Imy Harris, a 22-year-old woman from Cheltenham, was born profoundly deaf, shaping her early life and pushing her to navigate a world designed without her in mind. Growing up, she faced the challenge of being the only deaf student in both primary and secondary school, relying on lipreading and visual cues to communicate.
Her experience of feeling isolated due to the lack of representation in media made her journey tougher, but her life took a turn when she collaborated with designer Destiny Pinto, specializing in fashionable medical devices, to feature in British Vogue. She described the experience as a “full-circle moment” and a powerful affirmation of her journey.
Born deaf, Imy mainly relied on lipreading and struggled with loud environments and substantial background noise. She shared her frustration and fatigue, emphasizing how her hearing impairment shaped her early life, a mix of challenges and unique experiences that shaped her resilience and strong sense of identity.
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While the lack of representation made it hard for her to see herself in the world, she perceives a positive shift towards more diversity in media and brands, empowering her to be a part of this change. She hopes her presence in the media can help others see themselves reflected in ways she didn’t growing up.
Her journey towards greater inclusivity and representation was further amplified by her recent feature in British Vogue, where she modeled designer cochlear implants, showcasing the life-changing impact of her journey and the importance of pushing for change.
Since 2023, she has been equipped with cochlear implants, describing the transformative process of retraining her brain to interpret new sounds, making a big difference in her communication. She has also supported designer Destiny Pinto’s innovative approach to fashioning medical devices into trendy accessories, emphasizing the empowering experience of being part of a prestigious magazine and a step towards greater inclusivity for deaf individuals in the fashion world.
Imy hopes her feature will inspire others with hearing impairments to pursue their dreams and spark conversations about the need for inclusivity and accessibility across all industries.