Our panellists

The panel included four Disabled people who are working across journalism, architecture, teaching, research, and important voluntary services. They were: 

• Scar Barclay (they/them), a neurodivergent designer, educator, and writer who is part of The DisOrdinary Architecture Project. 
• Peter Torres Fremlin (he/him) is the creator of a weekly newsletter, Disability Debrief, and previously worked with international organisations, including UN agencies. 
• Lei Crowe (they/them), a neurodivergent and chronically ill hobbyist researcher focused on queer and crip theories, and sexuality. 
• Heylove Robert Mark Sr (he/him), a disability activist and advocate with 16 years of experience, currently serving as an Administrative Assistant at Age Action Ireland. 

Watch the webinar recording

Webinar Transcript PDF (2MB)

Key takeaways from the webinar

Our definition of accessibility is always rooted in multi-modality. You can watch the conversation back via the video, you can use the transcript, and below, you can find our key takeaways from the discussion. These are: 

1. Prioritising candid information
2. Understanding sensory needs and social acceptance
3. Designing for spontaneity and privacy
4. Co-designing with Disabled people as experts
5. Ensuring equal access to to safety and escape
6. Embracing accessibility hijacking and creative access

1. Prioritising candid information 

All panellists discussed the importance of sharing honest, clear accessibility information in advance. This allows Disabled people to make informed decisions, and prepare themselves for various environments and scenarios. Lei spoke about the essential nature of this communication and transparency for those with dynamic disabilities.

Lei: “I think it’s important to be upfront about what is or isn’t possible at a space or event, so a Disabled person can make an informed decision. I have a dynamic disability, and if I knew there were a few steps, and definitely no ramps, I know I could use a walking stick that day instead of a wheelchair. How do we make something accessible? There are a million different ways people could have barriers to entry to a space, so you are never going to cover them all. But if you are upfront and say these are the barriers, then you can start troubleshooting how to help them.”

The conversation also underlined how accessibility is not just about physical features; it also involves how warmly we welcome one another and the important information we share about how to use a space.

Peter spoke about a local café that he wanted to visit, but as there were steps and no visible ramp, the message, “I am not welcome”, was clear to him. However after speaking to the staff, he learned that the ramp was just hidden away with no signs or messages indicating its existence.

Peter: “Of course we have a ramp. I mean we didn’t put a sign to it, we didn’t tell you about it, there is no way that you would know that. Your experience from all these other places suggests they might not, but of course we do. So they have a little ramp, and they bring it out, and it’s beautiful. I can go in the cafe and have a sandwich and use the accessible bathroom they’ve got.”

Communication is a key element of accessibility. It is great that employers, restaurants, museums and retail stores are increasingly asking Disabled people about their access needs, but this also puts a burden of responsibility on Disabled people. It would be more effective if they shared honest information up front so that Disabled people can respond in an informed way, and if needed, ask further questions.  

2. Understanding sensory needs and social acceptance

No two Disabled people have the same lived experience, even if they have the same disability.

In built environment projects, designing for and with Neurodivergent people has always been part of our practice, and is also becoming increasingly important for our clients in the private and public sector. Often, the first solution that is requested for Neurodivergent people is a quiet room or a sensory room. In our webinar, it was re-iterated by both Lei and Scar that these are two different solutions for different access accommodations, but typically they are treated and understood as if they are the same. Both are safe places for people to decompress or reset their senses in busy or stressful environments, but in very different ways. For some Neurodivergent people, the most accessible way for them to de-sensitise in a space is to scream, release energy and emotion, while for others, their preference is to be in a low-lit space in silence.

• A quiet room is usually located away from the louder or busy areas at an event. Typically, this will be a quiet space that includes comfortable seating, soft lighting, and fidget tools that may help someone to decompress. 
• A sensory room is a space that embraces sensory stimuli. Sensory rooms are often stocked full of many different types of equipment. This equipment is used to assist people to focus on the present moment and to better process sensory information. Stocked equipment may be provided for balance, movement, calming pressure, or fidgeting behavior.

Where there is only a single provision put in place to meet these very divergent needs, one person’s access needs impinges on the other. Designing for both solutions and being clear in communicating what is and isn’t available, and how spaces are most likely to be used is a short term and essential piece of accessibility.

