As coronavirus continues to spread across the world, fashion and beauty companies are beginning to manufacture hand sanitiser, face masks and hospital gowns. To combat global shortages as well as to prevent Covid-19 from spreading further.
Luxury brands such as Prada, COS and Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga are among the leading fashion brands that have begun emergency production of cotton face masks, while the fashion conglomerate LVMH recently announced they would direct perfume and makeup factories to begin manufacturing hand sanitiser.
The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation has pledged to make 250,000 masks and 25,000 isolation gowns in the U.S. The foundation is also donating $10m towards the global response to the coronavirus pandemic. When announcing the company’s decision, Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer Ralph Lauren said:
“At the heart of our Company, there has always been a spirit of togetherness that inspires our creativity, our confidence and most importantly our support for one another. In the past weeks and months, that spirit has never wavered … “We believe that no matter who you are or where you are from, we are all connected. That is why we are taking significant action to help our teams and communities through this crisis.”
Along with the use of manufacturing lines to produce much-needed safety products, both established and indie beauty and fashion brands are also making donations to fight the spread of Covid-19. Through its 1 per cent social mission, beauty brand Billie is donating $100,000 to local food banks across America. Donatella Versace and her daughter Allegra Versace Beck have announced via Instagram the pledge of more than $200,000 to San Raffaele Hospital’s intensive care units in Milan.
L’Oréal has promised $720,000 to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation, as well as producing hundreds of tons of hand sanitiser that will be delivered free-of-charge to hospitals, pharmacies, care homes, and food stores. L’Oréal chairman and chief executive officer Jean-Paul Agon said:
“In this exceptional crisis situation it is our responsibility to contribute in every possible way to the collective effort.”
The Body Shop announced via social media that they will begin donating 30,000 units of cleansing products to shelters and senior communities across the United States and Canada. The Body Shop UK will also begin dropping off care packages to local hospitals for NHS workers. Jewellery designer Jennifer Meyer is donating 20 per cent of sales through the end of March to Baby2Baby, which provides essentials to children in need. In an Instagram post she wrote, “right now, children are in dire need of basic necessities.”
In the midst of all this chaos it’s good to know that humanity can pull together to take care of each other. Taking the negative aspects of Covid-19, which are devastating the globe, and turning them into a positive lesson of taking care of one another… surely the brands that step up and step out at this moment of need will be the ones still standing when all is said and done.
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