Cos will be supporting Baby2Baby, an organisation that supplies diapers, formula, and hygiene products to those in need. As mentioned in a release, COS has already donated a total of US$2.5 million (S$2.83 million) “essential items to some of the most vulnerable families across the country.”
Illustrative image: Cos’ Spring/Summer 2020 lookbook
The H&M Group has announced that it will use its supply chain to produce personal protective equipment for hospital workers and caregivers in the EU.“The Coronavirus is dramatically affecting each and every one of us, and H&M Group is, like many other organisations, trying our best to help in this extraordinary situation,” Anna Gedda, head of sustainability at the company said. “We see this is as a first step in our efforts to support in any way we can. We are all in this together, and have to approach this as collectively as possible.”
Illustrative image: H&M’s Spring/Summer 2020 Conscious Exclusive lookbook
The London-based accessories label has pledged US$500,000 (S$707,000) to organisations in the United Kingdom: US$250,000 will go to the National Health Service Covid-19 Urgent Appeal by NHS Charities Together and US$250,000 will go to the World Health Organisation’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
Illustrative image: Fashion influencer Tina Leung in Jimmy Choo at New York Fashion Week
Parisian apparel brand Sandro is planning on distributing 10,000 masks crafted from excess fabric to non-medical workers at hospitals in France such as Aulnay-sous-Bois Hospital. It’s part of their efforts in alleviating the strain faced by medical-grade mask manufacturers. The brand ultimately aims to distribute masks throughout Europe and the United States. The company will also be offering complimentary breakfast to hospital employees every Friday in alternating cities globally. It has also designed a slogan T-shirt that reads “Stronger Together” that will be sold on its website. All of the proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross.
Illustrative image: Sandro’s Spring/Summer 2020 lookbook
Yoox Net-A-Porter‘s Premier Delivery Service fleet is now serving as Volunteered Vehicles for seven local Age UK charities benefiting older people in London. The Volunteered Vehicles for local charities have also been extended to Italy and Hong Kong in response to the unprecedented level of need in these countries.
The Volunteered Vehicles will facilitate the delivery of critical supplies across various boroughs in London. The services of these seven Age UK charities include the prevention of malnutrition and ensuring essential upkeep of health and wellbeing, as well as reassuring anxiety of reduced access to food and medicines while staying at home.
A second initiative, the Emergency Designer Network (EDN), will provide essential logistical assistance to the production of key PPE garments such as robes, scrubs and masks by local UK manufacturers and designers.
Michael Kors, the American fashion label under Capri Holdings – which also oversees labels Versace and Jimmy Choo – has pledged US$1 million (S$1.41 million), with the designer donating another US$1 million personally to New York-based organisations supporting coronavirus relief efforts. Recipients of the donation include: NYU Langone Health, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, God’s Love We Deliver, A Common Thread and CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund for Covid-19 Relief. Capri Holdings has also committed to a five-year plan that will see it working towards net zero emissions and 100 per cent renewable energy.
Illustrative image: Michael Michael Kors’ Spring/Summer 2020 lookbook
Through its Tiffany & Co. Foundation, the jewellery giant has pledged US$1 million (S$1.41 million) to organisations supporting Covid-19 relief, with US$750,000 going to the WHO’s Solidarity Response Fund and US$250,000 to the New York Community Trust’s NYC Covid-19 Response & Impact Fund. The label will also institute an employee donation program that will match the funds to qualified organisations combating the effects of the coronavirus.
Illustrative image: Tiffany & Co.’s Tiffany T1 collection
Pledging US$100,000 (S$141,000) to Crisis Text Line and the organisation’s efforts to provide crisis counselling and emotional support for doctors and nurses, Kate Spade is also partnering with institutions like Pursuit, the American Red Cross, the United Nations, Catchafire, and UPchieve on a virtual volunteering program.
Illustrative image: Kate Spade’s Spring/Summer 2020 show
Maje has teamed up with a network of manufacturers in the Pays de la Loire region to produce protective face masks. As of April 1, 12,000 FFP1 masks have been delivered to the Agence Regionale de Sante d’Ile-de-France (Greater Paris regional health agency) that manages the health system and distribution of medical resources in Paris. Maje aims to manufacture 500,000 masks per week moving forward.
Illustrative image: Maje’s Spring/Summer 2020 lookbook
Tory Burch has teamed up with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East to provide US$5 million (S$7.07 million) worth of products – including scrubs, belts, and sneakers – to health care workers. The brand is also donating 3,000 yards of fabric for the production of face masks and hospital gowns which will go to the Catholic Health Services of Long Island.
Illustrative image: Tory Burch, Tory Burch Fall/Winter 2020 show
On April 16, the Tory Burch Foundation launched a free webinar with the United States Chamber of Commerce on navigating debt relief. The organisation is also providing information with regard to accessing debt relief on its social media platforms and website.
Loewe has collaborated with Plataforma de Infancia – a Spanish alliance of social organisations that works to protect children and adolescent’s rights – to launch educational programs this summer with the aim to narrow the educational inequality gap between children of different socio-economic backgrounds. The brand will pledge an initial donation of €500,000 (S$770,000), and €40 (S$61.40) for each product sold from its Paula’s Ibiza collection between May and August 2020.
Loewe is also determined to donate 100,000 surgical masks to the Spanish Red Cross, to be distributed equitably to frontline services based on urgency. In addition, non-surgical masks are being produced in its Getafe factory, which will be distributed to volunteer workers, Loewe employees and their families.