Lei: “The conference is called, Autscape, and I would describe it as a residential anti-conference run for and by autistic people. I find the terms like sensory room or sensory space is used synonymously with a quiet space, when there are actually two aspects of sensory needs, and they can exist within the same person. This anti-conference is the only space that I have seen where they have two different sensory rooms. One is quiet, and you are encouraged not to talk, but there are some fidgets and low lighting. And then, on the other side of the campus entirely, is the sensory-seeking sensory room where it’s music blaring, and people can just scream if they need to.”

There is a need to rethink a sensory approach to design beyond the traditional ‘quiet space’ to also embrace people who are sensory-seeking, and to challenge the social acceptance of disability-related behaviour types in public spaces.

3. Designing for spontaneity and privacy

We learned in the webinar that Disabled people often need to prepare themselves to enter a space. But, like non-Disabled people, our ambition should also be that Disabled people get to be spontaneous, and get to live and exist in the present. This came up in conversation, particularly in relation to transport, as we learned that some access provisions can rob a Disabled person of spontaneity and could be an invasion of privacy. Some public spaces require Disabled people to give advanced notice of their visit so that access provisions can be put in place. This is often framed as a way of managing capacity and resources, but we can’t forget the human cost. 

Heylove: “I have to call the train station for them to arrange their accessible ramp for me to be able to get on board a train to go to school. I have to give my personal details where I am going every time I am going out, […] so it’s kind of weird. I believe getting on a train, there should be some automatic ramp that I should be able to access if I am having an emergency or want to have some spontaneous trips around, so I need to call somebody to come help, which doesn’t sound right.” 

While there is a level of acceptance that this may be necessary for some older sites, planning for efficient accessibility in newer public spaces should offset this requirement.

The primary goal of accessibility is to enable equitable experiences and independence for Disabled people and others with access needs. Accessibility is iterative, and when we have resources and provisions in place, we should feel empowered to continue to gain feedback, audit and iterate our solutions, so we can continuously improve.  

4. Co-designing with Disabled people as experts 

When designing buildings, public places and spaces for society as a whole, those that are tasked with design responsibilities should be representative of society and welcome everybody. This allows us to bring in the perspectives of different kinds of people, and to design public spaces that focus on how different people use buildings and public areas across the human lifecycle. We learn that society’s needs are often complex, overlap with other parts of identity, and change as people get older.

Deliberately co-creating with Disabled people, as early as possible, will be fundamental  to the design process. When buildings and public spaces truly reflect how people will actually use them, the result will be spaces that are more environmentally and socially sustainable.

Designing without Disabled voices leads to systemic exclusion, while co-design drives more effective solutions. Disabled people must be recognised and valued as experts, innovators, and decision-makers.

Peter: “I write a newsletter called Disability Debrief, and the idea is that disability gives us a new lens on the world and new lens on design and how we use spaces. The lived experience is so diverse, the way that Disabled people move and see through the world and experience it shows us a new way of understanding spaces and accessibility and how they’re used. Another thing as a designer that’s important to do, as we have all kind of been saying, is finding ways to listen to that diversity and feedback and co-creation with Disabled people is a huge asset.”

5. Ensuring equal access to safety and escape

Of course accessibility is not only about getting into and around a building; it is also about feeling safe and knowing that if an emergency were to arise, you can evacuate safely and with dignity.

This should include the use of evacuation lifts in all new multi-storey buildings, and ensuring that building management plans and the fire safety plan include the needs of Disabled people 

That may sound daunting but it really involves giving extra thought to who may require assistance and planning ahead. For example how someone who cannot hear a fire alarm can be alerted visually or with vibrations, making sure that building users are familiar with evacuation routes where they are not the one they used to enter, and ensuring that the staff are trained in how to direct and support people who may need assistance to exit.

As with everything we have discussed, asking the Disabled person rather than making assumptions about what they may need is important.

Scar: “I want people to be aware that I am in the U.K., and we obviously had Grenfell in the last few years, and that caused revisions to fire regulations. One of the things they didn’t adopt is around Disabled people having a right to escape. There was one aspect around them putting PEEPs (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) in place for people in residential buildings, and not making it difficult and that was the thing that got omitted. We think of fire regulations being robust, however, they have let Disabled people down and there needs to be conversations on how people experience refuge spaces and being left in refuge spaces. So the measure I would put in is that all new builds have to put evacuation lifts in, and they need to do proper training around the management plan, around safety, and around their fire strategy so people reliably enter buildings and know they are going to be safe.”

