The science is clear even people without symptoms can infect other just by speaking but a simple cloth covering can stop us spreading harmful droplets #Masks4All
You might walk into stores over the next few days and sicken dozens without knowing it. Some might die. Others will think they are dying before they recover.That’s the worry I have after reading a paper by Roman Wölfel and colleagues, published this week in Nature. It shows that people are most infectious in the first week after catching Covid-19. During that time they often show no or few symptoms.
Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Jambo and Kenya Fashion council
Model : Emmanuel Jambo and Rosemary Wahu Kagwi
In other words, Covid-19 moves like a silent assassin, with unwitting accomplices. Maybe you’ll be one of them. The best way to ensure that you’re not: wear a mask, and keep your distance from others. Don’t wear an N95 respirator, the type in desperately short supply in hospitals, which is designed to keep doctors safe even when doing potentially dangerous medical procedures. But almost any kind of simple cloth covering over your mouth, such as a home-made mask, or even a bandanna, can stop the assassin in its tracks.
The Wölfel paper explains we must focus our efforts on stopping the spread of droplets. This is because the virus is primarily transmitted through tiny droplets of saliva ejected when we speak. You can’t see them, but they are there. We also know that these droplets can go significantly further than the 6ft which is widely cited as a safe distance.
Research supported by Nobel prize-winning virologist Harold Varmus tells us that placing a layer of cloth in front of a person’s face stops 99% of the droplets.
So, the science is clear. We do not know when we are sick. If we are sick, then when we speak we are projecting virus-laden droplets into the air. Wearing a simple cloth mask stops those droplets in their tracks. “I’m not going to wear a surgical mask, because clinicians need those,” said Dr Harvey Fineberg, chair of the National Academy of Sciences’ standing committee on emerging infectious diseases and 21st century health threats. “But I have a nice western-style bandanna I might wear. Or I have a balaclava. I have some pretty nice options.” Fineberg led a committee of experts that has just released an expert consultation explaining that the virus can spread through talking, or even breathing.
The clothing and textile sector’s 80,000 workers have been guaranteed full pay for six weeks during and after the Covid-19 lock down in a ground-breaking agreement by stakeholders.
On Monday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a 21-day national lockdown to limit the coronavirus outbreak. It will take effect from midnight on Thursday, and will impose stringent restrictions on the movement of people. People will be confined to their homes and will only be allowed to leave to shop for essentials such as food and medicines, to seek healthcare, or collect social grants.
The National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry announced that industry stakeholders had reached the deal that would see workers getting their full wages during the lockdown.
On Tuesday, the National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry in SA announced that parties in the industry have reached a “ground-breaking agreement” that will see workers getting their salaries during the lockdown period.
The signatories to the agreement include the SA Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu), the Apparel & Textile Association of SA (Atasa), and the SA Apparel Association (Saaa).
According to the agreement, payment to the industry’s 80,000 workers will be made up of workers’ Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) monies and employers funds, and that the clothing industry bargaining council will be the institution for the UIF distribution payments to workers through company payroll systems.
The bargaining council said the agreement had been submitted to the department of employment and labour for an “emergency gazette and extension to non-party companies in the clothing industry”.
“The parties to the bargaining council, working together with the UIF and the department of employment and labour are now focusing on the practical modalities of implementation of the agreement.”
A clothing industry Covid-19 lockdown rapid response task team has been established to manage immediate “practical implementation matters arising from the conclusion of the agreement”.
In a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday, employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi said employers and bargaining councils will be used to distribute new UIF benefits.
Nxesi said the government would not put a number on the table as to the size of the national disaster benefit as it might unfairly raise expectations.
“We do not want to talk about figures. We can’t announce something that we cannot fulfil. Our actuaries are busy looking at the numbers.”
The UIF was anticipated at the time of the February budget to have R3.6bn in surplus contributions over the next three years. In addition, to this it also had about R60bn in investments with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC).
Both these numbers are completely out of date, as contributions to the fund will now change significantly and investments will have diminished considerably.
Meanwhile, SA’s tally of Covid-19 cases have risen to 554 and the number is expected to continue to rise for at least another fortnight, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has said. He said it will take time for the 21-day national lockdown to have an effect and reduce the spread of the disease.
