Fashion brands continue to support coronavirus relief efforts

It seems the fashion industry isn’t done giving back during the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis. While fashion designers, brands and retailers have shut shops and online offerings that hasn’t stopped them getting involved with their communities by offering charitable donations, discounts to frontline medical staff, and making protective equipment, masks and sanitiser.

Last week we shared with you the contributions from brands including Kurt Geiger, John Lewis, Baukjen, Zadig and Voltaire, Three Graces London and In The Style, now is the turn of Net-a-Porter, Salvatore Ferragamo, Boden, and Victoria Beckham.

Salvatore Ferragamo manufactures and donate medical equipment to help fight Covid-19

Italian luxury brand Salvatore Ferragamo is supporting coronavirus efforts in the Tuscany region of the country by manufacturing and donating 100,000 TNT anti-bacterial masks, 50,000 units of hand sanitiser and 3,000 FPP1 masks to local healthcare units.

Net-a-Porter donates London delivery fleet

Luxury e-tailer Net-A-Porter has donated its London premier delivery fleet to help seven Age UK charities in London with delivering food and medicine to the elderly across the city.

“During this critical time, these charities are working tirelessly to ensure that elderly and vulnerable groups have access to essential care packages, food and medical supplies, while they are required to stay at home,” explained Net-a-Porter in a statement. “The volunteered vehicles donation is immediately operational in response to the unprecedented level of need which is challenging charity resources.”

The volunteered vehicles will allow the charities to fulfil their mission of delivering critical supplies across the following London boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, East London, Enfield, Camden, West London and Lambeth.

This initiative follows Yoox Net-a-Porter’s recent care package of 100 laptops for Italian school children, in response to the Italian Ministry of Education’s call for hardware, as well as the group’s creation of special digital education content packages for the Ministry’s website to support home-schooling in the country during this time.

Brooks Brothers to manufacture up to 150,000 surgical masks per day

Brooks Brothers, America’s oldest retailer, has responded to calls for enhanced supplies for medical professionals in America by converting its New York, North Carolina and Massachusetts factories from manufacturing ties, shirts and suits to now making masks and gowns.

The American brand has stated it plans to use these facilities to produce up to 150,000 masks per day on an ongoing basis, to help increase access to protective gear for health care workers and others battling the spread of Covid-19.

“We consider this a duty, and part of our DNA at Brooks Brothers,” said Claudio Del Vecchio, chief executive officer at Brooks Brothers in a statement. “These are challenging times that are impacting us all. We are deeply grateful to the medical personnel at the frontlines who are fighting the pandemic, and we are honoured to do our part and join our peers in retail to provide protective masks that our health care system critically needs. I also want to thank our dedicated manufacturing employees who are returning to work as we reopen our factories to make this possible.”

Victoria Beckham supports Covid-19 relief effort

Victoria Beckham emailed her customers to explain that the designer label and her cruelty-free beauty brand, Victoria Beckham Beauty, would be donating 20 percent of all sales from March 25 to Feeding America in the US and The Trussell Trust in the UK, both of which have a network of food banks.

“We are committed to caring and supporting those on the front lines of the Covid-19 relief efforts – words can’t describe how thankful we all are for the bravery and hard work of everyone who is making significant sacrifices to keep us safe. We are in this together,” explained the fashion designer. “At Victoria Beckham and Victoria Beckham Beauty, we firmly believe that during these uncertain times, feeding yourself and your family should not be one of those uncertainties. We are committed to helping the most vulnerable people in our communities: the nurses and healthcare workers who are sacrificing their own health to treat and care for others; the teachers who are continuing to support their classrooms; mothers and children, many of whom are now at home, balancing full-time jobs and homeschooling; and the elderly, who are at greatest health risk and unable to go out to shop for themselves. Above all, we stand behind the women who are supporting other women through this challenging time.”

Linda Farrow donating 10 percent of their global online sales

Luxury sunglasses and eyewear brand Linda Farrow is donating 10 percent of all sales from its seasonal edit for March and April to the NHS “to support them during this difficult period”.

Simon Jablon, creative director and son of Linda Farrow said in a statement: “We remain eternally grateful to the NHS for all they are doing to keep the people of Britain safe during this time of grave adversity.

“Although we are an independent business we still want to do whatever we can to support the staff of the NHS who throughout this period will have to remain on the front line, fighting to save lives.”

The edit features 24 frames from the latest spring/summer 2020 Linda Farrow 50th anniversary collection, including the Olivia, the Keaton, the Dunaway, the Amber and the Fawcett sunglasses and optical frames.

Image: courtesy of Linda Farrow

Chi Chi London offers NHS shopping credit

Fashion label Chi Chi London is offering all NHS staff 20 pounds of store credit to spend as a way of saying thank you.

“The #NHS are under huge pressure and we want to say #thankyou in any way we can - please get in touch and send us a selfie of you in your uniform/selfie with your ID Card via email or DM and we will give you 20-pound store credit to spend,” explained the brand on its social media.

So far, Chi Chi London has donated over 20,000 pounds, with the retail explaining that the initiative had “surpassed all expectations and has made everyone feel that sometimes a little gesture can go a very long way”.

Chi Chi London chief executive and co-founder Daniel Najar said in a statement: "We are committed to spreading happiness at a time of doom, gloom and uncertainty, whatever we can do to make these front line heroes smile a little and feel appreciated then we will do.”

Jeweller Loquet London to donate 50 percent of all sales

Luxury jewellery brand Loquet London has released a new ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ charm to support the NHS. The house-shaped charm, priced 260 pounds, is cast in 18kt gold and peppered with a pink tourmaline and diamonds, and the jewellery brand will donate 50 percent of all sales of the new charm to the Covid-19 urgent appeal in support of providing food and equipment that enhances the well being of all NHS staff and volunteers.

