Brakefields is a brand that believes in the importance of fashion AND function. We love bright colors, a mix of patterns, and feminine details. Our prints are bright, colorful and happy, because we think your clothes should bring a smile to your face and a skip in your step. We love to surround ourselves with print, color, and vibrant design, but we also have high expectations of our clothes and never want to be held back by what we’re wearing. We think your clothes should equip you, not restrict you!

Whether due to disability, motherhood, a demanding job, or simply an active lifestyle, we all need clothes that equip us for anything our day might ask of us. THIS is why we are so passionate about creating universally designed products that solve the problems women often find when getting dressed! We design with our clients in mind. Our extensive research has taught us what traditional clothing lacks in order to make dressing independently a reality. It’s the small features on the inside that make a big difference, and on the outside? It’s just a really cute outfit! For some, universal design is a necessity, and for others it’s a desire. But, the bottom line is that we all benefit when our clothes are designed with function and not just fashion in mind. Brakefields is excited to offer exactly that! Our first collection of universally designed womenswear in fun colors and bold prints is here!

Prints and fabrics that conceal fluids mean no sweat stains during the summer, and no marks from lactation, drool, urine, or that spilled drink...

Stretchy waists make delicious holiday dinners a lot more comfortable and make dressing with digestive or pelvic pains much easier...

Dual access pockets hold insulin supplies or your keys...

No closures make dressing with limited mobility a cinch and keep that pesky waist button from poking you every time you sit down...

Soft, stretchy fabrics mean you can chase after your kids at the park, pull on your clothes independently with limited strength, or bike to work without having to change at the office...

...all while looking great!

Everyone wins with functional fashion options to choose from, and everyone wins when the industry works together to support the rise of brands committed to inclusivity and universal design! Fashion is a visual expression of your personality, and we want to celebrate the diversity of style that exists by supporting other brands striving for the same goal with a different style perspective. We think there is ample room in the industry for brands to support each other in growing the industry together. Everyone deserves to have clothes they love that represent who they are!

It’s funny how the sum of all your experiences come together to create opportunities. This exact reason is why it’s not a quick answer when someone asks why Brakefields was started!

Cofounders Mary Cayten and Stephanie Brakefield both learned how to sew at a young age and grew up dressing dolls, and later themselves, in colorful, one of a kind creations. Stephanie considered going into fashion design but her other passion of teaching children won out in her twenties. Her favorite part of teaching was helping children solve problems and overcome obstacles on their road to independence. Later Stephanie embarked on her favorite job of all- raising her own children. Nothing gives her more joy than family, and her family has always been extremely active. She quickly learned that being comfortable and being able to move with ease was key to chasing children, staying active, and feeling vibrant. Unfortunately, workout clothes were all that were available to fit that bill, and she preferred a more fashionable option.

Mary Cayten went to college as a student-athlete for a degree in fashion business. She loved having a foot in each of her favorite worlds while she learned about the fashion industry in a more formal way and competed as a college athlete. While in school, she participated in a program that worked closely with a number of adaptive sport organizations and was repeatedly told by the athletes how frustrating it was to try to find clothing they liked. Soon after, she was diagnosed with a genetic condition that changed her own ability levels, and she could personally see the need for adaptive products. As she entered her senior year of college, she got involved with her university’s entrepreneur center and began putting together a plan for how she and her mom could successfully launch a clothing label together.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit and sent Mary Cayten back home, the two women got to work on their plans to launch a label that was equally as fashionable as it was functional. They personally wanted clothes that were colorful, stylish, easy to get on and off, and comfortable enough to do cartwheels in. The pair began asking countless people about their experiences getting dressed and what shaped how they choose their clothing each day. With over a year of research and development under their belts, Mary Cayten and Stephanie used what they had gathered to design solutions to the problems created by so much of the clothing in our closets today. 

We are so excited about all of the work that has been done so far and can’t wait for the brand to continue growing, evolving, and better serving our customers! We are so grateful for all of the feedback we have been given already and believe that we will never stop learning, researching, and communicating with our community. There are so many problems women run into with their clothes, and we hope to one day be able to address them all. We are excited for everything the future might hold from extended sizing and length offerings to partnerships with other brands and helping to make universal design the mainstream norm!