In Primark’s main shop window at the heart of Oxford Street in London is a mannequin that marks the first of its kind – a female, seated in a wheelchair, that was co-designed with disability advocate and manual wheelchair user Sophie Morgan throughout a year-long process.
Following a car accident at the age of 18 that left her paralysed and wheelchair-bound for life, Sophie made it her mission to advocate for representation.
“Representation was completely lacking. I didn’t see anyone like me on TV, in advertising, in fashion, anywhere,” she stated in an online opinion piece for Yahoo.
“I remember rolling down Oxford Street, and while the buildings were mostly accessible, the mannequins weren’t,” she said. “Some of the mannequins were sitting, but only on boxes or crates. And I thought, why can’t they sit in a wheelchair? Why can’t we show that disabled people exist in this space, too?”
What followed was a 15-year long journey of trying to get a wheelchair-seated mannequin permanently displayed in mainstream shop windows. Her project was shelved – until Primark came along.
Aptly named ‘Sophie’, the mannequin was designed to sit in a bespoke manual wheelchair prop that could withstand store conditions – and which is based on lived experiences of wheelchair users. The process involved reviewing mood boards, body dimensions and 3D models, which the TV presenter and writer was a central part of.
It features “broader shoulders, a slightly hunched posture and more defined arms to reflect the strength and posture of manual wheelchair users,” Sophie explained. “This isn’t tokenism. It’s a powerful statement that disabled people exist, and we deserve to be seen.”
Now present in over 20 of Primark’s flagship stores across nine countries, ‘Sophie’ takes pride of place in both its main collections as well as its adaptive clothing range – the latter being a collection designed for and with the disabled community.
Launched in January 2025, the collection features elasticated waistbands, magnetic closures and discreet access points for medical access such as feeding tubes or stomas.
“This is another important milestone in our ambition to make Primark a more accessible place to shop and work,” says Ann-Marie Cregan, Trading Director at Primark. “Seeing the ‘Sophie’ mannequin in our stores is a proud moment and a reflection of the brilliant collaboration between our teams and Sophie.”
Photography: Reece Siberini / Primark