6. Embracing accessibility hijacking and creative access

Lastly, a phrase that came up again and again during the webinar was “accessibility hijacking”. The phrase was introduced by Lei to talk about the innovations for access they have seen by Disabled people, specifically for organisations and individuals that are working with low-budgets. 

Lei: “[A Queer social group] found a way to have an accessible space for multiple different needs. They rented out a music rehearsal venue, and because of the needs of instruments being quite heavy, all of the various access differences on the floors were negotiated with very gentle, sloped ramps, and because of the needs of people who are rehearsing in this space at the same time. It’s that ingenuity, when you are locked out of built-for-purpose options, that I love in queer and Disabled communities, that they hijack accessibility.”

Scar talked about their love for Carmen Papalia’s piece, “Mobility Device”. Papalia is a Blind artist who explores wayfinding and new methods of navigating the world. In 2015, Papalia replaced his white cane with a marching brass band to explore a London park. 

Scar: “Disabled people are always hacking their environment because the built environment has not been designed with diverse Disabled people’s needs in mind, so we are the most kind of creative people to respond to an environment that hasn’t desired us back. […] I really, really loved Carmen Papalia’s Mobility Device. […] It wasn’t so much that the brass band were necessarily leading him, but he was leading the brass band and starts to question a lot of these ideas about wayfinding, about playful understandings around accessibility and how we relate to other people, whether it’s about independence or interdependence.” 

We often see that the simplest approach is the most effective, accessibility does not need to mean a big spend. Often, offering different options to people with a range of accessibility accommodations ensures that everyone has a welcoming experience. Creative and simple solutions such as signage and colour contrast, printing information in larger fonts, providing a resting place, and offering different heights and types of seating.  

This webinar has focused on the built environment but how a building is used, but design alone cannot be the solution. As we know from our work in people and workplace culture, and product and service design, it is the framework of people, digital and infrastructure that create true accessible environments, cultures, and societies.

Q&A from the audience

We were so pleased that our webinar audience joined us from at least 15 countries and throughout the conversation, they were very engaged with information, feedback, resources and questions. Due to the timing, we didn’t get to answer all of their questions, but we wanted to share them below along with some responses to spark further conversations.

P.S. They also shape our planning for future webinars!

Universal design and participatory design

Question: Why is there not more evidence of participatory design?

Answered by Sinéad (Tilting the Lens): This is a question that we spend a long time thinking about. Participatory design is sometimes a synonym for co-design, or consultative design. But, the reality is that the process, outcomes and power structures for each of these approaches greatly differ.

I do think that we are seeing more examples of co-design and of new policies, programmes being developed with Disabled people. Some of this progress is because of requirements under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRD). The UNCRPD sets an obligation for governments and public bodies to meaningfully engage with Disabled people in public decision making.

But, we are also seeing great examples of new buildings, new products, and new ways of working being co-designed by Disabled people. Over the past year, we’ve been fortunate to co-design banking apps, corporate office environments, adaptive fashion and communication strategies with Disabled people. We’ll tell you about them in our newsletter very soon. 

Question: Why isn’t Universal Design applied more often in both physical and virtual spaces?

Answered by Sinéad (Tilting the Lens): The terminology of Universal Design has been in use for a long time, but still, remains largely misunderstood and is often measured against the same prerogatives and the same checklists used to measure compliance with established regulations and guidance, rather than being embraced as a design philosophy.  

At Tilting the Lens, we are specific in our approach and in our language. We deliberately speak about our work as human-centred design. We feel this is an evolution of universal design and inclusive design.

Adaptive fashion

Question: What are specific apparel needs and considerations for independent dressing or comfort? What are the primary difficulties found in clothing accessibility?

Answered by Laia (Tilting the Lens): In 2025, Tilting the Lens published a report called, “Co-designing adaptive fashion with the Disabled community”. The report was based on co-designed research with Disabled people globally about their barriers and difficulties around fashion. The report also provides a framework for the fashion industry to move beyond basic compliance to genuine inclusion.

Protected buildings

Question: What is the panel’s view on protected (historic) buildings that refuse to make adaptations to allow for access?

Answered by Orla (Tilting the Lens): There is a misconception that a building protected for its heritage is exempt from accessibility legislation, which is not always the case. The approach differs across the globe and it can be complicated, but generally speaking, while the owners or managers of these buildings must seek additional statutory permissions, that does not mean they do not need to consider what can be done. And often, the onus is on them to justify why heritage should be prioritised over accessibility.

Advocacy in the workplace

Question: How can a neurodivergent person, especially one at a lower level of a company’s hierarchy, successfully advocate for organisational awareness of diverse access needs? 

