Naomi’s Solution to the Type 1 Fashion Dilemma

At KINNAMON, type 1 diabetes is woven into our story. We began designing with insulin pumps in mind because, like many others with type 1, I often struggled to find a convenient place for mine in the clothes I bought. Mainstream fashion just doesn’t consider things like, “Hmm, will this fit an insulin pump?”. Even though 8.4 million people worldwide live with type 1 diabetes, ready-to-wear fashion is designed for the masses, not for specific needs or disabilities. But for those of us with type 1, we often ask ourselves this exact question when clothes shopping. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been out with friends and heard, “You should definitely buy that! It’s perfect for you!” and I look at the dress and immediately start analyzing where I could fit my pump. Just like how a type 1 diabetic’s first thought when seeing food is to start carb-calculating, the first thought when shopping is about where I could fit my pump. And there have been plenty of times I’ve had to pass on a dress because despite my sewing skills and craftiness, there simply isn't a space to conceal my pump.

Sure, I could just stick to pants and shorts and have an easier time, but that's not the point. The point is that I should be able to wear a dress and have space for my insulin pump—if only someone took the time to design for that specific need. So, I decided to be that person. Necessity is the mother of invention, right??  When I started designing, my goal was to create clothes that were both form-fitting and contouring, styles I’d often avoided because they didn’t accommodate my pump. It’s not about hiding the device or making it more discreet—though everything you put in a KINNAMON pocket is concealed. It is simply about designing clothes that allow you to wear your medical device all day, without having to give it a second thought, without being uncomfortable because it’s stuffed somewhere inaccessible and out of sight.