Image: a still from ‘Insight’, a biographical short film on British designer Zandra Rhodes which was screened as part of the Bottega Residency initiative (1981)
Bottega Veneta has pledged €300,000 (S$460,000) in support of scientific research in Italy. The funds will go toward distributing two-year scholarships across universities, institutes and hospitals in Veneto, Lazio and Campania.
Ralph Lauren has pledged US$10 million (S$14.1 million) to coronavirus relief efforts, which will go to the World Health Organisation’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the Emergency Assistance Foundation, and its Pink Pony Fund that supports a network of international cancer institutions.
Additionally, the American lifestyle brand gifted an undisclosed amount to the CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund to help fashion designers affected by the pandemic. The brand is also producing 250,000 face masks and 25,000 isolation gowns for health care workers.
Illustrative image: Ralph Lauren’s Spring/Summer 2020 show
With the help of hundreds of artisans and voluntary pattern cutters working across its ateliers and from home, Louis Vuitton is ramping up the production of hundreds of thousands of masks as well as gowns. All items will be distributed to those in need and frontline workers in France.
Illustrative image: Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2020 show
The Della Valle family of Tod’s Group and Roger Vivier pledges €5 million (S$7.7 million) to the family members of frontline workers and health personnel who have lost their lives due to the virus. The sum will be entrusted to Italy’s Protezione Civile – which aids in the prevention and relief of major and catastrophic events.
Luxury reseller Vestiaire Collective is teaming up with notable names in the fashion industry – from British model Kate Moss to designer Clare Waight Keller – in a bit to fight Covid-19. The platform will host one-of-a-kind pieces donated by influential figures to help raise funds to support scientific research and also support local French hospitals. All proceeds from the sales will go towards the World Health Organisation, Italian Lombardia Region Fundraising, Paris Hospitals and Italy’s La Paz Hospital.
Illustrative image: Kate Moss at the Dior Homme Fall/Winter 2019 show
British luxury fashion house Burberry will be facilitating the production of both surgical and non-surgical masks as well as gowns in its trenchcoat factory in Castleford, Yorkshire. It will also be donating funds to contribute to the University of Oxford’s research into single-dose vaccines and will be making contributions to food charities FareShare and The Felix Project in a pre-emptive move against food shortage across the UK.
Chanel has recently announced that it will fully maintain the salaries of its current 8,500 France-based employees for a period of eight weeks as a means of helping the government expend its resources on the country’s healthcare system instead. The luxury house has also pledged €1.2 million (S$1.84 million) to France’s public hospital system, donated 50,000 face masks and is in the process of producing protective face masks and gowns with the help of 150 of its sewing specialists.
Illustrative image: Chanel’s Fall/Winter 2020 show
Due to school closures in France, French fashion school Institut Francais de la Mode will be hosting a free four-week online course titled ‘Understanding Fashion: From Business to Culture’. The course will feature fashion heavyweights such as French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus, Sir Paul Smith and Christelle Kocher of Koche.
Illustrative image: Simon Porte Jacquemus at the Jacquemus Fal//Winter 2016 show
The Italian luxury house has pledged its support on both a local and international scale. Its €1 million (S$1.53 million) donation to the National Civil Protection Department in partnership with Intesa Sanpaolo’s crowd-funding platform (on which Gucci has a dedicated fund-raising page) will help support Italy’s health services, while its donation to the United Nations Foundation’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund will contribute to the World Health Organisation’s global efforts.
Following its donation to the research department of the Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital to help fund the acquisition of a high definition microscope, Bvlgari has teamed up with long-term manufacturing partner Industrie Cosmetiche Riunite to produce hand cleansing gels. The product will be distributed in 75ml recyclable bottles and is expected to be manufactured in quantities exceeding 100,000.
Prada will be distributing a total of 110,000 masks which will be delivered to healthcare personnel by April 6, 2020. The masks were produced at the Prada factory in Montone, which has stayed open during the pandemic.
Moncler has pledged €10 million (S$15.34 million) to the Fiera Hospital Project, which will contribute to building over 400 intensive care units in the region of Lombardy, Italy.
Donatella Versace and her daughter Allegra Versace have donated €200,000 (S$307,000) to aid in the construction of intensive care units in the San Raffaele hospital, Milan
Illustrative image: Donatella Versace at the Versace Fall/Winter 2019 show
Dolce & Gabbana extends further support to Humanitas University – where it currently funds medical scholarships – by donating to a study coordinated by Professor Mantovani. Working with virologists Elisa Vicenzi and Massimo Clementi of San Raffaele Vita-Salute University, the study focuses on immunity responses to Covid-19 and possible future medical relief.
Illustrative image: Streetstyle at the Dolce & Gabbana Fall/Winter 2020 show
Luxury conglomerate LVMH has produced and distributed quantities of hand sanitising gels. An estimated 12 tonnes of hydroalcoholic gel is predicted to be manufactured and donated to French health authorities.
Illustrative image: Backstage at Christian Dior’s Fall/Winter 2020 show
Italian designer Giorgio Armani pledges US$1.4 million (S$1.98 million) to Italian hospitals such as Luigi Sacco, Versilia hospital and San Raffaele. The Armani Group has since converted its production sites to help manufacture single-use protective overalls for health-care workers across the country.
Illustrative image: Giorgio Armani at the Giorgio Armani Fall/Winter 2016 show