The creativity of the fashion advertising industry in Kenya is on the rise exponentially.
Granted, it’s still way behind that of Europe. It has, however, begun to show signs of promise. And nowhere is that promise more prevalent than in the Kenyan luxury fashion industry.
From inspirational to funny, here are a few examples of creative advertising within the luxury fashion industry in Kenya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGImCsHAZ9g
An interesting inspirational twist on what would ordinarily be a plain makeover. And below, we have a play on the minimal time period most ads tend to be allocated.
The two stars go beyond being just friends, they have so much in common. Kiwanuka is the Communications Officer at Women at Work International (WAWI), a Not-for-profit organization which works to improve the quality life of women through health and income improvement projects. Koheirwe is the Public Relations Manager at Star Times Uganda, a media company that offers digital terrestrial television and satellite television services in Uganda.
They’ve both been recording artistes; Kiwanuka featured on Pepsi’s World Cup song ‘Oh Africa’ in 2010 together with Keri Hilson and Akon, while Koheirwe was a member of The Obsessions, arguably the most successful music/dance group in Uganda. They’ve both had stints on TV and radio as hosts. They are also actresses and Event hosts. Also, this shoot is not their first time appearing in a photo shoot together. So, it’s not a surprise that they’re close.
As I chat with them via email, because we’re social distancing, I learn that while they are obviously worried about the future, they want everyone to be hopeful. In this cover story, they reflect on their present and future, and what we should all learn from this global pandemic, that is Covid-19.
Rachel K
This video on Tik Tok of you and your mum pulling some dance moves is hilarious, how did it come together? Thank you! My mom wanted to show me that she can still move at 60 years, so she challenged me and really did an amazing job. We learned the moves on Tik-Tok and boom the video was made.
Model: Rachel Kiwanuka
It looks like you two are very close! Yes, my mum and I are very close. I draw a lot of inspiration from her. Besides, we work together. I’m at the Communications Officer at WAWI, an organisation she founded in 2003.
What is the biggest life lesson she has taught you? To always remain humble and be myself. There is nothing as bad as being someone you’re not and being unapproachable.
I guess that’s one of the traits that have kept me going on this entertainment business. I always try and live by that and it shows. She is really the rock in my life.
The situation in the country and the world at large is worrying, how are you staying sane? I try to keep to myself most of the time, reading, working out, listening to music, writing music. My mom and I love to watch movies so we have been doing that a lot.
Are you living together? Yes!
What lessons are you taking from this experience? My major lesson has been learning how a simple act of personal hygiene can save the planet. This virus has spread because some people don’t wash hands, sanitize, or cover their mouths when coughing, etc. We must be mindful about the people around us and protect each other.
How do you usually deal with personal or work challenges? I’m a pretty spiritual person. I pray every day. This is something I learned from my mother, I’m always hopeful. Even when I’m overwhelmed, I keep a positive attitude.
Do you think we shall overcome? Yes, most definitely we shall.
Personally, it has left me quite confused. How can I restore hope in my heart? It’s going to be alright Hassan. Everyone just needs to stay calm and take the precautions as shared by the Ministry of Health, and slowly, eventually this too shall pass. Staying prayerful helps too. It brings a sense of calmness that we all need.
Let’s talk about you acting. Is it something you’ve always wanted to get into? Yes, I am acting and it has been a great experience. My brothers and my mom have been acting since I was young, so I grew up in a family that was in the industry. I’ve always wanted to be an actress because I knew I had the potential.
So, when the opportunity came of course I had to go for it. I auditioned for the role and the rest has been history. I do plan on exploring more of this side of me, of course alongside the music.
You travelled back to Uganda after almost 10 years away. Did you have a culture shock? No not at all. I was in Uganda from 2006 -2011. So, I was already used to being in Uganda and knew how to cope and adjust when I came back in 2018. No culture shock at all, I love Uganda and I’m used to everything now.
Let’s talk about your job at WAWI I’m the Communications Officer at the organisation. It was founded in 2003 by mom together with other women in the entertainment industry. Our purpose is to improve the quality of life of women through health and income enhancement. We use entertainment as the main tool to educate them.