Answered by Emma (Tilting the Lens): I really like this question and wish I had explored it earlier in my career. Since much of my work now focuses on improving the reasonable adjustments process in organisations, I would suggest starting by researching your employer’s policies, processes, and materials on reasonable adjustments and disability, as well as their overall commitment to inclusion and access. This is important to understand how you can access the supports you need to be successful, whilst also being an opportunity to see if their stated values match their actions. Talking with members of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) can also be very useful. Even if there isn’t a specific group for disability or accessibility, other ERGs can give valuable advice on how to advocate within the company. Also, I would seek out a senior colleague who is an ally or has openly shared their neurodivergent experience. Building a mentoring relationship with them can be really rewarding.

To give you an example of this kind of work, I recently supported ASOS on enhancing their engagements with their Disabled employees.

Where do I start with accessibility in the built environment?

Our panellists weighed in with their ideas about where to start today. 

Heylove: “First thing that needs to be done is to do an accessibility audit and with other Disabled people and fix the simplest barriers immediately […] like adding portable ramps and the signs and prioritising seating areas. Spaces where Disabled people would occupy.”

Peter: “One of the distinctions I make is between access hardware and access software. The hardware of these physical things, whether the steps, the lifts, or the tactile surfaces or hearing loops. They are normally harder things to change. But if you’re a designer, one thing that you can do from the first point is change the software. Change that way how people are greeted and what information is available, and how the space is used, the processes that you get support or adjustments.

At Tilting the Lens we say to start where you are. We believe that meaningful change is often about progress and iteration, not perfection. It’s about all of us, at every level, embedding these practices into our budgets, contracts, leadership commitments and day to day tasks. 

References and resources

From the conversation:

• Peter runs the newsletter Disability Debrief,
• Scar works at The DisOrdinary Architecture Project,
• Scar mentioned Studio Pacifica,
• Scar mentioned the artist, Carmen Papalia and the Mobility Device project,
• Lei mentioned the Autscape conference.

Tilting the Lens resources:

• From audit to equitable environment – one of the most accessible and human-centred experiences for schools in Ireland, read the RDS Science Blast case study.
• A neurodivergent-inclusive workplace audit case study to improve workspace accessibility.

If you don’t want to miss our next webinar, make sure to sign up to our mailing list.

In November 2024, I received an email from Andrew Bolton, the Curator in Charge at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

I first met Andrew in the restaurant at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London during the press preview of his touring exhibition, ‘Savage Beauty’. That was over 15 years ago, and in the time since, I have had the privilege of spending considerable time with Andrew and the wider team at the Costume Institute – always curious, always advocating, always learning. 

Andrew’s email read, “I’m working on our spring 2025 and spring 2026 exhibitions. The latter is focused on fashion and the aesthetics of embodiment. I’d love to speak with you about it at some point.” That email led to many, many conversations. 

To rewind a little, The Costume Institute, is a curatorial department of the Met focused on fashion and costume design. And to rewind even further (this is relevant, I promise) the Costume Institute began its life called the Museum of Costume Art, a venture by Irene and Alice Lewisohn, as they worked in theatre and developed an archive of costume, set and stage design. The Costume Art Museum was expanded into the Met in 1946, but remained independently run until 1959, when it became a curatorial department.

From 1946 to now, the Costume Institute is solely responsible for fundraising to cover and fund the department’s operating expenses. It is the only curatorial department at the Met required to raise its own operating funds. The first Met Gala was designed and hosted in 1946 to fund these operating costs, and it has grown from there. 

The 'Costume Art' exhibition

The 2026 exhibition ‘Costume Art’ came through many iterations over that time, and is now open in the Condé Nast Galleries at the Met, celebrating seven types of body, including a section on the ‘Disabled Body’ and how it shows up in both fashion and art. 

Over the past 18 months, Tilting the Lens has been proud to support the Costume Institute with a number of key objectives:

• Consulting on the curation of the ‘Disabled Body’
• Consulting on the Costume Art catalogue
• Training for the volunteer guides
• Supporting greater accessibility at the exhibition’s private opening and fundraiser, the Met Gala. 

On a personal level, I also contributed to the exhibition via:

• Participation in mannequin development, and 
• Donating two pieces from my wardrobe to the Costume Institute’s permanent collection.

