Everyone deserves to wear clothes and feel empowered and normalized.
Everyone deserves to wear clothes and feel empowered and normalized.
A fashion designer has created Engand’s first clothing collection for people with dwarfism.
Chamiah Dewey, 23, decided she wanted to make clothes for people of short height – under 4ft 10in – after she met a teenager with dwarfism and realized there was a gap in the market.
5ft 2in Chamiah started a fashion design course at London College of Fashion in September 2018.
In her final year, she started her business – Chamiah Dewey Fashion – and spent the next two years researching and designing before launching her first collection in February 2022.
Chamiah has designed casual clothes, occasion dresses and bridal wear. She was able to show her looks off at London Fashion week in September 2022 and loved seeing the joy on the faces of her models – who say they feel “seen and heard.”
“When I saw the models’ faces when they put on the clothes and walked down the catwalk it was amazing,” said Chamiah adding that “they were beaming.
“All I wanted to do was make people with dwarfism or short stature feel confident and happy in clothes.”
Chamiah had always dreamed of being a fashion designer and her sights set on creating her own brand. In July 2018 she met a woman with dwarfism who spoke to her openly about her condition and how it affected her.
“I was curious about where she got her clothes from as I’ve always loved fashion”, Chamiah said.
“She told me there was hardly anywhere she could get them.”
Chamiah set out researching any brands out there and discovered there wasn’t anything in the UK tailored for people with dwarfism.
“People with dwarfism usually have wide hips, so it makes it tricky to even fit into kids’ clothes,” she said.
She launched her first collection in February 2022 and took the brand full time in July of this year when she graduated.
Chamiah makes sure she creates her designs, so they are suitable for people with dwarfism by avoiding buttons and zips.
“I avoid buttons and zips so I’ll make lots of my dresses wrap dresses, so they are easy to put on and use magnetic snaps instead of buttons.”
Chamiah was ecstatic when she was able to show her clothes off at this year’s London Fashion week.
“I’m living my dream,” she said.
Fatima Timbo, 25, a model with dwarfism and influencer, from Ebbsfleet, Kent, said: “Everyone deserves to wear clothes and feel empowered and normalized.
Produced in association with SWNS Talker.
