Para além do visível: o processo de construção da identidade e autoexpressão de pessoas com deficiência visual por meio da moda

Abstract

The act of covering the body protects, decorates, highlights, or conceals certain parts of it, but, primarily, it identifies and constructs narratives through appearance. Fashion thrives on images, visual signs, and codes that communicate through colors, scenes, photographs, and complex arrangements that permeate social life. However, people who are blind are neither excluded from this dynamic nor exempt from expressing their subjectivity through clothing, even though they cannot see it. This study aims to investigate the process of identity construction and self- expression through clothing for individuals with visual impairments. The qualitative methodological approach encompasses both bibliographic and field research, allowing for interviews with four blind women who are content creators on the internet, with their responses analyzed descriptively. The interviewees highlighted that fashion plays a central role in shaping the identity of people with visual impairments. While they initially rely on others to access fashion information, particularly in the consumption process, the interviewees expressed a desire for the implementation of accessibility resources that would ensure greater autonomy in purchasing and obtaining information. Furthermore, they emphasized the importance of specialized training for sales staff, who are often unprepared to serve visually impaired customers. Fashion is used as a tool of resistance, subverting the social stigma associated with disability and allowing the expression of individual identity. Additionally, the emotional value attributed to clothing demonstrates how garments carry memories and emotions, going beyond their aesthetic function.