WATCH: Fashion student unveils clothes designed to help children with autism
Last updated 21st May 2026
A fashion student in the Scottish Borders has created a special range of clothing designed to help children with autism.
Farah Conn is showcasing her Little Waves collection at Heriot-Watt University's famous School of Textiles annual Degree Show, which opens in Galashiels this weekend.
The 21-year-old revealed she was inspired by a friend who works with children with additional needs and had highlighted a gap in the market.
"I found the clothing already available for them was quite limited and wasn't as fun for them to wear," Farah, who hails from Biggar, told Greatest Hits Radio.
"So I then did some research and picked a seaside theme that had calming cool colours, but was still an enjoyable and fun design."
Ms Conn’s collection is aimed at children aged three to 12 and the final-year fashion techology student revealed she designed everything from scratch.
"A big part of my collection is the adaptable features," she explained. "So, in most of my garments, there are fidget-beads that are sewn directly into the pockets - so they can't be removed, and they're discreet - to help with concentration and calming children down in stressful situations.
"I also created velcro patches that have beads on them for sensory touch, and they each represent a different seaside character.
"The whole idea behind it is that the children get to select what they wear, and improve their relationship with clothing - essentially making them more excited to get dressed in the morning."
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It's estimated one in every 100 children in the UK has autism.
According to health chiefs, some find the sensation of clothing upsetting and distracting and so take it off, making it challenging for school or leaving the home.
Farah said: "A big part of it is labels - they can be itchy and irritating. So my clothes have adhesive labels, which can be removed, and QR codes that can be scanned for information.
"Another part is the seams. So I dropped the shoulders on my garments to avoid irritations in areas like the armpits; and all my seams are sewn flat so they don't irritate children's skin."
The Scottish Borders is at the heart of Scotland's luxury textile and design industry and is home to manufacturers including Barrie, one of Scotland's oldest cashmere knitting manufacturers. It was acquired in 2012 by French luxury fashion house Chanel.
Ms Conn’s work is one of 90 projects to be showcased at the university’s School of Textiles and Design Degree Show, which opens in the High Mill building at Netherdale on Saturday (May 23rd), between 10am and 5pm.
It's free to visit until Saturday, May 30th, (closed Sunday, May 24th), with live fashion shows on May 23rd at 12pm and 2pm.
Bruce Roberts - global head of fashion and textiles at the uni, which counts late British fashion icon Dame Vivienne Westwood among its Honorary Graduates - said: “Farah’s project is an excellent example of what fashion technology at Heriot‑Watt is about – thoughtful, research‑led design that responds to real human needs.
“She approached this work with sensitivity, rigour and a clear sense of purpose, drawing on user insight and technical knowledge to create something genuinely innovative.
“It has been a privilege to support her through the process and see the confidence and clarity she’s developed as a designer.”
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