nderwear and loungewear brand Slick Chicks. After watching her sister struggle to get dressed following invasive surgery and coming across a market full of sterile, medical and unflattering products, Mohammadian was inspired to fill in the white space and design a patented line of adaptive underwear styles. Recently, Mohammadian teamed up with CVS and Target to help ensure that Slick Chicks is as accessible as possible. Inside Retail: How did you come up with the idea for Slick Chicks?  Helya Mohammadian: The idea was born from a deeply personal place. My sister had undergone a C-section and was struggling to put on traditional underwear post-surgery.  Watching her go through that made me realise just how overlooked adaptive design was in the apparel world, especially when it came to underwear. That moment really lit a fire in me. I  wanted to create a solution that helped her and anyone else going through something similar feel empowered and independent.  IR: What white space does Slick Chicks fill in the apparel market?  HM: We’re filling a massive gap where function meets dignity. So many brands overlook the daily realities faced by people with disabilities, chronic illness or mobility challenges.  Our designs have side fasteners, front openings and other adaptive features, but they still look like “regular” stylish bras and underwear. Why should anyone have to sacrifice style for accessibility?  We’re all about merging fashion with function in a way that includes everyone.  IR: What have been some of the challenges in building the business thus far? How have you overcome these challenges?  HM: Wow! Where do I start? Funding and manufacturing have definitely been uphill battles. It was hard to get people to bet on something that didn’t exist yet, especially when they didn’t fully understand the adaptive market.  I’ve had to educate a lot of people along the way. We’ve also faced challenges in scaling production while keeping our values at the core. But I’ve learned to get scrappy, to find the right partners, and to never lose sight of our mission, even when things felt impossible.  IR: What have been the highlights in building the brand thus far?  HM: There have been so many pinch me moments.  Seeing our products in CVS and Target was huge, not just because of the exposure, but because it meant our message was reaching mainstream shelves.  Another big moment for me has been hearing from our customers.  When someone tells me our underwear helped them feel confident again after a stroke or made dressing easier after surgery… that’s everything to me.  IR: How did the retail partnerships with CVS and Target come about?  HM: We started building relationships over time with lots of persistence and storytelling. The buyers for these brands saw the value in what we were doing and wanted to bring that inclusivity to their shelves.  We didn’t get there overnight, but we stayed consistent and always led with our mission.   IR: Which retailers would Slick Chicks like to partner up with next?  HM: We’d love to land in more mass and specialty retail and even more direct-to-consumer-focused platforms. Anywhere people go for quality essentials, we want to be part of that conversation.  IR: What are your top priorities/areas of focus for the brand over the next 12 months?  HM: We’re launching new product categories and expanding retail partnerships. Additionally, we’re focusing heavily on brand awareness and customer education opportunities.  We want more people to understand what adaptive clothing is and who it’s for (hint: everyone – because we are all aging).  IR: What is your long-term focus for the brand’s future? HM: To become the go-to brand for accessible apparel, not just underwear, but across categories. We want to normalise adaptive fashion and integrate it seamlessly into mainstream retail.  Long-term, we’re building a movement, not just a product line.  IR: What is a piece of advice you would give to the day-one version of yourself as a brand founder?  HM: Trust your gut.  You’re going to hear a lot of opinions, and not everyone will get what you’re doing. That’s okay. Stay true to your mission and remember why you started. That’s what will keep you going on the hardest days.