Covid-19: solidarity is the new fashion trend

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Editor's Note: Mari Rodríguez Ichaso has been a contributor to Vanidades magazine for more than two decades. Fashion, travel, gastronomy, art, architecture and entertainment specialist. Film producer. CNN Spanish Style Columnist.

(CNN Spanish) - It seems that nothing will be the same. Goals, routines, priorities have changed. The figures indicate the seriousness of what we live, the call not to be selfish, to think of others. And that call has made some companies, despite facing financial challenges and having had to make difficult decisions, also want to help and be supportive.

It is a source of satisfaction to see how the world of fashion, which brings so much beauty, innovation and emotions to life, has responded to the covid-19 crisis. And from his workshops and factories around the world, he tells us "we are here to help" and joins shoulder to shoulder in the battle that affects us all.

Unfortunately, some firms like Ann Taylor, Macy's, Loft, Lane Bryant, and Neiman Marcus have had to make painful decisions when firing numerous employees for the temporary closure of their stores.

Those who have taken a turn to offer help, whether producing disinfectant gel or masks, are especially brave at this time, when the fashion industry was already suffering, due to changes in dress habits, the preference for more clothing. practical and economical and a new vision of our lives. To this were added the online purchases that impacted sales in stores and malls and in many cases caused the cancellation of fashion shows and the cutting of expenses.

And now, by announcing million-dollar donations and clear and direct international aid, the fashion industry says when it's needed most. And his generosity provokes in us a deep gratitude, which many of us will remember when we return to normality and gradually recover our lifestyle.

Fashion heroes!

It is impossible to name them all, because there are many volunteer "soldiers" in this solidarity battle, but - for example - in the United States, the Estée Lauder Companies (owners of Clinique, Estée Lauder, La Mer, Jo Malone, etc.) since The principle turned its laboratories on Long Island into production centers for thousands of bottles of disinfecting gels for use by hospitals and healthcare workers. And since it is a major international company with sales worldwide, it initially donated $ 2 million to help the nonprofit organization Doctors Without Borders. And its popular brand MAC announced the donation of US $ 10 million to 250 international organizations in their fight against the virus!

The Chanel brand, without hesitation, in addition to cash donations to different organizations, began making masks and protective suits for health professionals, who join the thousands already contributed by Gucci, standard-bearer in donations to the Italian Department of Civil Protection and the World Health Organization.

Taking his place in the battle, we have the $ 10 million in cash and thousands of masks and protective clothing, personally donated by Ralph Lauren to the covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund and other institutions. And in a beautiful gesture of great generosity, Lauren has recalled the obstacles she faced earlier in her career, and has donated a quantity to the CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund to help new designers keep their businesses, and not have to. close and fire your employees. A thousand times bravo!

Inditex, the powerful Spanish company that owns Zara, Massimo Dutti, Stradivarius and other internationally renowned brands, has produced and donated thousands of face masks and protective clothing from the start. And their factories do not stop working to help combat the pandemic that has caused so much damage in Spain!

Prada opened - and pays all the costs - of 6 intensive care wards in 3 hospitals in Milan, reorienting its Perugia factory to the production of masks and protective clothing for all the hospitals in Italian Tuscany that need it so much.

LVMH's group of brands (Dior, Givenchy, Kenzo, Bulgari, etc.) has allocated its perfume factories in France to make disinfecting gels (which it hopes to send on behalf of Bulgari to various Italian hospitals) - and has donated more than 100 Million protective masks - while its competitor in the business, the Kering Group (owned by Francois-Henri Pinault, Salma Hayek's husband) is using its brand factories (Gucci, which we mentioned, in addition to Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and others) to produce thousands of masks. And the Coty group - owners of Calvin Klein and Cover Girl, among other brands - have donated thousands of bottles of disinfectant gel, masks and protective clothing, as well as cash to many organizations.

Two fashion giants, Giorgio Armani and Versace, have spared no help - especially their beloved Italy. Armani has donated almost $ 2 million to Italian hospitals and Donatella Versace $ 200,000 to the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, with which the family, a personal friend of the Versace family told me, has worked closely with.

The highly fashionable Canadian coat brand Canada Goose is making thousands of pieces of protective clothing for Canadian hospitals and has donated $ 1 million to help healthcare facilities that need help.

Swedish giant H&M, through its charity foundation, has donated $ 500,000 to the covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund, and has allocated millions more to the production of protective clothing that it distributes to various hospitals and health organizations around the world. .

The English brand Burberry has said this, donating thousands of uniforms and masks for health workers in all hospitals in the United Kingdom, in addition to helping to finance the creation of a vaccine that is being developed by scientists at the University of Oxford.

The classic American brand BrookBrothers has reopened its factories in New York, North Carolina and Massachusetts in order to make pieces of protective clothing for doctors and uniforms for health workers.

Large stores like Saks Fifth Avenue are also part of this fashion solidarity army, and have donated significant amounts of money to the New York-Presbyterian Covid-19 Patient Care Fund, and organizing

-Very important! - educational programs to help children and young students, whose lives, families and emotional state have been deeply affected by the pandemic. They do this through associations like Bring Change to Mind and Girls Inc.

American underwear brands like Jockey, Hanes, and Fruit of the Loom are also joining this battle, making masks and sanitary protection, along with designer brands like Raúl Peñaranda, Christian Siriano (the first designer in this country to start making masks. ), Carolina Herrera (production of uniforms and protective gowns), Alejandra Rojas, COS, MANGO, Sandro, Calzedonia, GEOX, Intimissimi, Falconeri and many more. The Sperry company, for example, has donated 3,000 pairs of shoes to the Two TenFootwear Foundation (which helps the homeless).

In addition to clothing ...

The English company that owns luxury car brands Jaguar and Land Rover has donated hundreds of vehicles to the International Red Cross and the National Health Service of the United Kingdom, adding thousands of protective glasses for health professionals. And the Italian luxury car brand Lamborghini is manufacturing both sanitary gowns and much-needed protective visors at its facilities.

And this is just the beginning of a beautiful movement of solidarity from the world of fashion and design that we are infinitely grateful for!

Bravo, the greats are up to the task!