From Monday 15th September, George at Asda proudly launches a 28-piece collection of adult adaptive clothing which honours the legacy of breast cancer campaigner – Nicky Newman. The new range of adaptive clothing is aimed at people with additional needs that includes openings for feeding tubes, discreet pockets for stoma bags, easy on fastenings and metal-free zips.
Back in March 2023, Nicky took to her Instagram to ask if she could partner with a brand to create an adaptive clothing range. She was listening to her community, who were going through intense treatment themselves and struggling to find clothing suitable and affordable for their treatment needs.
Asda became the first supermarket to offer adaptive clothing that supports independent dressing for children with specific needs such as autism and have now extended the range into men’s and womenswear.
The idea for the new range came from Nicky’s very personal experience and her determination to make life more comfortable and dignified for others in a similar situation.
The range includes, (from left to right on attached group pic), navy joggers (£16), that are metal free and have side zips at the waist, blue logo t-shirt (£11) that has easy PICC line access and a peg opening. Cream wide leg jogger (£16) that has a side zip at the waist, adjustable waist and a concealed stoma bag pocket. Palm springs cream hoody (£20) metal free, easy access to side seam and underarm zips. Blue seashell sweatshirt (£18), a grey wide leg jogger (£16) and St Tropez grey sweat (£18) with a grey wide leg Jogger (£16) – all having easy access to side seam and side zips.
Nicky’s Husband – Alex Newman said “During one of the hardest times of our lives, Nicky was in and out of hospital, suffering side effects from chemotherapy. Having been fitted with a port, she found it undignified to constantly change in and out of her clothes into hospital gowns for scans or to allow access to the port.
She looked for adapted clothing she could wear, but there wasn’t much choice. She bought a jumper from one brand and, while it really helped her, it cost £90 – a huge expense at a time when our finances were already impacted by her leaving her job due to the effects of cancer on her health.”
Nicky was inspired to work with George at Asda to really push for comfortable and affordable clothing lines with adaptable options for others like herself – clothing that allowed you to retain comfort and dignity at a time when that was already difficult. She wanted designs that provided easy access for lines such as her portacath or stomas, and options that were metal-free for use in MRI scans, allowing people to wear their own clothes instead of hospital gowns.
Nicky contacted some of her close community, including Natalie Woodward and Sarah Phillips, who became pivotal to the development of the range, helping with the wearable trials, all while managing significant health challenges of their own.
Alex continued “The first time Nicky saw the samples was the day she went into Woking Hospice. Five days later, she passed away. She wanted me to join her on the conference call, and that moment was so important for me because it gave me an insight into her passion for the project and the huge potential it had.
Seeing those samples and understanding the goals Nicky and George at Asda were striving for was incredible. I wanted Nicky’s dream to be upheld. With her as the driving force behind this, I felt truly inspired, and I’m proud to keep her name and memory alive.”
The collection has taken nearly two years to launch, with the design teams at George wanting to gage as much feedback as possible to ensure all the items produced were useful, comfortable, and suitable for as many conditions as possible.
Karl Doyle, Vice President George Clothing said “We have worked closely with Nicky, Alex and their network of friends to create this bold adaptive range that we hope has fulfilled Nicky’s wishes. We have taken time and passion to really understand the specific needs of each item produced – how we can make them more comfortable, fashionable, affordable and dignified. Today is such a proud moment to see the range launch and we hope it will benefit many more people with specific treatment needs.”
Sarah Phillips, a medical professional who has been involved in the clothing trial lives with a neuromuscular disease that has required a feeding tube, catheter, and extensive scans. She said “This adapted range is a game-changer. It’s not just designed for people who need it – it’s designed by people who need it, and that’s what sets it apart from any other adaptive range. It has been created with clinical knowledge and with the lived experiences of people with disabilities, making it far better than anything else available.
“It looks like normal clothing, but it’s extremely comfortable, high quality, and affordable. We focused on the small details that make a big difference – like plastic zips, so you can wear the clothes during scans instead of having to put on a hospital gown that leaves you feeling exposed.”
“This was Nicky’s idea, and it’s going to improve the lives of so many disabled people. I don’t think I can truly appreciate the magnitude of it – and it’s all thanks to Nicky’s vision.”
Lucy Sancho, one of Nicky’s closest friends, has also been involved throughout the project said “I was so touched when Alex asked me to be part of this project after Nicky’s passing, and I’m so proud to see it launch. Nicky originally brought together people from different backgrounds to capture the widest possible range of needs, ideas, and feedback – and that shows in the finished products.
This was so fundamentally important to Nicky. Supporting Alex as he’s carried on this journey for her has been incredibly special, and seeing her idea come to fruition makes me feel overwhelmingly proud. It’s going to make a huge difference for so many people.”
All 28 items will be available online only from Monday 15th September on www.george.com