Kenyan fashion designer David Avido Ochieng distributes face masks among his local community in Kibera settlement, on the outskirts of Nairobi. He has hand made hundreds of masks to help protect vulnerable people in Kibera and across the world from the outbreak of the COVID-19.
Last week, David Avido Ochieng barely slept. The Kenyan fashion designer has been working day and night in his studio, crafting hundreds of face masks from the colourful scrap fabrics of his designs.
Ochieng’s sustainable fashion designs are popular on the streets of Nairobi. His fashion brand, Lookslike Avido, is internationally known for its vibrant street-inspired style. But for now, he only designs face masks, with his trademark African print. He hands them out for free to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus among some of Kenya’s most vulnerable communities.
“I know what is motivating me to do this. Giving out the masks and letting people know how to help themselves when the virus tries reaching us gives me joy because at least I can help them to understand the situation,”
Avido says during a short break between sewing. An informal business woman wears one of David Ochieng’s face masks in Kibera, Nairobi. David Avido Ochieng was born and raised in Kibera, a sprawling informal settlement on the outskirts of Nairobi that is often referred to as Africa’s largest slum. When the first case of COVID-19 was announced in Kenya on March 17, he knew that this was where the virus could have the most dire effects.
Concerns about COVID-19’s potential impact on informal settlements like Kibera are high. How possible is it to prevent the spread of the virus in a slum area, where few residents have access to running water? How can social distancing be an option when homes are stacked precariously on top of one another, and where a day without work means a day without food?
These were among the fears expressed in Kibera following news of the first outbreak, and it is what inspired Ochieng to start making his own masks and distributing them for free among his local community.
“I’m doing my best to help people around here. The people in my community motivate me to be who I am and at the end of the day, I can’t see them suffer because not all of them are able to afford the masks, the hand wash, and the sanitiser,”
he explains
In a community where access hand sanitiser or surgical face masks is sparse, his hope is that the masks will at least prevent people from touching their face and contacting the virus. And unlike surgical masks, they can be washed and reused; a more sustainable alternative for those living below the poverty line.
Fashion designer David Avido Ochieng has made 1,800 face masks in the week since the first case of coronavirus was announced in Kenya.
However, the effectiveness of masks in preventing the spread of coronavirus has been debated and Ochieng is quick to say that they do not fully protect people from the virus. Alongside making the masks, he distributes them, educating people in the community on how to fully protect themselves from the virus as he does so.
Some days Ochieng goes deep into villages to inform and assist those who aren’t aware of the dangers of coronavirus and its rapid spread. To each man, woman, or child he hands his masks to, Avido explains how to safely use them and emphasises the importance of other prevention measures including thorough hand washing and the use of sanitiser.
“Some people don’t really know what is happening, so I have to educate them. Once you do that, they are able to understand. It takes time for them to understand what is happening and to teach them the preventative measures. People are really happy [to receive the masks], some are even falling into tears,”
he says.
David Avido Ochieng has already run out of the scrap fabrics he was using. He continues to purchase more from the market as he becomes overwhelmed by the demand for masks on the ground. He has made almost 1,800 masks in the last week, and on his last distribution in Kibera he handed out 700 masks.
With each mask taking around 10 minutes to make, his life has become consumed by what feels to be an urgent need to create and distribute as many masks as possible for a community in need of support.
“When I go out, at some point I run out of masks, and I don’t know what to say. I have to run back home and make more. You get tired but you have to push on for the people,”
Ochieng says.
However, it is not just people in Kibera that Ochieng supplies masks to. Across Nairobi, demand is high; from other informal settlements like Mathare, to the high-income areas of Karen and Lavington. He has even had requests from as far as Europe and the United States, where people have told him masks have been sold out.
Regardless of who is asking, Ochieng will distribute the masks for free. He refuses any payment other than hand sanitiser, which he then distributes throughout the Kibera community.
For now, a sense of uncertainty hangs in the air as Kenya shuts down borders and steps up measures to prevent the spread of the virus. And for Ochieng, who remains deeply connected to the community he has lived in his whole life, his masks and education are all he has to offer as he works to protect his community from a virus that would be potentially crippling to his hometown.
