The goal was to make adaptive clothing available to all. The Functional Fashions line was stocked by major retailers and offered discreet design adaptations: dresses fastened with large, easy to handle buttons at the shoulder or down the front, reinforced underarms to withstand crutches, and trousers with drop seats to assist with bathroom activities. These accommodations were not made at the expense of the iconic Eiseman style, which was already defined by elements considered adaptive, such as the A-line shape. 

Eiseman’s stylish Functional Fashions were taken seriously as a therapy for the mental and physical challenges associated with disability. The aim was to raise the self-confidence of children with disabilities by enabling them to look and feel their best, to counter discrimination resulting from dressing differently than their peers, and to teach them independence.