All The Fashion Brands Helping To Combat COVID-19

Despite the fact that quarantine leaves ample time (and incentive) for online retail therapy, experts have already warned us of the crippling effect that COVID-19 will have on the fashion industry, not to mention the economy as a whole. Even so, that hasn’t stopped industry leaders, including LVMH, Prada, and Armani, from offering their factories, funds, and influential platforms to helping combat the effects of the novel coronavirus, which has already taken the lives of 8,249 people worldwide, according to The Wall Street Journal. Currently, there are confirmed 205,000 cases of COVID-19 across the globe. 

Last month, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennesy, or LVMH Group, donated $2.2 million USD to the Red Cross in China. On Monday, they followed up on their aid by releasing a statement calling for all of their perfume and cosmetic factories to halt production on beauty products and instead begin producing hand sanitizer to be sent to hospitals worldwide. Hours later, Prada donated six Intensive Care Units to three separate hospitals in their home city of Milan, Italy, the country that currently has the second worst outbreak after China. 

But the big luxury names aren’t the only ones willing to help out amidst the current global health crisis. Following New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio’s announcement yesterday that a shelter-in-place could be put into action in the next 48 hours, NYC-based designer Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss took to Instagram to share two major actions he’ll be taking, effective immediately. First, Jean-Raymond will convert the Pyer Moss Manhattan offices into a donation centre for n95 masks, gloves, and other medical-grade supplies. 

“My sister was exposed to COVID-19 and her elder patients’ safety has been compromised due to some professionals having to wear makeshift masks,” his post reads. “One of the more alarming messages from a friend who is a doctor in Philadelphia stated that she and her colleagues have been using bleach to re-wash their masks.” 

To combat that, Jean-Raymond is asking that his followers mail brand new packaged N95 masks and latex gloves to his offices at 242 W. 27th St. 7th Floor in New York, NY 10001. In addition, Pyer Moss will be donating $5,000 USD to purchase additional materials for the cause. 

As the situation worsens on a global scale, we have hope that even more fashion brands will come out of the woodwork with their own unique methods for helping to combat the situation at hand. And we’ll be here to share them. Ahead, click through our running list of all the fashion brands doing their part to fight COVID-19.