The answer of Fashion Brands to COVID-19 Emergency

2020 will define the future of fashion. With all the restrictions that our daily life is going trough, the Coronavirus has definitely thrown the global experience in a new and unexpected apocalyptic scenario. How are reacting the giant of fashion?

One of the most productive industries economically speaking, the fashion one, wasn’t intimidated, and a race to solidarity started immediately.

Among the different initiatives we recall the money donations, through found raisers that brands like Gucci, lead by Alessandro Michele, is carrying on in order to support the World Health Organization and the Civil Protection. For the occasion, the maison is spreading positive messages on its social medias, by interrupting the publication of the latest advertising campaigns and focusing on hope messages, adding on its posts the hashtags #GucciCommunity and #StaySafe.

Also Nike is demonstrating its involvement for the community. In fact, the Swoosh has committed 15 million and half dollars in favor of several organizations, and it’s still collaborating with an university of Oregon for the development of medical equipments. In the meanwhile, on social medias, it’s making us feel part of a big team.

Many are the luxury companies actively involved, whose have reconverted their industrial production in order to produce emergency supplies and fight the virus. That’s how he excellences of the Made in Italy are proving themselves.

Armani and Versace were the first ones to became aware of the real seriousness of the virus: in fact, Donatella Versace and her daughter have offered, in February, a considerable amount of money to China, re-marking their presence also in Italy, by devolving 200.000 Euros at the San Raffaele di Milano Hospital for the intensive therapy department.

Either Armani had, from the beginning, provided to the reconversion of its production, dealing with surgical gowns for the healthcare professionals and economically contributing in favor of the Civil Protection and the Hospitals Luigi Sacco, San Raffaele, Istituto dei Tumori of Milan and Spallanzani of Rome, continuing with the Hospitals of Bergamo, Piacenza and Versilia, with donations amounting to 2 million Euros.

The Prada group has started in its factory in Montone, Perugia, the production of 80.000 surgical gowns and 110.000 masks in order to help the Tuscan Region.

The Valentino Garavani Foundation, together with its right-hand man Giancarlo Giammetti, have donated 1 million Euros to Columbus COVID 2 Hospital, inaugurated on the 21th March 2020. But the maison wouldn’t stops: in its latest announcement on social medias, it presented the initiative of Mayhoola, the Valentino’s hold company, that will contribute to the expansion of Madrid’s Hospital COVID-19 IFEMA with a Million Euros. In the meanwhile, is covering its feed in Red Valentino color and quotes to give hope to its 13,8mil followers.

The Bergamasque brand Trussardi couldn’t not help its hometown, so decided to launch a fundraiser #ConBergamo and it’s devolving all the e-commerce revenue in support of the health emergency.

Bulgari immediately started working together with its fragrances partner ICR, by producing flacons of hand sanitizer to be given to medical structures: 6 thousand pieces per day, 200 thousand pieces in two months, in addition to an huge donation for the Hospital Spallanzani. The beauty of a country like Italy is shared by the brand trough the latest Instagram post.

As in Italy, also abroad: An example is Dior, whose has reopened its atelier in Redon, concentrating its production on masks, which will be devolved to people that are fighting this emergency at first.

“Burberry supports community”. It’s powerful the message spread by the British fashion house, whose is satisfying the medical needs 360°. The transition between the realization of the timeless trench, to a massive production of masks and surgical gowns was sudden; the brand accelerated the delivery timing, making available its own distribution channel, ensuring a fast and real help. Moreover, it donated a considerable amount of money to the University for the vaccine against this pandemia.

Moncler is not far behind, and announced a 10 million Euros donation for the construction of a specific hospital for the COVID-19 patients, in the city who gave it so much.

In the meanwhile, social medias are brewing posts plenty of hope.

New Balance with its message “Made shoes yesterday. Making masks today.” makes itself emotionally involved in this situation, demonstrating them ready to answer to the huge request of masks, rethinking its industries.

Even the younger brands are contributing with a positive message, inviting their followers to share their creativity through Instagram directs (see Sunnei ) and challenges.

And again, “We need poetry”, the french maison Jacquemus writes, which is committing in sharing projects created exclusively with “objets trouvés” at home.

Everyone is doing what he can, with the resources that he has. The secret is to reinvent. That’s the main message and the point strength that will bring us to be united.