From designer dresses to medical gear – the fashion industry is being swept up by the coronavirus outbreak and fashion’s biggest brands are adapting to a new product line.
Prada is the latest brand to announce their move to manufacturing face masks to address the growing demand for medical gear around the world. The brand will be making 110,000 face masks over the coming weeks. Gucci has also pledged to make over one million, alongside Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga.
It marks a fascinating shift for the designer labels, as they face both dwindling retail sales and the global demand for medical gear. And it’s not just the clothing companies that are the making the switch.
Estée Lauder has reopened its manufacturing facilities to make hand sanitiser for medical officials, as well as donating $2 million to Doctors Without Borders. Luxury French brand LVMH is also making the switch from perfume to hand sanitiser, donating it across France’s hospitals.
While not all brands have made the shift, many of fashion’s big names have pledged millions of dollars to the cause. Fashion icon Giorgio Armani donated $1.4 million to hospitals in Milan and Rome, Hermès gave 5 million yuan to a Chinese welfare foundation and Donatella Versace pledged $200,000 to a Milan hospital.
