It all started when New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo tweeted that hospitals were in dire need of masks. Christian Siriano, a well-renowned fashion designer, responded with his own tweet saying, “I have a full sewing team still on staff working from home that can help.”
Siriano and his 10 seamstresses have been making masks for nurses and doctors who are running low within the New York state area, which has been hit the hardest by the coronavirus.
Christian Sirano blossomed on Project Runway’s fourth season in 2008. He won the competition and was the youngest to win at only 22 years old. Since then, he has become a well-respected designer, and he has worked with Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Emily Blunt, and many more.
Today, he has momentarily switched from making glamorous red carpet gowns to medical masks that will save lives. Sirano recently appeared on CNN in an interview with Chris Cuomo to discuss his recent endeavor. After being asked how many masks he and his team are able to make, Sirano responded by saying, “We are up to almost 500 a day.”
He stated that the reason he wanted to help was that “We can sew. We can try to help. Even if we help 2,000 people that is still more than if we didn’t before so why not?”
Sirano has a team of 10 women who work together, six feet apart, tirelessly to produce these masks. He also has men and women working who feel more comfortable being at home with their families.
He mentioned that his masks have a better, more snug fit specifically because there is a small piece of metal in the middle that fits comfortably around the nose. The masks come in white and grey colors. There are no glamorous Sirano labels to be found on any of the masks whatsoever.
They are also washable and therefore reusable. When doctors and nurses are running low on disposable masks worldwide, reusable masks might be the savior of many precious lives. When asked if the masks were up to medical standards regarding their washability, Sirano was very honest and transparent when he said, “We can’t guarantee anything because at the end of the day we are not medical mask makers. This is really just to help and help prevent as much as we can . . . even just peace of mind people will be able to go home thinking like, ‘ah I feel a little better not having nothing.’”
Sirano’s example has created a ripple effect reminding other designers and Americans that they too can help.
Ralph Lauren has now come forward on Instagram saying that they are “starting the production of 250,000 masks and 25,000 isolation gowns to aid in the fight against COVID-19.” Ralph Lauren has also pledged to donate $10 million to the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the Emergency Assistance Foundation, and it’s Pink Pony Fund.
Louis Vuitton has responded by putting their perfume production on halt and instead producing hand sanitizer. Louis Vuitton announced that “these gels will be delivered free of charge to the health authorities.”
In a time like this with so many things going wrong, it is important to take a step back and look at the good. Many Americans are showing the utmost generosity. Generosity and kindness can be contagious too.
