This is a story forged from the cauldron of persistence and necessity. GAMUT Management (GAMUT) was born from a labor of love that began with its founder and CEO, Mindy Scheier, a fashion designer by trade who saw her son being born with muscular dystrophy while trying to find clothes that would fit his needs adjusted. Realizing the need extended far beyond her child, she set out to revolutionize the fashion industry and highlight the beauty, worth and economic opportunity of the world’s largest minority. From her initial work establishing and growing the Runway of Dreams Foundation, her vision evolved and GAMUT Management was born.
Since its inception, GAMUT Management has grown into the leading consulting and talent management firm working with and for people with disabilities (PWDs). GAMUT continues to position itself as a pioneer in this space, collaborating with companies like Kohl’s Victoria’s Secret and LVMH and many others to find a higher level of authenticity to engage with and create products for people with disabilities. GAMUT also acts as a talent management company and has the expertise to properly staff, manage and develop talent exclusively for people with disabilities.
Today marks the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This momentous event compelled GAMUT to announce a tool that has been in development for the past several years that aims to redefine the landscape of the Adaptive market and build a level of trust that is central to its long-term growth . The GAMUT Seal of Approvalâ„¢ is the next evolution in codifying how to truly define what it means for a product to be called adaptive. The GAMUT seal represents a mark that denotes a level of authenticity and inclusion throughout the process from the design, development and marketing aspect of the product to mark it as a truly adaptive product that meets the needs of people with disabilities in the marketplace Fulfills. The GAMUT seal was created to reassure consumers that a strict set of requirements developed by disability experts have been met. Throughout its work, GAMUT has continually received feedback from members of the disability community questioning the authenticity of brands entering the adaptive market. It’s about time companies had a real metric to measure whether they’re meeting community standards and ultimately creating a level of brand loyalty that’s essential for those looking to compete in this space.
With the adaptive apparel market currently valued at over $400 billion, brands need to start thinking seriously about this industry. Having a set of criteria and a process by which companies can apply to have their products evaluated and approved is a game changer. It provides a level of quality and commitment to the larger disability community that companies recognize the value and need for inclusive goods. As the disability economy continues to grow, the GAMUT Seal of Approvalâ„¢ will become a benchmark that all companies entering this space should strive for.
While today’s announcement of the seal coincides with the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the first product to officially receive the seal will be an adaptive backpack from adidas Accessories later this calendar year. This serves as a turning point and shows that adidas Accessories leadership recognizes the tremendous market opportunity and the need to get it right. The power of the seal offers a next-level approach to legitimizing the ability of companies to engage in the adaptive space and highlighting the disability economy as real value.
Those who read this column regularly know that much of the writing often comes from an observational position. However, in this case I am writing from the perspective of the participating observer. As a person with a disability, I have vivid memories of my mother taking me shopping for trousers, shirts and that most dreaded experience of all, shoes. It was never pleasant; I remember trying to find things that could be easily buttoned or closed with one hand, or getting shoes that fit my orthotics. To be honest, it was an absolute disaster and I often felt completely drained after one of these outings. Even today, finding the right clothes and accessories that suit my personal and professional needs is still a bit of a chore. In my view, while the GAMUT Seal of Approvalâ„¢ offers both a higher level of authenticity and trust, it offers something more, namely a fundamental level of accountability. The impact of adaptive products goes well beyond aesthetics, it is a message to society that we, the disabled community, belong. We can be an active, vibrant part of everyday life and be proud of who we are. GAMUT Management is a change agent, helping to redefine the cultural landscape we live in today and envisioning the possibilities of what can be.