THE ELLE LIST: SINÉAD BURKE
The writer and broadcaster on making the fashion industry a more inclusive place to be
It’s fair to say Sinéad Burke is something of a 21st-century icon. An advocate for inclusion and adaptability, it started with a TED Talk in 2O17 in which Burke discussed her disability not being defined by her body, but the way in which the world is designed. Soon, she was on stage at The Business of Fashion’s Voices conference in custom-made Burberry, telling the industry why it needs to take disabled people seriously.
She’s absolutely right. About 15 per cent of the world’s population, more than 1 billion people, have a physical or mental disability*. And the 13.3 million disabled people in the UK** are estimated to have a spending power of £249 billion***, known as the ‘purple pound’.
Although she’s studying for a PhD in human rights education at Dublin’s Trinity College, Burke has always been interested in fashion. ‘It allows me to tell a different story, so when you look at me you don’t just see a little person,’ she says. Now she’s firmly implanted within the fashion industry, expect to see her on every front row, or at a red-carpet gala – she has some big ideas.
1. ‘WHEN I WAS 11, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LEG-LENGTHENING SURGERY.
I made the decision then that if people didn’t like me because I was a little person, then they weren’t the type of people I would associate myself with anyway. I am very proud of the person I have become, and that was fundamental because I had already decided I didn’t really have to worry about not being pretty enough or thin enough.’
2. ‘I WOULDN’T BE SITTING HERE TODAY WITHOUT THE INTERNET.
It was transformative; a tool in which I got to have a say and build a community of people who are interested in the same ideas as me. I started a blog about the things I was learning about fashion, which gained momentum. Then, in 2O12, I entered a competition called Alternative Miss Ireland, which I won.’
3. ‘I STILL EXPERIENCE QUITE A LOT OF STREET HARASSMENT FROM AN ABLE-IST PERSPECTIVE:
people making assumptions about who I am, pulling over in their cars and taking photos of me. Now I think, “Are they doing that because I’m 3ft 5in or because I’m Sinéad?” It is a lovely dialogue to be part of. My siblings always say, “It’s not because you’re Sinéad: they don’t follow you on Instagram!”’
4. ‘MY STYLE IS ABOUT SUPPORTING UP-AND-COMING DESIGNERS,
whether it be Richard Malone or Molly Goddard. I think because my differences are so visible, accessorising is such a delight and I enjoy revelling in it. I never feel more beautiful than when I’m wearing something that is tailored and well-made and fits well; something that won’t last just a moment, but for generations.’
5. ‘FOR ME, INTEGRITY IS EVERYTHING.
I’ve been reading a lot of [the late American feminist and writer] Audre Lorde, and one of the questions she continually asks is, “Who is profiting from this?” I think in order for fashion to stand up for the voices and human rights of others, we have to question who is profiting from this. We need to make sure the voices that we are representing in the industry are not being exploited. I think there are a number of people who are not doing it quite right. Making sure you are constantly asking the question of who is not in the room is really, really important.’
WRITER, BROADCASTER AND ADVOCATE for ADAPTABILITY SINÉAD BURKE is ON A MISSION to MAKE the FASHION INDUSTRY MORE INCLUSIVE
PHOTOGRAPH by DOUGAL MACARTHUR