Looking beyond fashion

With every country fully or partially shut down, with only essentials being retailed, fashion is probably the last thing on the mind, even for Europeans.

And the fashion brands are also showing they are more than just about beauty and doing their bit to lend a hand in this moment of global crisis. The likes of H&M, Zara, LVMH, which owns Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, Prada and many more luxury brands are using their facilities to make medical essentials for protecting people.

Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior is leveraging its global supply chain to source 40 million facemasks. Prada has begun production of 80,000 medical overalls and 110,000 masks at the request of authorities in Tuscany.

Luxury swimwear brand Karla Colletto has offered up its Virginia factory, and Los Angeles Apparel donated the services of its 450-person-plus workforce to produce face masks. Apron and culinary clothing manufacturer Hedley & Bennett is now producing masks for frontline workers with the help of donations.

Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent, are preparing to manufacture covid masks. Gucci, is looking to make and donate 1.1 million masks and 55,000 medical overalls to authorities in hard-hit Italy.