\We also do awareness and sensitization on reproductive health, helping women in rural Uganda learn about things like Family planning. Our biggest campaign is the ‘End Fistula Project’. We help young women understand the importance of safe motherhood to end Fistula, a complication that results from a damaged bladder during child birth. Annually, over half a million women die due to various complications during pregnancy and child birth.
It looks like it keeps you quite busy Yes it does. But I still get time to do influencer work for brands in the fashion and beauty space. I still do music and acting too. I’m also planning to go back to school to do my Masters. It’s something I’ve been thinking about.
It’s been quite a while. We want new music. For sure. I have an EP coming out that I have been working on for almost two years now. I have worked with some amazing producers and really can’t wait for it to come out later this year.
Cleopatra
The situation in the country and the world at large is worrying, how are you staying sane? By listening to some uplifting music, spending time with my daughter, but also sanitizing and social distancing.
Model: Cleopatra Koheirwe
What are you listening to? Gospel music, it soothes me. Mostly Chris Tomlin and Hillsong. I am also listening to my personal favorites such as John Legend, Alicia Keys, and Corinne Bailey Rae among others. They inspire me.
What lessons are you taking from this experience? That we are all the same, no matter where we come from. Life is precious. It is important to count our blessings and be grateful for each day and the air we breathe. This pandemic has put the world at a standstill but I think in a way, it is helping us take things slow, spend time with family and also reflect on our lives. We are always caught up in the hustle and bustle of making a living that we never take time to rest. This has pushed us to take a break like it or not.
These challenges are unique and incomparable, but is there a point in your life where your patience and faith were tested to the core? Yes, there is. The point in my life where my patience and faith were tested was when I lost my mom! I was angry with God! I could not comprehend why he let her die. She meant the world to me. I have grown to accept it and make peace with God, we are good, He has had my back all these years. Prayer has kept me sane.
You are the PRO of StarTimes. You are an actress and all the many other things you do. How do you balance all those commitments with your role as a mother? Well, as you know, the film industry is still growing here so it is not as busy as it should be. I am able to manage my acting work because it is seasonal, so I fit it into my StarTimes work schedule. If I am to emcee at a corporate event, these usually happen in the evenings or on weekends so I am able to do that too, and it is also occasional so when booked, I plan my calendar. On a normal working day, I make sure I rush home after work so I can be in time to interact with my daughter, listen to how her day went and also put her to sleep. It is not easy doing all this but I have my priorities set so I make time for each and I ensure I am fully present in all.
Does your daughter understand what’s going on? How are you easing this for her? She is 6 years old now but in her little world, she’s sort of aware of what is happening because I told her in child language about Corona Virus, and also at her school, they were told about it and advised to wash hands and not hug or shake hands. When school was closed, she told me, “Mommy, there is no school tomorrow because of corona virus. The president said we stay home.” Good thing is I have been spending much more time with her so she is happy and relaxed with no worries. She feels safe.
What’s your biggest worry now? Well, even if I did not want to worry, I would be lying if I said I am not worried. I am worried about our safety as a country, and if we will make it out of this pandemic. I am also worried that it’s going to affect us economically. I am worried about my family at large and praying everyone is safe. These worries are more than the ones I had a month ago, but I am keeping the faith and hoping for the best.
This is the part that confuses me the most. What could be the reason we are getting these unique challenges? Honestly, I have no freaking idea why this is happening. In my mind, it’s a movie. Like ‘a lab test gone wrong’ kind of situation. The film Contagion breaks it down in the way I imagine.
Shall we overcome? Yes, we shall overcome. My guardian always says, ‘No situation is permanent. Every problem has a solution.” The doctors and governments around the world are working hard at solving and containing Covid-19 so I believe it shall pass. Let’s not dwell on the negative news and let us be cautious not to forward or repost or share info that is not verified. Let us follow the proper channels and avoid causing more panic. Not everyone is strong hearted through such times. So, let us beware.
On a lighter note, what should we watch on StarTimes to keep our spirits up now that we must keep at home? Well, for starters, for those with smart phones, download the StarTimes ON App and watch lots of entertainment at a tap of a finger for everyone.
