Stephanie Thomas

Stephanie Thomas is an Adjunct Professor at the School of Fashion, Academy of Art University, where she has taught for 16 years. She is a trailblazer in disability fashion, founding Cur8able, a lifestyle hub addressing fashion needs for people with disabilities. Her Disability Fashion Styling System, launched in 2004, challenges industry norms by advocating for accessible, stylish clothing options. Thomas holds a master’s in Fashion Journalism from Academy of Art University (2013), which equipped her to articulate her mission of empowering individuals with disabilities through fashion.

Her career spans diverse roles, including professional cheerleading for the Chicago Bulls and being the first in her family to earn an undergraduate degree. Her TEDxYYC talk (2016) highlighted her vision to redefine fashion’s inclusivity. She emphasizes that disability fashion is a viable market, citing 1.3 billion people globally with disabilities. Thomas aims for a future where disability is seamlessly integrated into mainstream design, rendering Cur8able obsolete.