We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leila Autrique a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Leila, thanks for joining us today. Do you have any thoughts about how to create a more inclusive workplace?

Inclusivity is not an option. We live in the 21 century and inclusivity and inclusion are a must. To create an inclusive workplace is easier than expected, analyze your business, process and see which area can accommodate inclusion.

As a business owner, you also have to considerate not no have forced inclusion, that means, incorporating people with the abilities you need in your workspace to create a win win and a correct inclusion inside the company.

My personal view on inclusion is quite bias since I started this journey because of my disabled brother. As a designer, I noticed how fashion was not inclusive. Finding a cool, trendy brand that adapted to people with disabilities was non existent, so that is where I entered. I decided to create a brand that had best of both worlds, providing an option for people with disabilities to dress and express as they wished.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Introducing Autrique Brand, a cutting-edge fashion label that is revolutionizing the way we think about clothing. Our brand is dedicated to creating adaptive pieces that are not only stylish and contemporary but also highly functional and versatile.

The inception of Autrique Brand stemmed from a desire to address the lack of inclusive fashion options in the market. We recognized the need for clothing that caters to individuals with disabilities while also appealing to a wider audience. This led us to develop a line of garments that can be transformed and worn in various ways, ensuring that everyone can enjoy our designs.

At Autrique Brand, we prioritize quality and innovation in everything we do. Our pieces are meticulously crafted using hypoallergenic materials and feature a distinctive color block palette. We have replaced traditional buttons with tactical buckles, making our clothing easy to wear for individuals of all abilities.

What sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to inclusivity and creativity. Our designs not only solve the problem of limited options in adaptive fashion but also empower individuals to express themselves through clothing in unique ways. We believe that fashion should be accessible to everyone, and our transformable garments embody this philosophy.

We are proud of the positive impact our brand has had on our customers’ lives and the fashion industry as a whole. Autrique Brand is more than just a clothing label – it is a symbol of progress, diversity, and empowerment. We invite potential clients, followers, and fans to join us on our journey towards a more inclusive and innovative fashion landscape. Experience the future of fashion with Autrique Brand.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Resilience describes my story and process as a designer and a business owner, especially proposing a new idea.

When I started my brand, I never though that bringing a new proposal into the industry would be extremely difficult to position and have acceptance.

Unfortunately, when you do something different or unique, it takes more time to thrive, especially in the fashion industry where everything is aspirational. Creating a fashion brand, truly inclusive, has made a lot of heads to turn and aplaude the project, but not as many clients. People are scared to consume something new/different and the only way forward is resilience and showing people you will keep on going and make the brand more friendly, informative and educational so people may fall in love with the brand and especially the mission.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

For my brand it is really important that our clients become part of our community and understand the mission of our brand. We are now implementing a blog post area in our webpage to informe, educate and share all about our pieces, adaptive fashion and inclusivity, as well as opening a direct chat in socials to have direct communication and to share all about the brand and our process.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.autriquerend.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autrique.brand/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autriquebrand/?

Image Credits
image 1: Einar Gonzales for caras Mexico image 2: Sanq