Since Covid-19 pandemic began, plenty have been the charities and the support from both small and big businesses. $1 million was donated from the Graff Foundation, $750,000 from The Tiffany & Co. Foundation and $500,000 from the H&M Foundation, all to support the WHO's Solidarity Response Fund. Those who could afford and were not in need for financial support have made generous donations to the various funds that have been launched.
Ralph Lauren, among them, donated $10 million to the WHO and the CFDA, Vogue fashion funds, for Covid-19. Moreover, the brand provided emergency grants for its employees who were in need.
Donation haven’t only been addressed to money raising funds, but, have also been sent directly to hospitals. GiorgioArmani donated 1.25 million euros to the Luigi Sacco and San Raffaele hospitals and the Istituto dei Tumori in Milan, as well as the Istituto Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome.
The “simple” donation could not be considered enough, it is up to these businesses and the charity association, after the donation, to do the right thing with the money they want to donate. This is why some brands during the pandemic have been more likely to send generous amount of money to directly to hospitals and others trusted these funds associations and helped them to rise money.
In Italy, the famous influencer Chiara Ferragni and her husband Fedez have raised over €3 million to help deal with the coronavirus epidemic viaa Go Fund Me campaign. With this amount the couple helped concretely Hospital San Raffaele in Milan to open a new intensive care area, which helped saving many lives in need during the pandemic.
These philanthropic actions haven’t only been direct donations to the interested fund or hospitals, some brands, like ASOS in the UK, decided to create a line of £15 t-shirt with the print “Choose Our Carers” and “Choose Our NHS” to rise money to donate to the NHS {Britain’s National Health Service}. In total they raised £100,000, £8.20 per item. This way of funds raising was criticised by many, Orsola de Castro, co funder of Fashion Revolution, stated “even with the best intentions... it never feels like [a charity T-shirt] is built with integrity in order to last”. The purpose is right, but when thinking about these kinds of solution the brand has to make sure that everything is made responsibly.
Other brands like Loewe decided to donate €40 from each sale of its Paula’s Ibiza collection until August. Like this the brand contributed to charity but at the same time it ensured its own survival. Additionally, it helped spreading awareness among customers and orientate them to buy the brand not only for what it showcases, but also for the purpose behind it.
The donations have been overwhelming, but they all concretely helped somehow the pandemic, what we are aware of is that until when a vaccine for Covid-19 won’t be found, these donations only helped in part the pandemic. For sure, what they have improved is the image of the brands who donated, who without any doubt enhanced their brand image.
By Alice Del Rossi