Online Fashion Marketplace Inspired by Founder’s Experience with Disabilities
Alexandra Herold created her brand, Patti + Ricky, to honor two people with disabilities who changed her life.
Patti, Alex’s mother, instilled in Alex a love of fashion and later relied on Alex for support during a long battle with brain cancer. Ricky, Alex’s cousin and childhood companion, was born unable to walk or speak. He showed Alex how relationships can flourish across differences.
These experiences gave Alex a deeper perspective on her own disabilities and sparked ideas that became Patti + Ricky. Today, this online marketplace features thousands of fashionable and functional items in apparel, accessories, and footwear, all designed for people with disabilities, and many created by people with disabilities.
Patti + Ricky is one of 22 disability-owned small businesses participating in Qurate Retail Group’s Small Business Spotlight for October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Small Business Spotlight is a collaboration between Qurate Retail Group and the National Retail Federation (NRF) Foundation to offer diverse small businesses increased exposure through QVC’s, HSN’s, and Zulily’s platforms.
Five of the businesses, including Patti + Ricky, will tell their stories live on air at QVC and HSN, and their video will also be shared on QVC’s and HSN’s social pages, streaming service, and YouTube channels. In addition, these businesses will be featured on QVC’s and HSN’s digital platforms, including profiles on the Small Business Spotlight landing pages on QVC.com and HSN.com, and will be offered virtual mentoring with Qurate Retail Group team members. The other 17 businesses will appear on QVC’s and HSN’s digital platforms and will receive social tools and resources to share their participation. The Small Business Spotlight program is also promoted on Zulily’s digital platforms.
“Our mission at Patti + Ricky is to spread the love and acceptance that Patti and Ricky passed on throughout their lifetimes and create a beautiful shopping experience that is inclusive of all,” Alex said. “QVC and HSN are a perfect fit for us. Their live on-air shopping experience has always been accessible for many people with a wide range of disabilities. I’m so excited to share our brand with the national audiences on QVC and HSN.”
During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, QVC is also promoting a selection of products from current vendor brands in home and fashion that are owned by people with disabilities.
Qurate Retail Group and the NRF Foundation are supporting approximately 100 entrepreneurs of diverse backgrounds this year through the Small Business Spotlight initiative. The program builds on Qurate Retail Group’s longstanding foundation of supporting small businesses and reflects our and NRF Foundation’s commitment to increasing opportunities for underrepresented groups. Applications are now open for the 2022 Small Business Spotlight, which will include live features on QVC, HSN, and QVC2, an option for qualified companies to sell with Zulily, and more.
To see the businesses in this month’s Small Business Spotlight and hear their stories, visit the Small Business Spotlight pages on QVC.com and HSN.com.