“When you die, you don’t go with money, but if you have the chance right now, help people around you, show them love and support, because that is what keeps us going,”
Ochieng says, before turning back to his sewing machine for another day and night weaving together his colourful masks.
This article originally appeared on CGTN Africa Photo courtesy of David Ochieng
MILAN, Italy Fashion group Armani said on Thursday all of its Italian production plants would start producing single use medical overalls, in an effort to support healthcare workers in the coronavirus crisis.
A consortium of Italian fashion companies is soon expected to start producing million of protective face masks.
The shortage of protective equipment and other medical devices has been one of the biggest problems dogging the Italian health system since the contagion surfaced in the wealthy northern region of Lombardy at the end of February.
The fashion house, run by designer Giorgio Armani, added it had increased to 2 million euros (1.82 million pounds), from an initial 1.25 million euros, the funds it donated to Italian hospitals to help them face the virus emergency.
A consortium of Italian textile and fashion companies, coordinated by business association Confindustria Moda, is soon expected to start producing million of protective face masks, with the aim of making Italy self-sufficient in manufacturing the masks.
Instead of making masks, some fashion companies have bypassed the problem by buying finished masks directly from China, which makes most of the world’s medical masks. LVMH, owner of brands such as Louis Vuitton and Dior, said on March 21 it had managed to order 10 million masks from a Chinese industrial supplier, including 7 million surgical masks and 3 million FFP2 masks.
It plans to repeat the order in similar quantities weekly for at least four weeks. Kering, owner of Gucci and other labels, is purchasing a total of 3 million masks from China to give to France’s health service.
But companies looking to make masks themselves have to find the right textiles first. A spokesperson for Prada said in an emailed statement that officials for the region of Tuscany helped it find the raw material suppliers for the 110,000 masks and 80,000 medical overalls it’s making at its factory in Perugia. The masks will be surgical masks made from a nonwoven fabric.
Kering says its luxury houses Gucci, Balenciaga, and Yves Saint Laurent will begin making masks at their workshops as soon as the relevant authorities in Italy and France approve their manufacturing processes and materials. The company said it couldn’t offer any further detail at the moment.
A spokesperson for H&M said in an email that the company is working with the EU to determine which products are needed most urgently, but if it begins producing masks it will use both external suppliers already producing masks and its regular suppliers. “Irrespective of which supplier we use, we are of course following the quality standards and requirements set up by WHO and the EU,” the spokesperson said.
Zara, meanwhile, has said it’s working with its manufacturing experts to see if it can switch some of its textile manufacturing over to making “health materials.”
Some smaller companies in the US are going ahead and making cloth masks. Designer Christian Siriano told the New York Times he intends to make masks that meet the standards of the US Food and Drug Administration as soon as he’s able to receive the materials and patterns. In the meantime, he has had seamstresses producing prototype masks from a poly-lycra-cotton blend from the company’s stockroom. The Times said the company is testing them “according to regulations from the [New York] governor’s office.”
It’s unclear if those regulations allow for cloth masks and if they will be distributed to New York healthcare workers. Quartz has reached out to the New York governor’s office and to Christian Siriano and will update this story with any reply.
Los Angeles Apparel, another company the Times spoke with, said it was making masks from a “sweatshirt-like” fabric.
Companies don’t just need to find the right materials either. They may need to ensure their production sites comply with regulations on cleanliness to keep products sterile. Recently, when Shanghai General Motors started making masks, it used a clean room it normally keeps for research and development, a manufacturing expert at the World Economic Forum recently explained to Quartz. Fashion companies might have to sanitize their facilities and have authorities sign off, creating yet another step before they can get to work.
Not all masks are equal
Medical-grade masks are made from specialized textiles. The variety favored in places such as hospitals (pdf) today isn’t woven like a typical fabric. It’s made by complex and expensive machines that form melted, synthetic fibers into an extremely fine web. This web allows air to pass through while filtering out particles, which is why this non-woven material is used in respirators such as those labeled N95 in the US or FFP2 in Europe (pdf). The labels refer to the certification processes the respirators undergo. N95 respirators, which are designed to fit so they form a seal around the nose and mouth, can block at least 95% of particles as small as 0.3 microns under testing.