La Perla donates 10,000 masks to the Municipality of Bologna

Luxury Italian lingerie brand La Perla has donated 10,000 masks from Hong Kong to the Municipality of Bologna to support the Covid-19 relief efforts. The donation will see the masks distributed to employees of the Municipality of Bologna, the Asp Città di Bologna, and for home care workers and for elderly residential homes.

"La Perla is committed, in coordination with the local authorities, to guarantee its support to the city of Bologna and Emilia-Romagna Region for as long as it is necessary to face this crisis,” said La Perla chief executive Pascal Perrier.

Mayor Virginio Merola and the Councillor for Labour Marco Lombardo added: "We are truly grateful to the management of this company, so deeply rooted in the city, for this act of generosity that will fall entirely on the territory. Each additional mask allows those at work to do it safely.”

Deborah Lyons supporting The Trussell Trust

British womenswear brand Deborah Lyons is donating 20 percent of all profits to The Trussell Trust to help provide emergency food and support to those in need across the UK. Lyons is also collecting sealed and unused N95 masks to re-distribute back to the NHS to help keep frontline staff safe.

Arket offers free cookbook

Fashion and lifestyle retailer Market has launched a digital version of its Cookbook for Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter to be downloaded free to “democratise healthy and sustainable eating” during the coronavirus outbreak.

“The current situation has altered many people’s daily routines. Our hope with this book is to share some of our favourite healthy meals that are a joy to prepare at home,” explained Martin Berg, head chef at Arket Café. “Following the natural rhythm of the seasons, these vegetarian recipes reflect our vision of the New Nordic everyday food. We embrace traditional methods, using healthy and ethically produced local ingredients, and combining Northern flavours with worldly influences.”

The cookbook consists of 23 everyday recipes adjusted to suit the home kitchen, including dishes and desserts served in the Arket Café as well as other recipes created exclusively for the cookbook.

Image: courtesy of Arket

Anine Bing produces 10,000 non-medical masks

Los Angeles-based fashion label Anine Bing is producing non-medical masks to help fight the coronavirus. On the brand’s social media, Anine Bing explained that they had partnered with their factory in Turkey to produce 10,000 non-medical masks to donate them to individuals and organisations in need.

“We are grateful for this beautiful collaboration, which allows our team at Anine Bing to provide essential businesses and workers with protection and peace of mind as they continue to serve their communities daily. Together, we can make a difference.”

Lark and Berry are giving back to the NHS

Fine jewellery brand Lark and Berry are giving back to the NHS and its customers for the whole month of April. For the NHS, the jewellery brand is offering 40 percent off everything as a “thank you” for their hard work, as well as gifting 25 gold and diamond piercings to NHS staff once they re-open their store.

In addition, each week in April, Lark and Berry is offering a new offer for consumers including complimentary jewellery gifts and discounts.

By Rotation offering NHS staff a free rental

Fashion rental platform By Rotation are offering a free rental to anyone who works at the NHS for their next party, date, or holiday once the coronavirus crisis is behind us.

By Rotation founder Eshita Kabra-Davies said of the current situation: "I chose to focus on being a digital-only business in line with our core value of sustainability via sharing. As an agile startup in today's new world order, we are lucky to have all our team continuing to work with us, business almost as usual.

“Although we'll sacrifice short-term business goals, our priority is not to push any sales (or rentals in our case) to anyone: because no one needs this right now. By Rotation was not founded to encourage people to spend money on things they don’t need - the contrary in fact. What I believe we can do as a business is to use the power of our community for good.”

NHS workers just need to sign up to the free app with their NHS email address and they will receive credit on their account.

Georgia Hardinge donating to Age UK

Emerging designer Georgia Hardinge is donating 50 percent of profits on her Sustainable Dazed dresses for the next two months to Age UK to help the elderly during the coronavirus outbreak.

In an Instagram message, the fashion label said: “The GH team are ever grateful to all the nurses, doctors, health care providers, supermarket workers, delivery drivers, community service teams, teachers, volunteer workers and others on the ground working through this difficult time in order to keep our health and livelihood in motion. To the heroes of our time - we salute you everyday.”

Cefinn to donate to Age UK and The Trussell Trust

Cefinn, the womenswear label founded by Samantha Cameron, will be donating 5 pounds from every order over the next four weeks to Age UK and the Trussell Trust, two charities were chosen because they “both provide help and support to those particularly vulnerable due to the Covid-19 outbreak,” explained the brand.

On the Cefinn website, Cameron added: "In moments like this, everyone looks for support from family, friends and loved ones, Age UK looks after those who have no one to turn to in day-to-day life and even less so in times like these. Age UK strives to provide information, advice, healthcare and well-being creating a community that combats loneliness and vulnerability.

“The Trussell Trust is a charity we have chosen aimed at targeting hunger and poverty in the UK, they provide a nationwide network of foodbanks and support. Plenty of us have been lucky enough to take ourselves to the supermarket to buy provisions for the inevitable onset of self-quarantining for Covid-19, so let’s help those who haven’t been so fortunate.”

Image: courtesy fo Cefinn

Boden collaborates with Helpforce

Boden has collaborated with Helpforce, a charity that coordinates initiatives to improve the lives of NHS staff and patients. The brand will be providing nightwear and clothing to NHS staff who are unable to return home at the end of hospital shifts and to recovered patients, unable to get clothing from their families in hospital due to the risk of infection.

Main image: courtesy of Salvatore Ferragamo