Nikki Hind’s personal life is certainly an inspiration for many as she is not just Australia’s first blind fashion designer and winner of the 2020 Vision Australia Award but is also a happy mother, the road to which was not that easy. 

“Yes, I had a stroke that left me permanently legally blind, at the same time I became a mother. I have a very rare blood clotting disorder, called Ineffective Tissue Plasminogen Activator. Unbeknownst to me, I had been having mini-strokes for years. I also had three mid-term miscarriages and was told that I had lost my, now 15 years old, son mid-term as well. 

“Miraculously, being a Sunday, there was no surgeon available to remove the baby; so they sent me home, to come back into the hospital the next morning. I went home, heartbroken and in a lot of pain. At home, I took an extra-large dose of asprin based pain killers and cried myself to sleep. Upon arrival at the hospital the next morning, the doctors found a little heartbeat! The doctors were bewildered….,” she told Opoyi.

She is one of the key speakers at the National Ability Summit to be spearheaded by Varija Life, a Not for Profit Organisation, on December 2 and 3. The event will see acclaimed names from media, films, fashion, and lifestyle, speaking on the need to create awareness on disability and creating an environment for them where they feel welcomed.

Talking more about motherhood, Nikki says that a lot of people say it must have been so difficult losing my vision at the same time as becoming a mother but she never thought like that.

“However, I feel I was very lucky because I had this beautiful baby, who needed me, who relied on me; so the legal blindness had to take a bit of a backseat, becoming a mother was my primary focus. And my blindness feels forever entwined with the best thing in my life – being a mum! I now have 2 brilliant boys, Darcy 15, and Corey 13. They are the absolute best part of my life and inspiration behind Blind Grit (her fashion label),” she said.

She said that though the stroke and vision loss were only part of a series of traumatic events that left me legally blind, she was determined not to be broken, not to remain crushed. 

“There was no way I wanted my beautiful boys raised by a distressed, anxious, unconfident, un-joyous mother. That wasn’t who I was, and they deserved the very best of their mum! So, instinctively I reached for aspiration, a dream; and the seeds of Blind Grit was born,” she said.

 Her first collection was launched in the year 2015 and through each of her lines, she showed the immense strengths and power of differently able people. 

“For me, that dream was fashion design. It had always been the happy, creative place I went to in my mind when I daydreamed…However, I believed fashion design was not a practical career path, so it remained in my happy daydreams. 

“When several doors in my practical life slammed shut, it seemed an excellent opportunity to open the dismissed fashion design door. So, in January 2015 I set myself the challenge of creating my first fashion collection ready to enter into the Prix de Marie claire awards in November of that year….,” she said.

“As I had intuitively hoped, the whole experience of actively pursuing an aspiration had reconnected me to glimpses of the best parts of myself – feelings of capability, purpose, fun, excitement, ambition, optimism. I decided if I was going to do this, I wanted to bring as many others along with me as I could; others in need of reconnecting with their dream,” added Nikki.

She says that it’s extremely important to her that she represents “the impressive, high quality, innovative, valuable social assets that those who live disability are capable of creating”. 

“I chose the name Blind Grit to capture that determined focus that necessitates blocking out or being blinded to, all distracting and negating elements. The Blind Grit you need to survive and thrive with a disability. The Blind Grit you need to run faster when you’re exhausted. The Blind Grit you need to pursue your dreams…,” she said.

She also says that she has an edge over any normal fashion designer.

“I believe I have an advantage in so far as how each garment feels when you wear it. I try every design on myself – every garment has to pass my ridiculously high personal comfort expectations. It’s not just about the fabrics used, it’s very much about the fit of each garment. I love designing things that are versatile and adjustable. 

It’s so many other elements as well, she said.

“Elements that those who do not live with a disability may not think about… Perhaps most importantly though is that I have the personal lived experience, networks, and 56 worlds of disability and the world of fashion together in a valuable way. 

“Fashion is our most potent indicator of what society holds as valuable and desirable. It may seem frivolous or superficial, but fashion is always at the forefront of social equality. Disability within the fashion industry needs to be led by those with lived experience if it is to be either genuine or powerful. And people with disability need to be at the decision making tables at all levels within the industry – not simply utilized as a money-making tool. Of course, the brilliant fact is: What’s Good For Disability, Is Good For Everyone,” she said.

Finally, her advice to people who are disabled is that “be aware that you have an incredible edge, and don’t underestimate the things you find ‘easy’.”