Surgical masks are also made from these fabrics, but they fit loosely on the face so they don’t offer as effective a filter. Still, they can keep medical workers from infecting others if they’re sick themselves and can catch some particles.
The surge in demand for these medical-grade textiles, however, has left their manufacturers struggling to keep up. Fashion companies, meanwhile, don’t generally have established suppliers for these materials, and the regular cloth they do have easy access to may not be much help to healthcare workers.
There is some evidence a cloth mask is still better than no mask at all—but just barely. The World Health Organization recommends against (pdf) using cloth masks, such as cotton or gauze, “under any circumstance.”
One 2015 study of about 1,600 hospital workers in Vietnam also discouraged the use of cloth masks, finding almost 97% of particles passed through them. The lead author said in a release at the time that cloth masks “should not be used by workers in any healthcare setting,” especially high-risk situations, and believed cloth masks could even raise the risk of infection, in part by retaining moisture.
The rapid spread of Corona virus ( COVID-19 ) presents an unprecedented challenge to people across the globe. Along with its tragic human toll, the virus has provoked mass panic, sending the markets tumbling to historic lows and causing dramatic shortages in products even tangentially related to the outbreak.
But the virus has also prompted displays of heroism on an equally unprecedented scale, a small but crucial reminder that in times of true crisis there is no more indefatigable force than the human spirit.
Medical-grade masks are made from specialized textiles. The variety favored in places such as hospitals (pdf) today isn’t woven like a typical fabric. It’s made by complex and expensive machines that form melted, synthetic fibers into an extremely fine web. This web allows air to pass through while filtering out particles, which is why this non-woven material is used in respirators such as those labeled N95 in the US or FFP2 in Europe (pdf). The labels refer to the certification processes the respirators undergo. N95 respirators, which are designed to fit so they form a seal around the nose and mouth, can block at least 95% of particles as small as 0.3 microns under testing.
Here is comprehensive list of who’s doing what, and where, that we’ll keep updated to reflect any new announcements regarding which brands are involved at home and abroad.
AMI Paris
The French label made a lump-sum donation to the Fondation Hôpitaux de France- Hôpitaux de Paris, and, as of Tuesday, has pledged to contribute 10% of all purchases made through its website to the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, from now until the end of the confinement period in France.
The iconic luxury label has pledged 1.25 million euros to a group of Italian hospitals and institutions, including the Luigi Sacco and San Raffaele hospitals and the Istituto dei Tumori in Milan, along with the Istituto Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome.
Earlier last month, Bulgari also made a donation of an unspecified sum to the research department of the Istituto Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome, allowing the hospital to purchase a microscopic image acquisition system valued at around 100,000 euros.
On Tuesday, Canali announced it will be donating 200,000 euros (or roughly $215,000) to the San Gerardo Hospital in Monza, through the brand’s nonprofit foundation, the Fondazione Canali Onlus.
On Tuesday, the Council of Fashion Designers of America announced the launch of A Common Thread, a fundraising initiative with Vogue to support small businesses within the fashion industry impacted by the global pandemic. The fund will also repurpose the $700,000 typically dedicated to the duo’s Fashion Fund Award, instead allocating the amount, and potentially more, to businesses that apply for grants starting on April 8th.
After New York Governor Andrew Cuomo tweeted asking for PPE (personal protective equipment) supplies including face masks, the NY-based designer and his team got in touch with his office and now plan to produce modified surgical masks from fabric they already had on hand for healthcare workers not directly interacting with the virus.
The beauty manufacturer announced earlier this week it intends to repurpose its manufacturing sites to provide hydroalcoholic gel to efforts fighting the spread of the virus.
The Italian label announced a comprehensive plan to partner with Humanitas University to fund studies and further research dedicated to finding out more about the cause of the virus.
The parent company behind fast-fashion brand Zara announced it will be using its factories to make face masks for the Spanish government, with the company saying it expects to ship out 300,000 masks by the end of this week.
