From today, children, parents and teachers can get their hands on the final instalment in Vision Australia’s Big Visions series, Dressed for Success, which follows the story of Nikki Hind, Australia’s first blind fashion designer.
Based on the lives of remarkable Australians living with blindness or low vision, each book in the series aims to alter people’s expectations of what a person with disability is capable of, while also creating inspiring role models for children of all abilities.
Vision Australia library services business manager Vildana Praljak said that people with disability are often excluded from meaningful career outcomes from a young age.
“One of the most common questions a child is asked is what they want to be when they grow up. However, this same question is rarely posed to child with a disability due to an assumption that they cannot achieve the same goals as their peers,” Vildana said.
Nikki is a prime example of being told ‘no’ by people in her life due to her vision loss.
“After suffering permanent vision loss due to a stroke, I was left shocked and wondering what to do,” Nikki said.
“Many doors that had previously been open for me were slammed shut, and I was advised by medical professionals and others that pursuing a career in fashion design was not achievable for me.
“However, I thought back to how fashion made me feel when I was growing up; it transported me to a creative and happy place, while giving me a sense of purpose. That’s a feeling that I wanted to reclaim, so I decided to pursue it despite what other people told me.”
Nikki’s journey is detailed in the book in hopes of inspiring other young people who are blind or have low vision to dream big and go after their dreams, while educating their parents, teachers and peers about what people who are blind or have low vision can achieve in life.
“Like others with disability, Nikki has gone on to have a successful career in a field of her choice; and she wants others to know about it so they can believe they can do the same,” Vildana said.
Dressed for Success will be available for purchase online via the Vision Australia website or at select bookstores around the country.
