FASHION’S GOT COMPASSION
BY JOLENE CHAO
Hi, fashion bb’s!! Jolene here!
I hope everyone has been staying safe + happy + healthy in these scary and uncertain times. I know everyone has lost something important to them- whether that be loved ones, significant events, internships, jobs, or even opportunities to hang out with your friends. But I hope everyone has been able to see the good amid all of this darkness.
In an effort to focus on the positive, this post is dedicated to spotlighting various acts of compassion that I’ve observed in the fashion industry during this time.
If I’m honest, I don’t even know where to begin because many fashion brands and houses are doing their part to contribute to the relief efforts. In fact, more companies are creating initiatives and monetary pledges at this very moment! I’m sure by now you’ve heard that many fashion brands and fashion houses have halted production of their collections and repurposed their factories to produce PPE such as face masks. However, that only scrapes the surface of what’s being done by the entire fashion industry. Below, I’ve divided the efforts into four categories. The first category is PPE Production + Distribution and it lists those who have begun utilizing their facilities and supply chain systems to produce/distribute PPE. The second category is Monetary Donations and it lists those who have pledged funds to various relief efforts and hospitals. The third category is Misc. Relief Efforts which lists other initiatives outside of PPE and money. The last category is “Joy” Efforts and it lists those who have found creative ways to relieve everyone of their fear and stress by providing sources of entertainment and joy.
This list is, by no means, comprehensive, which goes to show the magnitude of the fashion industry’s heart and generosity. We, as an industry, have recognized the importance of being selfless and helping those who are less fortunate. Furthermore, the industry has jumped up on our feet to immediately start responding, plunging ourselves into the midst of the battle. With that stated, we should be proud.
Another personal observation is the unity that has been brought by the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Going through the list, you’ll notice it includes companies such as Prada and H&M. These companies seem to be on the opposite side of the spectrum when it comes to target consumers. In this fight against a common enemy, it doesn’t matter if you’re in fast fashion or if you’re in luxury fashion. Those differences emphasized before mean nothing now that everyone is fighting side-by-side. No one is inferior or superior. Everyone is just equal, which is kind of a nice vibe.
Chin up, my lovely fashionable readers!!
None of us would have wished this situation upon ourselves, but I encourage you to search for those patches of light that the darkness has exposed. The acts of love coming from the fashion industry and others reassure me we’re all going to be okay. Check out the list below!
{PPE PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION}
- Ascena Retail Group
- Balenciaga
- Brandon Maxwell
- Brooks Brothers
- Burberry
- Carhartt
- Chanel
- Christian Siriano
- Dior
- Fanatics
- Fruit of the Loom
- Givenchy
- Guerlain
- H&M Group
- Hanesbrands
- Hart Schaffner Marx
- Inditex
- Jockey
- Kerby Jean-Raymond (Pyer Moss)
- Kering Group
- L.L. Bean
- Louis Vuitton
- LVMH
- Mango
- New Balance
- OnPoint Manufacturing (see this video about how they produce PPE)
- Prada
- Reformation
- Tailored Brands
- Under Armour
- Vera Bradley
- YSL
{MISC. RELIEF EFFORTS}
- A Common Thread created by the CFDA and Vogue to raise awareness and funds for the impacted American fashion community (go here for more info on this initiative as well as a way to donate)
- Collina Strada (free mask with any purchase)
- Collina Strada (go here for their DIY face mask tutorial)
- Kate Spade partnered with Crisis Text Line to provide healthcare workers with crisis counseling and emotional support
- Prada donated two intensive care and resuscitation units to three Milan hospitals