John Elliott might be a smaller brand than any of the other big names on this list, but through its Mainline for the Frontline initiative, the label is doing its best to make an impact. The brand made a $10,000 donation to the UCLA Health Fund and has pledged to donate an additional 10% of proceeds from its sale section (which is full of fan favorites) to the same worthy cause, with a target goal of $100,000.
The French luxury conglomerate donated 7.5 million yuan (or $1 million) to the Red Cross Society of China, andGucci CEO Marco Bizzarri personally donated more than $100,000 to hospitals in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The group also announced it will be donating millions of masks to the French health service and will be converting some of its factories to produce other PPE supplies
Along with a donation of 1 million euros to several partner organizations, L’Oreal has also used its facilities to start manufacturing hand sanitizer and hydro-alcoholic gel.
After donating 16 million renminbi (or $2.2 million) to The Red Cross Society of China, the Paris-based multinational corporation announced that it’s converting the facilities formerly used to produce fragrances for its extensive roster of brands to make hydro-alcoholic gel, to be supplied free of charge to the French government and healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic. On Saturday, LVMH also announced it will donate 40 million masks to France.
The Italian textile firm has converted its production lines to make regulation-approved face masks on an impressive scale (the company has said it will likely be able to produce up to 100,000 masks a day going forward).
Moncler
Moncler has pledged 10 million euros (or $10.9 million) towards the construction of a new hospital in Milan with 400 intensive care units.
The Swoosh’s top executives, in tandem with the company itself, announced they’re committing more than $15 million to COVID-19 response efforts, including donations to regional organizations in Oregon and global foundations fighting the virus around the world.
Prada’s co-CEOs (husband-and-wife duo Patrizio Bertelli and Miuccia Prada) and Chairman Carlo Mazzi have donated two complete intensive care and resuscitation units each to the Vittore Buzzi, Sacco, and San Raffaele hospitals in Milan. Today, Prada also announced its factory in Perugia will be producing 80,000 medical overalls and over 100,000 masks for healthcare workers in the region.
The NYC-based label has pledged to set aside $50,000 for “minority and women owned small creative businesses” that are currently struggling due to the pandemic.
The Italian shoemaker started by Giuseppe Santoni set up a crowdsourced fundraising campaign to purchase lung ventilators in support of the hospitals in his hometown region of Marche, Italy, donating the first 50,000 euros himself.
StockX
One of the biggest secondhand marketplaces in the game, StockX is focusing not on the virus itself but those affected by it. For many, social distancing can lead to missed meals, so StockX’s #FlexFromHome initiative is donating $20,000 to Feeding America, with an additional $1 (10 meals) for each tagged post from users.
Versace
The Italian fashion house donated 1 million renminbi (or $143,748) to The Chinese Red Cross Foundation, and this past Saturday, Donatella Versace and her daughter also announced a personal donation of 200,000 euros to the ICU of Milan’s San Raffaele hospital.
Fashion companies from H&M and Zara to luxury firms LVMH, Kering, and Prada are contributing to the fight against Covid-19 by pledging to supply protective items for medical workers. Many are offering to pitch in with their production facilities and make masks, which are in short supply. The tough part, however, isn’t necessarily sewing them. It may be getting the materials to make them in the first place.
From hospitals to hand sanitiser, a number of big names from continental fashion capitals are turning their efforts towards the fight against the coronavirus. Will the British industry follow suit?
Prada is the latest big-name fashion brand to turn its production lines, usually focused on elegant blazers and blouses, to meet needs arising from the coronavirus crisis. Yesterday it said it would produce 110,000 masks by 6 April, while Gucci has said it will make more than 1m and Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga – both of which, like Gucci, are owned by Kering will also begin manufacturing them.
High-street brands are similarly shifting their focus. Last week, Spanish-owned Zara pledged to produce surgical masks, saying it had already donated 10,000 masks and a further 300,000 were due to be sent by the end of this week. Over the weekend, H&M Group said it would be rearranging its supply chain to produce protective equipment for hospitals and healthcare workers.