‘Costume Art’ is an exhibition that underscores the validity of fashion as art, if it was ever in question. It also demonstrates how, unlike many other forms, an argument could be made that fashion exceeds art, due to the transforming nature of embodiment. But what does this mean? In plainer terms, when a person wears fashion, it evolves from being an object, a piece or a garment, and becomes movement, and evolves based on the wearer. This is both what makes fashion art, and extends beyond it.

The Costume Institute has consistently explored the body and fashion, but this exhibition had two specific objectives: the first is to draw on the artistic endeavours of the Met’s other curatorial departments, creating a specific link between the Costume Institute’s collections, and more traditional work such as sculpture, fine art and more. The connecting tissue is the body. The abstract body, the Disabled body, the corpulent body, the inscribed body, the anatomical body, the aging body, the vital body, and the mortal body are centred in the Costume Institute connecting to relevant artworks and objects from across the museum.

The second objective was to increase the representation of bodies, and in turn, mannequins at the Costume Institute. In 2023, curator Mellissa Huber’s exhibition, “Women Dressing Women” commissioned a mannequin to be made of model, Aariana Rose Philip, and acquired the mannequin made of my body from Proportion London, first created for the Body Beautiful exhibition at the National Museums of Scotland. 

The Mannequin

Back in 2018 the first mannequin of my body was made through a laborious casting process that took several days for the Body Beautiful exhibition. I had to stand still in one pose, as my body was covered in casting material to make a mould, to then make a mannequin. This is one of the first mannequins of a person with dwarfism to exist, and beyond Edinburgh it has also been on display in the V&A in London, the Met New York, and is about to be included in an exhibition at the V&A in Dundee. It has also acted as a canvas for young fashion designers creating adaptive collections, specifically for little people and those with dwarfism.

A key limitation of this mannequin was the inflexibility of the process and in turn, the pose. If a curator needed a mannequin to be positioned in a specific way, the flexibility and range was limited. For ‘Costume Art’, the Costume Institute sought to trial a different process that would give almost any option.

In August 2025, myself and Laia Cargol Martinez travelled to Brooklyn for ‘photogrammetry’ at New York Capture’s studio. Photogrammetry is the science of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring and interpreting photographic images and patterns of electromagnetic radiant imagery. In practice, it was a cylindrical machine, with cameras placed three inches apart, covering the entire surface area. There was a small space to step into, and in the centre, every part of your body was in the centre of a lens. 

It was an intimidating process. Standing in my underwear and a pair of shoes that didn’t fit, I was encouraged by the team at the Costume Institute to move my body into positions that could be used in this exhibition or a future one. Seeing your body from all angles and perspectives is an act of empowerment, but starts with the need to unpick, challenge, and silence the perspective that with bodies, there is a norm, an ideal, a desirability. We are all the norm, the ideal, and desirable.

With the scans complete, the artist Frank Benson transformed the imagery into “digital clay” and the mannequins were made by Bonaveri in Italy. For this exhibition, each mannequin has a mirror in place of a face, so that visitors can see themselves in the bodies, the garments and the objects. 

The Disabled Body

For Tilting the Lens to consult and support the development of this section of the exhibition was a significant challenge. Our remit began with the title of this thematic section. We were specific and explicit in our naming and referencing, as while the etymology of the words disability and disabled often focus on absence, lacking, or deficiency, we were clear that in our naming of the Disabled Body, it is an exercise in Disability Pride, and an act of continued reclamation. In naming this section ‘Disabled Body’ we wanted Disabled people to feel welcome, to be invited, and to see themselves in the pieces and objectives, and to challenge the absences that continue to exist. 

One exhibition alone cannot include all perspectives, all bodies, or all Disabled bodies. That continued exclusion cannot be excused. Instead, it must create an urgency for museums and cultural spaces to continue to invest, expand, partner, and collaborate.   

In ‘Disabled Body’ fashion objects and garments are paired with artworks and objects from other curatorial departments across the Met. This pairing of work creates opportunity for new conversations. For example, the exhibition features a four inch marble statue of a person with dwarfism from 332-150 BCE, made close to 2,300 years ago. The sculpture signifies the cultural honor of dwarves in ancient Egyptian society. It is paired with my mannequin, and a Vivienne Westwood t-shirt from 1978, worn as a dress on a little person’s body. Standing in front of the two pieces together, it provokes questions and thoughts – why in one artistic medium is this body-type visible and valued, and in another, that visibility came later, and remains rare? Disabled bodies often had a much earlier presence and prevalence in other artforms, than in fashion. 

