A York clothing company inspired by a young city woman’s brave battle with cancer reports 'phenomenal growth' and has announced a rebrand.

Warpaint was launched at York Fashion Week in April by Joanne Nicholson and Claire Myles Wharton.

It was in honour of Joanne’s daughter Emily Rhodes who died of a brain tumour in April 2019, aged 24.

Now called And Able, the rebrand came on what would have been Emily’s 28th birthday on Wednesday.

Emily had complained about a lack of suitable clothing for people with life-altering illnesses and those undergoing treatment.

The clothes features zips and ports that can open to allow procedures to take place and a pouch at the front opening to give access to stoma bags, peg feeds and drains.

They also feature zips on the neck for central lines, pacemaker checks, ECGs and breast checks, and an internal tourniquet in the arms.

Following the launch, the business partners report growing UK and international demand.

This led the Joanne and Claire to appoint York brand management agency, NIMA, to refresh the brand for a global audience. The name And Able, they say highlights the human instinct to fight, live and thrive.

The business partners report phenomenal interest, with a celebrity entrepreneur helping kickstart the fledgling business with advice around target audience, product development, sourcing materials, stock and quality control, business management skills as well as cornering overseas markets.

Joanne says she wanted to help others and Claire is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer, which is fuelling their drive.

Joanne says the business has been going better than they could possibly have imaged and the rebrand will support future growth.

“But ultimately, our fundamental aim is to help more people avoid the looks, whispering and other stigma’s normally associated with serious illness – so they don’t have to suffer the same plight that my daughter did. Emily deserved to keep her dignity and I’m determined to help other people who might be on a similar journey.”

And Able has also just announced its Autumn 2022 season range of clothing.

Claire added: “We’re really excited to unveil the new collection which features lifestyle pieces and even more adaptable fashion. The stunning new imagery really shows how you can marry accessibility and fashion together, and it’s just the start of our next chapter!”

The business has an office at the Catalyst at the University of York as well as a clothes rail within Fabrication 19 on Coney Street in York.

They also plan to open a consultation space so people diagnosed with illnesses can receive advice on clothing that can help with their treatment.

Joanne and Claire, who are solely responsible for the designing, pattern cutting and manufacturing of the clothing lines, are also seeking more local and national retailers to stock the range.

The company can be found at www.and-able.com