The luxury conglomerate LVMH, which owns Dior, Fendi, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy, announced last weekend that it would be supplying the French authorities with more than 40m face masks in the coming weeks, having agreed an order from a Chinese manufacturer. Kering has also said it will be purchasing 3m surgical masks from China to donate to the French health service, while Mango has announced it will distribute 2m donated face masks to Spanish hospitals.
In France, at least, the numbers of masks supplied are more than a drop in the ocean, with the 43m promised by LVMH and Kering sitting favourably alongside the 250m-strong order announced by the French government on Saturday.
It is hoped that brands might soon follow suit in the UK, with the British Fashion Council the not-for-profit organisation that promotes British design globally, last week asking those with “production capacity” to help with shortages. NHS workers in the UK have been speaking out against shortages of protective gear, with London paramedics being rationed to one face mask between two, despite the under-fire UK health secretary Matt Hancock saying yesterday that he had ordered “millions of masks”.
In the US, some smaller brands are popping up to help: Christian Siriano and the kooky sustainable brand Collina Strada are making masks for doctors in New York. The outdoor retailer LL Bean has responded to calls for manufacturing help of masks in Maine, while President Trump has said he’s enlisted companies such as Hanes to start making them too. But, as the New York Times fashion critic Vanessa Friedman questioned on Twitter yesterday, unlike in France and Italy, for now: “Where are the really big brand names?”
The move to make masks follows on from LVMH’s announcement, earlier this month, that it would convert three of its factories, which usually manufacture perfumes under labels such as Givenchy and Guerlain, to the production of hand sanitiser.
Meanwhile, in Italy, other big fashion names have been donating big money. Moncler announced €10m (£9.2m) towards the construction of a 200-25-bed hospital in Milan, according to regional officials. Also in Milan, two new intensive care units have been donated by Prada co-CEOs Patrizio Bertelli and Miuccia Prada, as well as chairman Carlo Mazzi, at each of the city’s biggest three hospitals. With one unit equating to one bed, according to the Prada press office, the donation marks a 1.2% increase on Lombardy’s pre-corona total of 500 public intensive care beds – a figure that has since rocketed to over 900. With more than 3,000 deaths in the region already, however, many more may well be needed. Earlier in the crisis, in mid-February, Dolce & Gabbana announced it was funding a study into coronavirus and immunity at Humanitas University in Milan.
Donatella Versace last week pledged more than $200,000 to the intensive care unit of Milan’s San Raffaele hospital; Mayhoola, the parent company of Valentino and Balmain, yesterday pledged $2m to the coronavirus effort; Giorgio Armani donated $1.4m to four of Italy’s busiest hospitals and the chief executive of Gucci, Marco Bizzarri, gave $100,000 to hospitals in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, another of the hardest hit areas of the country. Money from a crowd-funding project promoted by the fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni brought in more than €4m for a new intensive care ward Milan’s San Raffaele hospital.
So far, in the UK, altruistic fashion initiatives have been on a much smaller scale, with social enterprises launching T-shirts emblazoned with slogans from “Isolate, Just Do It” to raise money for the food bank network Trussell Trust, to “National Hero Service” to raise money for the NHS. The London-based sustainable designer Phoebe English announced last week that she would be making face masks for medical professionals. While stores are shut, the shoe brand Kurt Geiger is asking its 2,500 staff to volunteer in local communities and has partnered with Age UK to help – all staff, apart from the company’s CEO, will continue to be paid.
A global area of concern, the coronavirus has quickly become the topic at the front of all minds. As a result of responses to the health crisis, the stock market experienced sharp declines, demonstrating the impact of the virus on consumer industries.
COVID-19 has led to the postponement or cancellation of a number of fashion shows for the fall 2020 and resort seasons, including the following:
Milan Fashion Week Chinese fashion brands Angel Chen and Ricostru also canceled their fashion shows in Milan last week in the wake of the outbreak.
Ricostru designer, Rico Manchit Au, stated she canceled her show because half of her staff wouldn’t be able to get back to work due to China’s travel restrictions and city lockdowns. The outbreak has also affected fashion week attendees, including editors from the Chinese editions of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, T Magazine, WSJ Magazine, Wallpaper* and Nylon, who partly or fully halted their fashion week plans.