For ‘Disabled Body’, Tilting the Lens researched design archives for disability-related collections, and lived experiences of designers. Throughout the curatorial process, we suggested key pieces, pairings and ensured that this section of the exhibition was as broad as possible. We also supported the framing and context of this section, ensuring that themes of disability rights, disability pride, and Disability Justice were centered. This practice extended to the exhibition catalogue too. ‘Disabled Body’ also pairs artworks like Street, a photograph by Nolan Trowe. It’s an image taken from a lower height, looking up at the display screen of the inside of an elevator. The screen reads “Street”.

Street is paired with a pair of Levi jeans made in partnership with the Disabled designer, Helen Cookman, and a denim jumpsuit by Lou Dehrot and Louise Linderoth. The jeans are presented on mannequins of Antwan Tolliver and Sonia Vera, both wheelchair users.

This section of the exhibition also features the Disabled designer, Sugandha Gupta, and features mannequins modelled from the bodies of Disabled models, Aariana Rose Philip and Aimée Mullins. It showcases designers, painters and sculptural works that reference Deafness, Blindness, physical disabilities, neurodivergence, and mental illness. It also reveals the gaps that exist in fashion with designers identifying as Disabled, and pathways for Disabled fashion designers to succeed. 

For transparency, Tilting the Lens has a scholarship programme with Parsons School of Design – The Parsons Disabled Fashion Student Programme is a fully-funded scholarship to create a pipeline of Disabled fashion talent. We are about to enrol our third cohort of students.

It’s likely that some people who will visit Costume Art, will not have a lot of prior knowledge about disability. The purpose of including the Disabled Body in this exhibition is to communicate that disability is part of the human experience. We are all likely to experience disability and a Disabled body, particularly if we have the fortune to age. Historically, to be Disabled, was to be less than others, to be worthy of pity or shame. Costume Art rejects these ideas and instead, honours the beauty and validity of the Disabled body.

Training for Volunteer Guides

The Costume Art exhibition will be on display until January 2027. A typical Costume Institute exhibition attracts somewhere between 300,000 and 750,000 visitors (WWD 2025) and the volunteer guides support those visitors with brilliant, informative and engaging tours. The guides go through a number of training sessions in preparation for the exhibition opening. 

Curators will often host a session about the objects in the exhibition, providing context for the chronology, the background rationale and how some objects came to be acquired. To support the guides in feeling greater confidence in discussing ‘Disabled Body’, Tilting the Lens designed and hosted a virtual training program.

The training covered: 

• The models of disability; from eugenics to Disability Justice. With historical understanding of how and why disability is framed and considered, it helps us explain the current context and language. 
• Disability terminology and avoiding euphemisms. This section of the exhibition is proudly called ‘Disabled Body’, and we wanted to ensure that guides felt confident using disability-first language, and equipped to explain why, if necessary.
• An introduction to visual descriptions. The Met’s education and accessibility teams are excellent and they have put together a range of accessible programming and tours for Costume Art. But, if you’re a Blind person or someone with low vision, or if you’re a little person and at the back of a tour, brief, visual descriptions create a fairer experience as you move through the space.
• Supporting guests’ access needs. Using potential visitor profiles, we practiced scenarios where the guides’ role was to remove barriers to support visitors through the space. If someone needs to sit and rest, how do we direct them and support them to come back to the tour? If a person is over-stimulated, where can they go to de-compress and feel more regulated? If a visitor is lip-reading, how should the guide present the tour in the most accessible way? 

The training was recorded and will hopefully be a useful tool for guides throughout the exhibition run. We know that one training session cannot cover all topics, and for training to be most useful, it has to be followed by action and practice. We will continue to be available to the guides for the duration of the exhibition for queries, and to help solve barriers and challenges as they arise.

The Met Gala

I have been advocating for a more accessible Met Gala for almost 20 years. The Met Gala is a fundraiser, a party, and over 80 years, has evolved to become a litmus test for who and what is accepted and valued in fashion. That can be both a positive and a negative, but for many Disabled people, particularly those with physical disabilities, climbing the steps to the Met Gala has always been inaccessible. It has meant that very few physically Disabled people have attended the Met Gala. To the best of our knowledge, it’s Aimée Mullins, and me. I attended the Met Gala once before in 2019.

If Disabled talent can’t access the red carpet and have their photo taken, it’s unlikely fashion brands will sponsor their ticket and invite them to the Gala. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So, why can’t we make it accessible? 

