Stephanie Thomas (born in Chicago, Illinois) is an American disability fashion stylist, public speaker, voice actor, and professor.[1]
According to People magazine, while she was working at a radio station, WVKL-FM (95.7),[2] in Norfolk, Virginia, Thomas wore pajamas for a year as part of the "PJ Deejay" campaign and discussed the limited clothing options for people with physical disabilities on-air every day.[3] Thomas noted that she felt isolated by the stress of going out in public dressed in pajamas.[2]
Thomas has worked in disability fashion styling for 30 years,[4] developing and trademarking the Disability Fashion Styling System, which has been featured by Vogue,[5] The Guardian,[6] Refinery29,[7] Highsnobiety,[8] Paper[9] and The New Yorker.[10]
Early life and education
Thomas is a congenital amputee who has no right thumb and is missing three toes.[7] In a TEDx talk, she said she was not expected to be able to walk.[11] Thomas graduated from high school in 1987 and studied for a Master of Arts in fashion journalism at Academy of Art University.[12]
Career
In an interview with The Guardian, Thomas said she noticed in 2006 that "we have more clothing in stores for dogs than we do for people with disabilities".[1][13] Between 1992 and 2003, Thomas researched disability fashion and trademarked her Disability Fashion Styling System, which she established in 2004.[14][15]
Thomas has worked as a voice actor and jingle singer since 1997.[16] She has recorded voiceovers for Disney, Hilton, Macy's, Toyota, Martini and Rossi, McDonald's, and Netflix.[17]
Thomas is also an adjunct professor at Woodbury University in Burbank, California, where she teaches fashion marketing.[18]
In 2010, Thomas launched a blog about disability fashion that has become a business.[19][20] Thomas also hosts a podcast on disability issues.[21]
To mark the 75th anniversary of Disability Employment Awareness Month and Dwarfism Awareness Month in October 2020, Thomas produced and hosted a two-day online event called "The Power of Personal Style". Speakers included Jameela Jamil.[22][23]
Notable work
Thomas regularly works with 2019 Independent Spirit Awards–nominated[24] actor and disability influencer[25] Lauren "Lolo" Spencer, who has ALS.[26] Spencer has modeled for Tommy Hilfiger adaptive,[27] and was styled by Thomas for the Give Me Liberty film premiere at the Sundance and the film's screening at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019.[10]
Honors
In 2016, Thomas spoke on "Dressing with Disabilities" at Canada's third-largest TEDx event.[28] In 2018, Thomas was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient by Academy of Art University. In 2019, the Business of Fashion website included Thomas on its "BoF 500" list of "People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry".[29]
In 2020, Thomas received an Ed Roberts Award for her work as a disability fashion styling expert, and as founder and CEO of Cur8able, a business dedicated to fashion for people with disabilities.[30]