There is a variety of content including top TV series such as Empire on Fox, The General’s Daughter on Novela E Plus, local films, a new channel Nina Novelas for the Telemundo fans, educational documentaries and children programs including Home schooling shows, Nat Geo Wild, Investigation Discovery (iD), Music & fun entertainment on our exclusive local channels; Face TV, Magic 1HD and Sanyuka TV and much more. So, despite the Sports hiatus, there is a lot to enjoy on StarTimes and quite affordably too on your decoder or via the App. The choice is yours.
Styled by Kaijuka Abbas (Kai’s Divo Collection) Makeup by Shades of Beauty Photographed by Fred Bugembe Interviewer : Hassan Ssentongo
Rachel Kiwanuka, better known by her stage name Rachel K or Rachel Kay, is a Ugandan musician. Rachel K was born November 1, 1986 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The daughter of Ugandan singer Halima Namakula, Kiwanuka has recorded several successful albums, toured widely throughout the region and collaborated with Ugandan and other regional artists.
She has also worked as a comedian and television presenter, making appearances on such mainstream broadcasts as Jam Agenda and Tusker Project Fame.
Rachel Kiwanuka is the Communications Officer at Women at Work International (WAWI), a Not-for-profit organization which works to improve the quality life of women through health and income improvement projects.
Cleopatra Koheirwe is a Ugandan actress, writer, singer and media personality. She first appeared onscreen as Joy in The Last King of Scotland in 2006. She has since garnered numerous roles on different film and television projects locally and internationally including a role on Netflix’s Sense8 as Mother in season 2.
Cleopatra plays Ebony in the new Nana Kagga directed and produced series Reflections alongside other Uganda celebrities Malaika Nnyanzi, Housen Mushema, Andrew Kyamagero, Prynce Joel Okuyo and Gladys Oyenbot , Koheirwe joined StarTimes Uganda in June 2019 as the new Public Relations Manager.
Cleopatra Koheirwe is the Public Relations Manager at Star Times Uganda, a media company that offers digital terrestrial television and satellite television services in Uganda.
These multi-hyphenates have been friends for over 15 year, but it sucks that they can’t meet up for a drink or coffee. They have to stay apart to save the planet! This is what everyone is going through right now, shutting off those they love, to save the world.
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.
Born and raised in the home of the New York Yankees, Osas Ighodaro Ajibade is a Bronx Native. As a first-generation Nigerian-American, Osas strongly values the importance of family, giving back and staying connected to her roots,Osas is a graduate from Pennsylvania State University and holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism and dual minor degrees in Entrepreneurship and Theatre. She also holds a Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Acting from the Actor’s Studio Drama School at Pace University
She has appeared in theatre productions that include The Colored Museum, Revenge of the King, Platanos & Collard Greens and For Colored Girls. Osas’ film & television credits include Cadillac Records, The Department, Tinsel, Gbomo Gbomo Express & Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns.
Osas ranked amongst the Top 3 National finalists in the American Black Film Festival/NBC Universal Star Project – monologue competition. In 2010, She became the first Nigerian-American to be crowned Miss Black USA. Additionally, she won the award for Best TV Actress at the 2014 edition of Exquisite Lady of the Year Awards and Nigerian Entertainment Awards 2016 Best Supporting Actress award, respectively.
Osas’ work as an actor, host, brand ambassador and humanitarian carry her throughout the United States, Africa and across the globe. As founder of the ‘Joyful Joy Foundation’, Osas remains deeply committed to ending Malaria, preventable disease and supporting poverty alleviation in Africa. She believes a small token of appreciation, sincerely offered to a few, can cause and affect a chain reaction of positivity and growth for many.
Ankara Miami, Inc. is a South Florida-based event planning company committed to “Redefining African Cultural Trends.” Since its creation in August 2011 by Founder/CEO, Evelyn Onyejuruwa (Miss Nigeria Florida 2011-2012).
The company has continued its mission to promote progressive people and trends within the African Diaspora. Ankara Miami’s launch event, Ankara Miami 2012.
Founder and CEO of Ankara Miami In Evelyn Onyejuruwa (Miss Nigeria Florida 2011-2012)
1st Annual Ankara Fashion & Cultural Show, showcased emerging and established designers from the African Diaspora and their use of Ankara (a well-known West African fabric) as well as other African fabrics and prints in mainstream Western fashion.
