up, don’t want to be seen."

But Blair is absolutely up for helping to change the way the world views disability, as she tells Vanity Fair, "I’m happy, and if I can help anyone be more comfortable in their skin, it’s more than I’ve ever done before."