A FORMER Middlewich police officer-turned-entrepreneur is making waves in the world of children’s fashion just one year after starting her own clothing brand.
Helen Hignett-Clawson designs clothes for kids with physical limitation, which can make them challenging to dress, under her brand Adaptive Clothing UK.
The former Cheshire Police bobby, who left the force after suffering a serious injury on duty, only launched her business in December 2022, and she’s has already won a slew of awards, and an invitation to exhibit her collection at Fashion Week in Italy later this year.
The 41-year-old was inspired to design clothes for children with physical limitations by her niece, Lilly, who has multiple disabilities, including autism.
Helen says a lot of the clothes on the market for children with additional needs prioritise functionality over fashion, but she wanted to see garments with the adaptive features concealed, and in vibrant and contemporary prints.
The mum-of-three said she can’t believe how well it’s going after just one year trading, adding: “The business is going from strength to strength.
“It’s been a great end to last year, and a great start to this year.
“I’m just on the verge of getting investor ready so we can start to scale the business.
“We need some more lines produced. I've got lots of designs I want to get out there. It’s all about expanding the range.
“I need to hire some people because I’m doing everything all on my own at the moment, and it’s a lot. Storage is another issue.
“I’m also aiming to have the first adaptive clothing shop within the UK.
“It would have to be Manchester or London. I’d love to open it in Middlewich, but I don’t think it’s the right place for it.”
Helen has been attracting lots of attention in the business world, and last year won several awards, including the Lux Parent and Baby Award for the best adaptive range in the UK, a Biz Women Trailblazer Award, and was named ‘Inspirational Shero’ at the national She Inspires ceremony in Bolton.
Her clothes have also been nominated for an Inclusive Innovation Designs award, which she says is the one she’d really love to win, as the focus is on the quality her products themselves.
She added: “I’m going to be super, super proud if I win that one. It's not about me, or the business as a whole, but about the products.
They're all are my designs, created by me, and there’s nothing out the like them.
“It would be amazing if I won that one.”
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