Hair & Care made Fashion Week history this week, partnering with Sinead O’Dwyer for a second time to create an accessible show. O’Dwyer debuted at Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW) with her SS25 collection following her recent win of Zalando’s Visionary Award, and after a successful collaboration at London Fashion Week in February, Hair & Care join O’Dwyer again to bring the element of accessibility to blind and low vision guests – this season, also being able to champion the inclusion of a blind model.
Hair & Care was also able to include Lucy Edwards in the show – blind broadcaster, disability activist and content creator – who graced the runway on Wednesday with her guide dog, Miss Molly. Lucy’s runway debut made history, as the first blind model to ever walk at Copenhagen Fashion Week, and the first to walk for a London designer. Lucy is renowned for her work as a blind activist, and made a perfect fit for the collaboration, highlighting the importance of inclusion, representation and accessibility. Lucy took to the runway, with the signature Scandi slick back, created by Cofone, crowning her look.
Cofone founded Hair and Care in 2019, with the non-profit working to make the hair industry more accessible to visually impaired (VI) and blind women and young girls: empowering them to increase self-esteem and reduce isolation, through monthly sessions. Cofone was inspired to start the project by her father, who was blind. Growing up, Cofone’s father was always well-dressed and groomed – which she later realised was his way of helping himself feel seen.
Cofone, the leading session stylist, said: “There is a real a misconception out there that the blind and VI community are not interested in beauty or haircare – and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. They are no different to the rest of us. It’s so important to feel seen and have an accessible route to self-care.”
It was at one of those monthly sessions, hosted by Hair & Care that Cofone and Lucy met. Since, Cofone has spent the last four months working to bring the moment that made history on the CPHFW catwalk.
“The most important thing was to make sure the experience would be safe and accessible for Lucy – from travelling with an airline that she trusts, to ensuring she could sleep in the same hotel as Hair & Care, to securing shuttle buses, time alone with a movement director and perfecting the tactile markings on the catwalk.”
With a mission to make fashion accessible, Hair & Care is also thrilled to have been able to welcome blind and low vision guests through partnering with the Danish Association of the Blind. Guests were able to listen to pre-recorded audio descriptions of each of the looks, detailing the fabrics and colours worn by the models, as well as feeling swatches of the fabrics used in O’Dwyer’s designs as they were being shown.
As well as heading up Hair & Care, Cofone led on the hair for Sinead’s show, with sponsor Easydry, and product support from Authentic Beauty Concept.
Cofone said: “It was so special having Lucy there as the first blind model to walk at Copenhagen. When we styled Lucy’s hair, we felt the textures and shapes together, so that Lucy could imagine the look. Beauty being accessible for all is so important to us, as is the awareness that if a person is blind, it doesn’t mean they don’t care about their appearance – it’s quite the opposite. Hair and make-up can mean so much to a person’s sense of identity and confidence, and we aim to embrace that when creating looks.”
Anna founded Hair & Care with a mission to make the industry accessible for the sight loss community and to support blind and low vision girls through their hair care. Hair & Care is committed to making the industry a space for all, and hope through collaborations like these, to inspire lasting change within the industry.