- Tory Burch and Pierre-Yves Roussel (CEO of Tory Burch) spearheaded the CFDA effort to lobby the federal government for attention to and relief for the fashion industry
{MONETARY DONATIONS}
- Alejandra Alonso Rojas – hosted an online sale where 30% of proceeds go to God’s Love We Deliver and No Kid Hungry)
- Altuzarra – 10% of online proceeds go to No Kid Hungry
- Brandon Maxwell – 10% of online proceeds go to Meals on Wheels
- Chanel – 1.2 million euros go to the emergency fund for the public hospital system in Paris and French Emergency Services
- Chiara Ferragni
- Coach – $2 million to NYC Small Business Continuity Fund
- Donatella Versace – undisclosed to ICU of San Raffaele Hospital in Milan
- Erdem – 10% of proceeds from SS20 collection to the U.K. National Emergencies Trust
- Giorgio Armani – 2 million euros to Italy’s Civil Protection and hospitals throughout the country
- Gucci – 2 million euros to Italy’s National Civil Protection and U.N. Foundation’s COVID-19 solidarity response fund
- Gucci – created its own crowdfunding campaign called “We Are All In This Together”
- Kate Spade NY Foundation – $100,000
- Kerby Jean-Raymond (Pyer Moss) – $50,000 to support minority and female-owned small creative businesses
- Khaite – $10,000 to Baby2Baby
- Marco Bizzarri (Gucci CEO)
- Mayhoola (parent company of Valentino, Balmain, Pal Zileri) – 1 million euros to Protezione Civile Italiana, Italy’s civil protection department
- Michael Kors – $2 million to local hospitals, God’s Love We Deliver, and A Common Thread
- Ralph Lauren – $10 million to struggling Ralph Lauren colleagues, WHO COVID-19 response fund, and A Common Thread
- Self Portrait – 10% of online proceeds go to U.K.’s National Emergencies Trust
- Sergio Rossi (shortly before he passed away from COVID-19 RIP) – 100,000 euros to Milan hospitals, 100% of profits from online sales 3/14-3/20 to help Milan
- Sies Marjan – 10% of proceeds go to New York-Presbyterian Hospital
- Staud – 10% of proceeds to St. Vincent Meals on Wheels
{“JOY” EFFORTS}
- Balmain launched a new initiative, “Balmain Ensemble” to share stories and inspiration (go here to check it out!)
- Betabrand hosted a “work from home” digital fashion show and social shopping event
- Free downloadable coloring books from Self Portrait (here), Manolo Blahnik (here), and Ralph Lauren (here)
- Rihanna + Fenty hosted the Fenty Social Club (I.G. live party)
Officer Highlights
Armando Montalvo
Major and Year: RTF, Junior
When did you join UFG? Sophomore year 1st semester
Why did you decide to become an officer for UFG? The end of my sophomore year after experiencing fashion week!
What’s your favorite part about UFG? The community of creatives, the shared love of fashion, and the friendships it can make.
Favorite Fashion Icon? Victoria Beckham, Diane Keaton, Moria Rose
Are you going to NYFW? If so, what are you looking forward to? Yes! I’m looking forward to working some shows and exploring the city.
Hobbies outside of UFG? Writing, eating out, and going to SoulCycle.
Favorite Musician/Band? Destiny’s Child, Mariah Carey, Bad Bunny, and Future.
Career interest/goals? I want to write and star on Saturday Night Live.
Have you had any internships? Unique Jobs? If so, where? I worked retail one summer and will probably not go back into the workforce for a while after that.
What’s a fun fact about yourself? I auditioned and got a job as a cycling instructor but quit when they told me I had to teach 5am classes.
Most interesting fashion moment/memory? I got stopped constantly at ACL for what I was wearing. Another time I was eating dinner with a friend and this lady at another table approached me and said she would pay for my meal if I tell her what I use for my hair. I don’t use any product, it’s all natural. I just blow dry it. I’m pretty sure she got kind of annoyed but she still paid for my meal.
Ashley Taylor
Major and Year: Economics and American Studies Major, 3rd Year
When did you join UFG? Fall 2019
Why did you decide to become an officer for UFG? I wanted to expand my knowledge of fashion and to be around creative people.
