Actor, best-selling author and disability
advocate Selma Blair named as QVC
Brand Ambassador for Accessibility
WEST
CHESTER, Pa., March 8,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- QVC®, a world leader
in live video commerce ("vCommerce"), today announced an
expanded commitment to growing its accessible and adaptive
assortments, streamlining how customers find and explore them, and
enhancing the accessibility of its end-to-end shopping experience.
As part of this journey, QVC has named actor, best-selling author
and disability advocate Selma Blair
as its Brand Ambassador for Accessibility. QVC is part of Qurate
Retail, Inc. (NASDAQ: QRTEA, QRTEB, QRTEP).
QVC has launched a dedicated Accessible & Adaptive category
– with hundreds of products spanning fashion, home, electronics and
beauty – making QVC one of the first U.S. retailers to curate the
full lifestyle of accessible products into a single multicategory
offering. QVC is highlighting accessible products within each
category and has launched a one-stop digital storefront for these
products, with solution-based navigation and options to filter by
adaptive features.
In addition, QVC has introduced "Accessible Living," an on-air
show focused on essential home products that simplify everyday
tasks and promote independent living. Across all vCommerce
programming, QVC is demonstrating accessibility features of
products more frequently, while also representing the disability,
aging, post-surgery and recovery, and caregiving communities in
product presentations and photography. The retailer is also
conducting a 360-degree review of all customer touchpoints – from
its advertising to its vCommerce platforms, delivery processes and
more – and making changes to increase accessibility and ensure a
barrier-free customer experience.
"We believe everyone deserves inclusive shopping experiences,
services and products that make them feel seen, including the
millions of Americans who are living with a disability; aging in
place or in assisted living; recovering from a surgery, illness or
injury; or supporting others as a caregiver," said Rachel Ungaro, GMM and VP of Fashion
Merchandising for QVC. "Our goal is to meet each customer where
they are in the arc of life and empower them to express their own
unique style. We plan to expand our offerings in our
Accessible & Adaptive category by attracting new brands to QVC,
widening our relationships with existing vendors, and developing
proprietary products and brands."
QVC has a long commitment to customer inclusivity. Virtually
from its launch, QVC has offered fashion in a wide range of sizes
for all women, with the same pricing regardless of size. The
expanded focus on accessibility reflects rising customer demand,
particularly for fashion that offers more options without
sacrificing style and form, and for home products that simplify
day-to-day life, improve safety, and promote independent living.
QVC's live, interactive vCommerce model gives the company an
exceptional level of insight into customer trends.
"When QVC approached me, I was so impressed and grateful that
they were welcoming these conversations," said Blair. "One of the
basic comforts of our life is being able to have fun shopping and
to find things we find beautiful and useful. There is a more
vibrant way to showcase these products, and I'm so excited to join
QVC in exploring what is out there for all of us."
Blair became an icon of the early 2000s through breakout roles
in such pop culture classics as "Cruel Intentions" and "Legally
Blonde." In 2018, she announced her diagnosis with multiple
sclerosis (MS). Blair has welcomed the public into her health
journey and embraced fans through social media, her acclaimed
memoir, the New York Times Bestseller "Mean Baby," and the
award-winning documentary "Introducing, Selma Blair," which chronicled Blair adapting to
new ways of living after her MS diagnosis. She travels extensively
speaking about disability and inclusion and is considered a
changemaker on social issues. In 2017, she was named as one of
Time Magazine's People of the Year as one of their Silence
Breakers. Blair collaborated with Google on its accessible
marketing playbook and has appeared in ad campaigns for Chanel,
Miu-Miu and Marc Jacobs. Blair
recently became Chief Creative Officer at GUIDE Beauty, a cosmetics
company that uses design-for-all concepts to provide options to
apply makeup. Blair's disability advocacy earned her The Hollywood
Reporter's 2021 Equity in Entertainment Award and the Media
Access Awards' 2022 SAG-AFTRA Harold Russell Award and 2021
Visionary Award. She was most recently seen sharing her story on
"Dancing with the Stars," for which she won The People's Choice
Award for Competition Contestant of 2022.
QVC has also joined forces with Maura
Horton, a disability diversity and inclusion consultant
affecting change through education, product development, strategic
partnerships and embracing global inclusion. Horton's roots are in
product design and development, as she was a trailblazer in the
adaptive fashion movement. After her husband was diagnosed with
early-onset Parkinson's disease, Horton pioneered the concept of
adaptive clothing that prioritized function and fashion equally.
She founded MagnaReady, an adaptive apparel company, then sold her
company in 2019 and shifted to overall inclusion work. She
continues to be a driving force of the adaptive movement, working
to develop holistically inclusive designs that span digital
strategies, language guides, and authentic representations in
wellness, home, beauty, style and more.
"QVC's livestream vCommerce platforms and relationships
give the company a unique opportunity to be a changemaker in this
space," said Horton. "I see QVC as the ideal retailer to
curate products and tell human stories that demonstrate the arc of
life. I'm pleased to help QVC create safe spaces where people can
find the resources they need and feel the security of knowing they
are not alone."
The task force leading QVC's accessibility initiative includes
team members from the disability and caregiving communities and
from QVC's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team. The accessibility
initiative reflects QVC's commitment to fostering inclusive
environments and touches every aspect of how the company
operates. QVC has articulated commitments specific to disability
inclusion as part of The Valuable 500.
"This journey is personal for many team members," Ungaro said.
"We know this is a long-term project, with plenty to learn along
the way. We are committed to listening and evolving, so we can make
a lasting difference."
To watch the next episode of "Accessible Living," tune in to
QVC2 on March 14 at noon EST or to QVC on March 30 at 1 p.m.
EST.
About QVC
QVC® is a world leader in video commerce
("vCommerce"), which includes video-driven shopping across linear
TV, ecommerce sites, digital streaming and social platforms. QVC
empowers shoppers with knowledge and shares insights in a lively
and engaging way. QVC offers an ever-changing collection of
familiar brands and fresh new products – from home and fashion to
beauty, electronics and jewelry – and connects shoppers to
interesting personalities, engaging stories and award-winning
customer service. Based in West Chester,
Pa., and founded in 1986, QVC has retail operations in the
U.S., the U.K., Germany,
Japan and Italy. Worldwide, QVC reaches more than 200
million homes via 12 TV channels, which are widely available on
cable/satellite TV, free over-the-air TV, and digital livestreaming
TV. The retailer also reaches millions of customers via its QVC+
and HSN+ streaming experience, websites, mobile apps and social
pages. To learn more, visit corporate.qvc.com, follow @QVC on
Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or follow QVC on Pinterest,
YouTube or LinkedIn.
Qurate Retail, Inc. (NASDAQ: QRTEA, QRTEB, QRTEP) is a Fortune 500
company that includes the Qurate Retail Group℠ portfolio of brands
as well as other minority interests and green energy investments.
Qurate Retail Group is the largest player in vCommerce and
comprises seven leading retail brands – QVC, HSN®,
Zulily®, Ballard Designs®,
Frontgate®, Garnet
Hill® and Grandin Road® –
all dedicated to providing a more human way to shop. For more
information, visit qurateretailgroup.com, follow @QurateRetailGrp
on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or follow Qurate
Retail Group on YouTube or LinkedIn. QVC and Q are registered
service marks of ER Marks, Inc.
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SOURCE QVC