Since its inception, Ankara Miami has also made social and financial contributions to entities such as the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, HANDY, Inc., the Nigerian American Foundation, Embrace Music Foundation, and Honey Shine, Inc. Its year-round events have included toy drives, networking mixers, and consulting/event management for other African and African-inspired events.
Ankara Miami is the FIRST & LARGEST major runway production in Florida featuring designers, live entertainment, and visual art solely from Africa and the African Diaspora.
The company has worked closely with notable corporate and culturally-based brands (e.g. Macy’s, Arik Air, Inglot Cosmetics, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Diaspora Arts Coalition, Fela! On Broadway, Toyota of North Miami, Natural Trendsetters Salon, and the African-American Research and Cultural Center) as well as local and international media (e.g. HOT 105, The Beat 103.5, Huffington Post Miami, SouthFlorida.com, The Miami Times, Black Enterprise, Essence Online, Cool FM (Nigeria), Complete Fashion (Nigeria), Zen Magazine (Nigeria), and Tropics Magazine (South Africa).
In February 2015, Ankara Miami expanded its signature, red-carpet event from Ankara Fashion & Cultural Show to Ankara Miami: Florida’s FIRST African Fashion Week.
In its exciting journey, Ankara Miami organizers will continue to feature even more talent from Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and throughout the United States, and provide a medium that encourages buyer/investor relationships, highlights talent and progression within the African Diaspora, and facilitates networking opportunities between established industry professionals and aspiring newcomers.
Stay connected as Ankara Miami continues to heighten the awareness of the modernization of African culture on a local, national, and international platform.
The African fashion industry has been evolving significantly over the last years. Many African designers have been seen participating on the international stage showcasing their creativity and designs and being applauded by fashion lovers worldwide.
Their representations in magazines and fashion events have put the spotlight on the growing fashion scene of the African continent.
Not only the unique fabrics and designs, but also the African culture, heritage and beauty have left a long-lasting impression on the international fashion stage. The number of models of African origin being casted by the big fashion brands has risen significantly and they are frequently featured in leading fashion magazines and campaigns.
Africa’s creative industry overall has started gaining notice both regionally and internationally. Several local fashion brands have earned global recognition due to the talent and artistry of their designers. One remarkable award-winning designer is Folake Folarin- Coker.
Her brand Tiffany Amber has particularly become popular during the New York Fashion Week. In the meantime, her collection has been displayed in London, New York and Paris. Another upcoming artist, Deola Sagoe has dressed international artists like Rihanna and Solange Knowles.
The African footwear industry is still in the nascent stage. The continent is abundant in raw materials, skill and labour which are imperative for the growth of any industry. Several countries on the continent are contributing to the African footwear revolution, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria.
Ethiopia for instance, is ranked in the top ten of leather exporting countries worldwide and has been able to generate considerable income from shoe exports in 2018.
The global fashion industry is estimated to be worth around $1.5 trillion, there are however no official estimates about Africa’s fashion industry. This is due to the fact that it has historically not been seen as a lucrative sector. There is however a growing realization of its untapped potential in terms of job creation and economic development.
As of today, only selected African universities offer reputable master degrees in fashion and design. As the perception of the fashion industry is however shifting within the continent itself, more and more fashion courses are being offered in order to support the local talents.
At present, Africa has a population of 1.2 billion people. The future estimates of the growth of the population is 2 billion by 2050 and 4 billion by 2100. This gives a huge opportunity in the form of a large market size for investors to leverage on. Fashion brands with the right marketing strategy have good chances to flourish.
Another important demographic feature about Africa is that there are about 200 million people between 15 and 24 years old, which makes Africa the youngest continent in the world.
With technological development showing its vibrance in Africa, the youth are increasingly using Facebook, Instagram and other kinds of social media to keep their followers updated with the latest trends and launches in the line of fashion. This has not only given local brands more visibility internationally, it has also increased their business rapidly.
In addition, the rapid increase in African middle-class households has increased the market for luxury goods as there is demand for better quality products due to growing disposable income. The African markets are moving from basic commodities to modern lifestyle economies.
This change in African buying habits has caused a boost to the sales of the fashion brand segment, and provides vast opportunities for investors, fashion houses as well as fashion and beauty professionals looking to expand internationally.
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.
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.