What’s your favorite part about UFG? How creative everyone is! Everyone has so many ideas and dresses so well.
Favorite Fashion Icon? Honestly… Claire Underwood.
Hobbies outside of UFG? I like to do yoga, write poetry, write think pieces, and listen to music.
Favorite Musician/Band? I have been listening to a lot of Alexandra Savior and Faye Webster lately, but my all time favorite musician is Amy Winehouse.
Career interest/goals? I’ve considered everything under the sun. Right now, I think I just want to stay in corporate compliance, but honestly that could change tomorrow.
Have you had any internships? Unique Jobs? If so, where? I’m interning at Morgan Stanley this summer!
What’s a fun fact about yourself? I am obsessed with the enneagram and myers briggs personality tests (I am a 4w5 sp, INFP).
Most interesting fashion moment/memory? I don’t have a clear one that comes to mind, but I am constantly told I dress in business casual. I’ll take it as a compliment!
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK: DAY BY DAY
SOPHIA LE
Day 1: THURSDAY, FEB 6
Day 2: FRIDAY, FEB 7
The really cool thing about going to New York with UFG was that I was able to help out with fashion week and tour some potential law schools, two birds with one stone. Friday morning, Alyssa and I woke up, got on the subway to Tribeca, and began looking at law schools. Afterward, we spent hours and hours shopping in SoCo at stores like Uniqlo, Billionaire Boys Club, and numerous thrift stores and ate a cute sushi shop for lunch called Blue Ribbon Sushi, where I totally spent $50 on 3 rolls. However, at some point throughout the trip, I was going to have pasta, so we went to Little Italy and had dinner at a place called Aunt Jake’s. We ended the night visiting childhood friends in Brooklyn.
Day 3: SATURDAY, FEB 8
On Saturday, I had another free day that I chose to spend eating more food, visiting museums, and doing karaoke with my friends. For lunch, I waited an hour to eat a prosciutto grilled cheese sandwich at a restaurant called Citizens of Chelsea. I’m not embarrassed to say that the wait was worth it. Afterward, we visited a new museum called Fotografiska, where we saw the Thinking Like A Mountain, Inheritance, and FotografiskaForLifeXTIME exhibits. On the way to the museum, Alyssa and I bumped into Instagram influences Qjin and Qwon! After Malaysian cuisine, we headed to a karaoke bar in Brooklyn called Alligator Lounge.
Day 4: SUNDAY, FEB 9
While other students’ schedule for fashion week was more sporadic, all of the shows I worked fell on the last two days of my trip. The first show I worked, Nicole Miller, was unlike anything I had ever done before. I was assigned to the back of house, meaning I was in charge of dressing models. Initially, I was nervous; I had no experience in fashion and didn’t want to do anything wrong to mess up the look the stylist had in mind for the models. But lo and behold, the models were angels. I apologized in advance to one of the models I dressed, Thais, explaining that I had never worked a show, but she kindly told me that everything would be perfectly fine. For most of the models, it was their first season, and for some, Nicole Miller was the biggest show they had been a part of.
Immediately after Nicole Miller ended at 5, I rushed to my next show, Chromat, that I needed to be at by 5:30. For Chromat, I guided guests to the performative show that showcased their models in athletic clothing, completing various workouts from squat exercises to dance routines. Luckily, workers were allowed to check all-inclusive show, which featured all different body types- a huge relief to see at something like New York Fashion Week.
Day 5: MONDAY, FEB 10
The last day! I had to arrive at Just In XX, my last show, at 8AM. For this show, I worked in the front of house, guiding guests to their seats, setting up the show, organizing seating, making goodie bags, and was eventually allowed to sit in the audience once the show started (huge plus!). The set-up was a little hectic as we rushed to finish setting up before all of the guests arrived, but I think that added more to my experience. Immediately after we were done with the show, we went to the hotel to grab our things and headed for the airport.
