Gratitude: Designers Answering Humanity’s call for personal safety in a time of crisis

It’s a usual occasion as a style influencer to frequent designer and/or retailer websites for the latest in design and output. However, as COVID-19 swept across the nation more than a month ago, my free time became fewer and far between as I have become a homeschool mom. And truthfully more of my ”free time” is filled with being able to get outside the four walls of my home, for a change of scenery and pace...and for a few minutes to myself.

That said, I have done some online browsing and shopping. Sales and discounts have flooded the retail market. As a consumer, sales are great, but this time...it‘s different. I don’t have that satisfaction of a bargain, rather I have experienced a heavy heart knowing retailers from designers to ready-to-wear retailers are all in the same boat; stay afloat during a devastating time that essentially appeared out of nowhere. And quite frankly, I have seen a tremendous effort to answer consumer demands; from offering online purchases and door-to-door shipments from local, small retailers, to answering the call of utilizing access fabrics to make personal masks for consumers like myself!

Designers such as Kes - based in New York, have begun selling beautiful up-cycled cotton and silk personal masks on its website, as owner Lia Kes utilizes one every time she, her team members, and children have to go out. Denim extraordinaires such as Citizens of Humanity and Mother also have personal masks available for purchase on their websites, which is critical for consumers who cannot find masks anywhere right now.

Among some of my other favorite designers, Rebecca Taylor - also based in New York, began utilizing its factories to produce medical-grade masks to meet the needs of first responders and frontline workers as a part of the @millionmaskchallenge. New Balance sneakers announced on their Instagram that they are making masks for frontline workers as well in a post stating, “Made shoes yesterday. Making masks today.”

So as a consumer of all things fashion and lovely, I wanted to express my profound appreciation and gratitude for these companies who are answering humanity’s call for help, and producing masks which keep us safe, and assist to prevent the spread of this disease. At the same time, I want to keep my readers informed of the efforts of some of the designers I so dearly love for their creativity, but also for their care and consideration for their customers.

Be well friends.

XOXO,

Kellie

The Hemline Insider