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Thursday, March 15, 2018

Website Spotlight: Patti + Ricky


All people have different talents, strengths, challenges and moments when a little extra help can go a long way. The new online marketplace, PATTI + RICKY, was created by founder Alexandra Connell as a digital shopping destination dedicated to offering products from designers that cater to people of all abilities. PATTIandRICKY.com offers items for women, men and kids that fulfill certain needs without sacrificing style and personal expression. 

Life events can create new needs in people’s lives. Illness, accidents and the aging process can make activities that used to be as easy as breathing more challenging. Designer arm slings for men and women transform the results of surgery or an arm injury that would normally end in a boring standard-issue sling into an opportunity for personal expression. Denim and flannel slings are available for men with designs from lace to sequins, beading and laser cut-outs for women. A variety of options in easy-to-wear clothing are also available through PATTI + RICKY along with specialty items like eye patches, wheel chair gloves, walking sticks and spray supplements. 

One of founder Alexandra’s favorite product lines is the fidget jewelry collection. Part of her inspiration for starting PATTI + RICKY has been her own disAbilities. Alexandra has dyslexia, ADHD, anxiety, auditory processing disorder and short-term memory issues. However, her greatest muses have always been her mom Patti and her cousin Ricky. 

“After my mom, Patti, was diagnosed with a brain tumor, she needed a cane to help her walk. A fashionable and fun woman, she wanted a leopard printed cane! The choices in most stores were clinical and boring, but I eventually found her a pretty pink cane with roses,” said Connell. “The cane meant a lot to my mom, not only because it was her vehicle, but also a stylish talking piece that made her feel beautiful. Through her I learned that fashion has the power to support individualized needs, while giving people the opportunity to express themselves and feel great. My cousin Ricky was unable to walk or verbally communicate, yet he showed me that communicating through our eyes and facial expressions can be just as effective. Together, Patti and Ricky formed the inclusive lens through which I see the world. Our mission is to continue to spread the love, understanding, and acceptance that PATTI + RICKY passed on throughout their lifetimes.”

Alexandra has curated products ranging from cool eyepatches to graphic and colorful wheelchair bags and magnetic clothing to hearing aid charms and braille clothing patches that meet certain needs without sacrificing kids’ style or personalities. You can find these excellent products designed for kids (and adults) with special needs at PATTIandRICKY.com .


About PATTI + RICKY

PATTI + RICKY is a unique marketplace of curated goods for people of all abilities. Founder Alexandra Connell’s parents both worked in the New York City fashion and accessory industry. Growing up in a house full of conversations about the next fashion trend or “it” color of the season led Alexandra to feel like she was born into retail and that it is in her blood. Her own disAbilities, her close relationship with her cousin Ricky who was unable to walk or verbally communicate, and her mother’s battle with brain cancer fueled Alexandra’s determination to launch PATTI + RICKY. Many of the designers whose products are featured on the site also have disAbilities or a loved one with disAbilities. PATTI + RICKY strives to be the one-stop shop for people with disAbilities including visible and non-visible disAbilities as well as temporary and lifelong disAbilities.

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