These Fashion Industry Leaders Are Raising Funds To Help Fight Coronavirus

The fashion industry is joining in the fight against coronavirus. A number of fashion designers, brands and influential figures are making donations to help combat the COVID-19 outbreak, which is continuing its global spread to more than 100 countries with roughly 121,000 cases and 4,366 deaths as of March 10.

As the virus continues to impact the fashion industry and cause the cancellations and postponement of a number of major events — including SXSW and Coachella — the likes of Giorgio Armani, influencer Chiara Ferragni and Gucci chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri, among others, are making an effort to help stop the virus’ spread.

See WWD’s list of the fashion designers and influential figures that are making donations to help combat COVID-19 below.

Bulgari:

Bulgari made a donation to the Istituto Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome on Feb. 6, aiding its research department in purchasing a microscopic image acquisition system that will help advance the institute’s ability in preventing and treating COVID-19. The machine is valued at 100,000 euros.

Chiara Ferragni and Fedez:

Powerhouse fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni revealed on March 9 that she and her husband Fedez are making a personal donation of 100,000 euros to support a GoFundMe fund-raiser that is creating new hospital beds in intensive care areas of Milan’s San Raffaele hospital.

Ferragni revealed on Instagram Tuesday that the GoFundMe fundraiser has amassed more than 3 million euros in donations.

Italy has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases with more than 10,000 people effected by the virus, according to the New York Times. The country has been on lockdown since March 9 in an effort to contain the virus. Italy Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has pledged 25 billion euros to support the country’s fight of COVID-19.

Giorgio Armani:

Giorgio Armani is making a donation of 1.25 million euros to a range of Italian hospitals and institutions, including the Luigi Sacco and San Raffaele hospitals, the Istituto dei Tumori in Milan and the Istituto Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome.

Kering:

The luxury group has donated 2 million euros to health-care organizations in Italy’s Lombardy, Veneto, Tuscany and Lazio regions to combat the virus on March 11.

Kering had initiatlly made a donation of 7.5 renminbi — or roughly $1.08 million — to the Hubei Red Cross Foundation on behalf of its 13 fashion brands in late January.

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton:

The luxury conglomerate pledged 16 million renminbi — or roughly $2.3 million — to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation to help with the shortage of medical supplies in Wuhan City, where the COVID-19 outbreak initially began.

Marco Bizzarri:

Gucci chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri is making a personal donation of 100,000 euros to a range of hospitals in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region.

Bizzarri’s donation comes after the design house announced on March 2 that it will be canceling its cruise 2021 fashion show scheduled for May 18 in San Francisco.

Versace:

Italian fashion house Versace donated 1 million renminbi — or roughly $143,400 — on Feb. 5 to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation to help with the shortage of medical supplies in the country.