Challenges in built environment access

The steps at the front of the Met Museum were designed by Richard Morris Hunt in 1975. They replaced a narrower staircase and today, they are 13.5 feet high and 154 feet long. In 1986, The Met was designated a National Historic Landmark. There are approximately 2,500 National Historic Landmarks in the US, and in theory, they can be altered to be accessible, but under the Americans with Disabilities Act, historic and protected buildings do not have to be compliant if: “the requirements for accessible routes (exterior and interior), ramps, entrances, or toilets would threaten or destroy the historic significance of the building or facility.” – US Access Board. 

I am not an architect, but I spend a lot of time with built environment experts, and at Tilting the Lens, moving beyond compliance in this space is one of our key services. I’ve always known that:

• Any attempt to ramp the steps, (i.e. level a section of the steps to include a ramp), would potentially meet the threshold for ADA non-compliance. But even if it didn’t, the incline of a 13.5 feet high ramp would be too steep and too dangerous for a wheelchair-user. 
• There is a handrail on either side of the far left and right of the steps. These rails are not robust enough to hold a stair lift and even if it were to work, this often isn’t a preferred solution. 
• My suggestion has always been to extend the tent. Typically at the Met Gala, the width of the tent spans two city blocks; 82nd to 84th street. It covers an entry point, check-in and the stairs up to the main entrance. Yet, the Met has a step-free entrance on 81st street. It’s clearly labelled and used by visitors daily. Why can the tent not be extended to include the 81st street step-free entrance? Yes, Disabled guests will still not be able to climb the steps, it will not be an equal experience, but they will be able to attend and participate in the red carpet moment. 

An accessible entrance

In November 2025, I received an email from the team at Vogue that said they were once again putting together a small host committee who reflect the exhibition theme, and that “Anna is hoping to include you”.

I must admit, I didn’t respond straight away. 

I knew that this role was an opportunity to leverage change. I couldn’t be there if there wasn’t meaningful access. This was another opportunity to ask for what I and other people need. If you’ve ever received an email from me, you’ll know that they’re usually lengthy, explanatory, optimistic and challenging. So I started drafting and redrafting:

“… I feel a sense of responsibility in what my presence at the Benefit, and even more, my inclusion in the Host Committee could represent. I’m very conscious that in 2019, great consideration of my accessibility needs were taken into account by Vogue, the Met, and Gucci. In the proceeding six years, I’ve invested my time and energy to ensure that change is not just for me. The stairs leading up to the Met is a constant and very visual reminder that for many Disabled people, the Met Gala is not for them. I would like to work with you to see if a solution can be found to ensure that Disabled people can attend, or at the very least, aspire to attend.

I understand that the Metropolitan Museum is in a protected, historic building and adding a ramp to the stairs is not feasible from both a legislative and finance perspective. But, perhaps there is a way to consider the adjacent step-free entrance as a secondary route, one that is as aesthetically pleasing, as engaging, and as welcoming as the stairs.” 

And so began many conversations. First with Vogue, and then with the Met. In February 2026, it was confirmed confidentially that the tent would be extended to include the step-free entrance at 81st Street. Disabled guests would arrive, queue for the red carpet, be interviewed by the live-stream, have their photographs taken on the flat surface and go left, rather than up the stairs, to the step-free entrance. Disabled guests would then use the elevator to reach the new fashion galleries and join all other guests. 

This is not a perfect solution, but it is progress. 

The Costume Institute’s permanent collection

One of Tilting the Lens’ principles is building legacy memory. We want change and the tools for change to not just live with one person, or one department in a company or organisation, but for it to be part of the fabric in how things function long term. This is important, because if that catalyst is taken away for any reason, everything stalls. That’s not the fault of the person, but a failure of the institution. Our work is about cementing that in every project that we do.

This project was no exception. 

The Costume Institute has a permanent collection of over 33,000 objects. As per the Costume Institute’s website, the permanent collection is open for research appointments by scholars, graduate students, doctoral students, and designers in relevant fields. In thinking about how we expand fashion academia, support doctoral students to study disability and design, and encourage designers and students to examine the ableism in design systems, the permanent collection must represent and provoke these ideas. I’m really proud to have donated two pieces from my wardrobe to the Costume Institute’s permanent collection for this very purpose.

