It’s a scary time for everyone amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic. The fashion industry is pulling together and doing what it can to fight some of the harsh realities that the coronavirus outbreak has brought to society.
Sanitizer Shortage
In the midst of this whole situation, one of the first things people started panicking over was hand sanitizer. Prices went up, supply went down, and sanitizer is now in short supply in stores, not just in the United States, but throughout Europe as well.
Here’s where the fashion industry comes to the rescue. LVMH is a French corporation that owns luxury fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Dior and so many others. They announced this week that they will convert all of their perfume and cosmetics factories to focus on the production of free hand sanitizer to distribute to health care facilities to mitigate the shortage.
Shortly after, L’Oréal, another major French beauty company, also made the decision to shift it’s facilities to producing sanitizing products. They will also be distributing the sanitizer to French hospitals and health authorities to try to combat the shortage and keep France safe and healthy.
Both brands also donated millions to COVID-19 relief efforts.
It’s not just French brands that are stepping up to the plate. Prada is funding new ICUs in Milanese hospitals, and Donatella Versace and Giorgio Armani both donated large sums of money to hospitals and ICUs throughout Italy.
We Need Medical Masks
Hand sanitizer is not the only essential commodity in short supply as a result of the pandemic. There is also a dire lack of personal protection equipment for health care workers in the US. Hospital workers are so desperate that they’re using office supplies to make surgical masks.
New York City designer Christian Siriano is offering his talents and his team to help make masks for hospital workers. New York City Governor Andrew Cuomo said Friday that the state is facing a looming shortage of essential medical supplies, including N95 and surgical masks for hospital workers.
These are dark times. There is no denying that the world is facing a difficult and pivotal moment in history. From major corporations down to individual designers, parts of the fashion industry are putting forth efforts to keep citizens safe. Other brands should take note, and do what they can to help mitigate the effects of this global crisis.