Paris Fashion Week Chinese fashion brands Masha Ma, Shiatzy Chen, Uma Wang, Jarel Zhang, Calvin Luo and Maison Mai have all canceled their upcoming Paris Fashion Week events due to the virus. The news was revealed by French fashion’s governing body, La Fédération de la Haute Couture, which stated it will
“make available all its communications platforms to allow these brands to share the work they had planned to present both in France and overseas.”
Sao Paolo Fashion Week Sao Paolo Fashion Week has canceled its spring 2020 edition. The event was scheduled to run from April 24 to 28.
Shanghai and Beijing Fashion Weeks: Both Shanghai and Beijing Fashion Weeks have also been postponed because of the outbreak. Shanghai Fashion Week was slated to begin on March 26 while Beijing’s China Fashion Week was slated to run from March 25 to March 31.
Shanghai Fashion Week is now partnering with Alibaba’s Tmall to create an online platform for the designers and brands to debut their fall 2020 collections from March 24to March 30.
Tokyo Fashion Week: It was revealed on March 2 that Tokyo Fashion Week has been canceled. The event would have run from March 16 to March 21. The announcement comes after brands including Hyke and Vivienne Tam already canceled their shows.
After the coronavirus outbreak forced Chinese fashion designers, buyers and other industry insiders to skip Milan’s Fashion Week in late February, the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, or National Chamber of Italian Fashion, launched a campaign to demonstrate solidarity: “China, we are with you.” The slogan turned out to be prophetic. By the end of fashion week, Italy was facing a coronavirus pandemic outbreak of its own, and Milan’s typically bustling streets were eerily empty.
Models posted Instagram selfies in masks, fashion magazines asked their employees to work from home, and Giorgio Armani held his women’s Fall/Winter 2020/2021 fashion show in an empty theater.
COVID-19 has led to the postponement or cancellation of a number of fashion shows for the fall 2020 and resort seasons, here are the list of fashion designer and fashion brands heavily affected by coronavirus pandemic :
Fashion Design Houses and Fashion Brands
Chanel Chanel revealed on Feb. 17 that it has postponed the restaging of its Métiers d’Art show in Beijing, which was planned for this May. The collection was initially presented in Paris on Dec. 4.
“Considering the current situation and following the guidance of Chinese authorities, Chanel has decided to postpone its project of a replica of the Paris 31 Rue Cambon 2019/20 Métiers d’Art collection in May in Beijing to a later date and more appropriate moment,” the design house said in a statement. A new date for the show has not yet been revealed.
The design house also revealed that it has barred its U.S. staff from traveling to Paris for its upcoming fall 2020 show on March 3.
Armani Giorgio Armani revealed on Feb. 22 that he would no longer be hosting a public runway show in Milan for his fall 2020 collection, rather the show was filmed in an empty theater and posted on the brand’s web site and social media platforms. The company has also closed its offices and plants in Northern Italy for the next week.
“The decision was made to avoid exposing guests to any dangers to their health,” said a company spokesperson.
The designer then revealed on March 5 that we will be postponing his cruise 2021 show in Dubai, which was slated for April 19 and 20. The event would have coincided with the reopening of the Giorgio Armani boutique at the Dubai Mall and marking the first decade of the Armani Hotel in the city. The event is now scheduled for November.
The design house then revealed on March 8 that it is working to fight the spread of COVID-19, donating 1.25 million euros to a number of Italian hospitals and institutions.
Rosie Assoulin Rosie Assoulin has announced that she will no longer be presenting her fall 2020 collection on March 1 during Paris Fashion Week. The announcement comes on Feb. 27 as France has reported its second death due to the virus. The designer will instead bring her collection back to New York, presenting in mid-March by appointment.
A.P.C. A.P.C. has canceled its fall 2020 fashion show, scheduled for March 2. “For us at A.P.C., a fashion show is a celebration, and an opportunity for carefreeness and sharing,” the label stated. “Given the uncertainties linked to the spread of the coronavirus, we prefer to cancel […] our [fall 2020] fashion show.”
Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton’s fall 2020 show is still slated for March 3, however the design house is also prohibiting its U.S. staff from traveling to Paris for the show.
Agnès B. Agnès B. announced that it is canceling its fall 2020 co-ed show, which would have taken place on March 2 in Paris. Instead the brand will release a film and images on March 3.
Cartier Cartier canceled its accessories presentation, Cartier Creations, that was scheduled for March 3.
“In light of the concerns associated with international travel at this time, your safety and well-being and that of our team are top priority.”
The Richemont-owned label added that it planned to show the accessories “in the days ahead,” without specifying the format. “Please stay tuned for further updates,” it said in an email.
Glossier Beauty brand Glossier announced on Instagram on March 12 that it will be closing its permanent and pop-up locations in New York, Los Angeles, London and Atlanta for at least two weeks because of the outbreak. The opening of its Arizona store, which was scheduled to open on March 18, has now been postponed.
Ralph Lauren Ralph Lauren has canceled his upcoming fall 2020 fashion show scheduled for April in New York. The designer had skipped out on last month’s New York Fashion Week, revealing he would instead be showing at an unspecified time in April.
Burberry Burberry has postponed its fall 2020 Shanghai show, which was initially slated for April 23. The show was meant to debut exclusive pieces made for the region. A new date has not yet been revealed.
Hermès Hermès has canceled its resort 2021 show in London on April 28. The design house of also canceling its annual Saut Hermès show jumping competition slated for March 20 to 22 at the Grand Palais in Paris.
Versace Versace has decided to postpone its coed cruise 2021 show slated for May 16 in the U.S. The design house’s released a statement explaining it is “conscious of the need to prioritize the health and safety of its guests and employees and will inform all parties involved on new plans as soon as possible.”
Gucci Gucci has canceled its cruise 2021 fashion show in San Francisco on May 18, the design house revealed on March 2, due to the “ongoing uncertainty prompted by the coronavirus outbreak, as a precautionary measure.” The design house stated it will reveal a new date and location at a later time.
On March 10, chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri announced he would be making a personal donation of 100,000 euros to a range of hospitals in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region to help combat the virus.
The design house then announced on March 12 that it will close its six Italian production sites until March 20 as a precautionary measure. The decision comes after the country went on lockdown on March 9 in an effort to contain the virus.
Prada Prada also plans to postpone its upcoming resort 2021 show, which was initially planned for May 21 in Japan. “The decision was made as a precautionary measure as well as an act of responsibility and respect for all the people working on and planning to attend our resort 2021 show,” the company said. The design house will reveal a new location and date at a later time.
Max Mara Max Mara has canceled its resort 2021 show in St. Petersburg on May 25.
The things you should do to protect yourself from the coronavirus are things you should do every day, “The no. 1 thing you can do to prevent any respiratory illness is to practice good personal hygiene.”
Coronavirus is a respiratory illness with flu-like symptoms; fever, headache, dry cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath is now a public health emergency of global concern that has killed more than 3,000 people and infected more than 88,000 worldwide.
According to the World Health Organisation, the virus spreads like the flu. Whenever someone with the virus coughs or exhales, they release droplets of infected fluid that can land on nearby surfaces like desks and can infect another person who comes into contact.
Here are 5 simple ways to protect yourself
Wash your hands with soap or use a hand sanitizer that contains alcohol.
Sneeze and cough into tissues or the crook of your elbow. If you get mucus or spit on your skin, clean it off right away. Avoid touching Your face with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick, especially people exhibiting respiratory symptoms and fever.
Stay home when you’re sick.
Regularly and thoroughly clean surfaces, such as countertops and doorknobs, with a disinfectant.
Steps to Prevent Illness
There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person to person.
Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
Older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. Please consult with your health care provider about additional steps you may be able to take to protect yourself.
To disinfect: Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work. Use disinfectants appropriate for the surface.
Options include:
Diluting your household bleach. To make a bleach solution, mix:
5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water OR
4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.
Alcohol solutions. Ensure solution has at least 70% alcohol.
Other common EPA-registered household disinfectants. Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens pdf claims are expected to be effective against COVID-19 based on data for harder to kill viruses. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time, etc.).