I donated the Burberry trench coat and crown that was cut and photographed by Tim Walker for the cover of the Business of Fashion’s Age of Influence print issue in 2018. Along with a white cotton Alexander McQueen dress and leather belt that was photographed by Adama Jollah for British Vogue’s May 2023 Reframing Fashion issue, with Tilting the Lens as consulting editors. 

I know that for some, fashion is frivolous, expensive, and harmful. It can be all of those things, and it is also an institution that shapes culture, society, and is an extraordinary art form. It has an urgent responsibility to do better for people and the planet, but it is also an industry that we cannot escape from. We all wear clothes. 

Watch the recording

Our key takeaways

1. Accessibility is cultural, not just procedural

Ade stressed that accessibility extends beyond processes like captioning or HR policies. It’s about the established workplace culture. ITV uses tools like Accessibility Passports and leadership education to normalise adjustments and encourage openness. 

“I do think there’s something more than just the processes; it’s about the people and how the people implement those processes, because sometimes the process is not enough, sometimes it’s about how people interact, and what they are willing to share.” – Ade Rawcliffe

2. Collaboration among competitors accelerates progress

Thanks to efforts like the TV Access Project, UK broadcasters work together to improve accessibility, even though they are competing for viewers. Ade also encouraged other industries to come together and create similar shared models that can lead to positive, sector-wide changes through teamwork.

“When we’re making television programmes, of course, we’re in competition with Netflix, which Bella worked for, and the BBC; we’re in competition with them. But when it comes to trying to change the world around accessibility, we often work together and learn from each other. We have something called the TV Access Project, something across broadcasters. So I would say to people who aren’t in broadcasting or television, think about how you can work with other people in your sector, because I think we’re stronger together.” – Ade Rawcliffe

3. Disabled leadership is essential

Representation isn’t just about hiring; Ade emphasised the importance of retention, promotion, and leadership opportunities for Disabled individuals. She highlighted ITV’s leadership programme for Deaf, Disabled, and Neurodivergent employees, which has had a positive influence on senior management.

“[The leadership programme] had an impact on the senior leadership team, because they were all being sponsored by someone on the ExCo or PLC Board. And just learning about how you have people with different needs coming together and making a space accessible for everybody. When you see that in micro, you think, how do we scale that up so all our meetings and everything we do runs like that.” – Ade Rawcliffe

4. Authentic narratives require Disabled people behind the camera

Bella highlighted that genuine representation isn’t just about featuring Disabled characters; it’s really important to have Disabled individuals in production and post-production roles too. She mentioned that without Disabled editors, writers, or crew members, stories might end up leaning on stereotypes rather than offering real, authentic perspectives. Bella’s own journey started through a BBC access scheme, which she believes should be expanded and adapted – perhaps by making it easier to skip the physically demanding entry roles like ‘Runner.’

“Why not have schemes that could bypass the runner stage and go straight into assisting, because we need assistants. And I think that’s already a barrier in place for Disabled people, especially people who are physically disabled, to even get into the industry, when it’s so drilled into you that you need to be a runner and make coffee and tea. What do we do with people who struggle physically to be able to do that? And how can we make it better? For me personally, I would love more schemes in place that would skip the runner stage and go straight into assisting.” – Bella Roberts

5. Social media as both a career tool and an advocacy platform

Bella’s TikTok and Instagram presence have effectively helped her connect with opportunities, while also sharing honest insights about working in post-production as a Disabled person. Her sincere openness challenges “inspiration porn” and sets realistic expectations for those considering entering the industry.

“It wasn’t always my intention to come into content and be that voice in the Disabled community, but it just so happened to be. I love making content; it’s given me a lot of opportunities. And I think authenticity is so important. For me, I like to be real on social media, because why lie and say it’s easy, and everyone can get in, because it creates false hope for students coming in.” – Bella Roberts

6. Access Coordinators are vital but underused in post-production

While Access Coordinators are becoming more common in production, Bella mentioned she has never seen one in post-production, which is often an afterthought. She believes having people in this role could really make a positive difference for editors and other post-production staff by improving accessibility and allowing more people to participate in these jobs. 

To find out more about Access Coordinators:

• TripleC
• Screen Skills
• Royal Television Society

At Tilting the Lens, we are committed to advancing the conversation and moving the dial on disability, inclusion and accessibility, not only in gaming but across all industries and regions. Stay connected with us for more insights and upcoming events by subscribing to our Newsletter. Click here to subscribe.

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If you would like to share any thoughts, questions, ideas for future conversations or ways we can make our events more accessible, please feel free to get in touch at: team@tiltingthelens.com