Inclusive fashion designer, and Project Runway mentor, Christian Siriano is lending his hand and fashion house to manufacture masks for hospital workers who are helping to fight the coronavirus.
New York Governer, Andrew Cuomo reached out during his daily news conference for businesses to “get creative” and aid in the manufacture of protective equipment, such as masks, which there has been an unexpected shortage of.
In response, Christian Siriano tweeted at Cuomo, “If @NYGovCuomo says we need masks my team will help make some. I have a full sewing team still on staff working from home that can help.”
Siriano has since been workig with New York Governer, Andrew Cuomo to allocate these masks to the hospitals most in need. Now working from his home in Connecticut, Siriano has been in communication with his team, aiming to make 1,000 masks as soon as possible.
Siriano also aims to also develop other hospital necessities, such as gowns, but is waiting to hear what the legal requirements are for those designs before manufacturing begins. “Once we get the actual information then we are happy to help as much as we can,” Siriano said.
Siriano may not be the only “Project Runway” personality hoping to help; Brandon Maxwell has also reportedly been researching the appropriate medical textiles to create PPE gowns in order to provide them to nurses and doctors fighting the virus as well.
Siriano has 10 seamstresses who are also working from home and are available to make the masks, allowing his business to comply with the social distancing initiatives.
Siriano has continued to provide updates on Twitter, stating that he intends on making multiple versions to “help as many people as we can” and “get a perfect fit.” Currently, prototypes are already being made and are being tested according to regulations from the governor’s office.
Siriano has also tapped other designers to follow suit, stating, “I really think that if anybody still has team members who are sewing or who can sew, especially in New York, we could make a few hundred a day. There are only so many people who work in a hospital. Fashion could really change everything in a week. Look, we have nothing else to do right now. Nobody is buying clothes so what can we do? I hope that everybody can pitch in.”
Following all of the support from the public, Siriano took to Twitter to state, “Thanks everyone for all the support. We are making waves and working on getting approvals before we start anything. It’s very important before anyone does anything to help, please make sure what you are making is safe and hopefully FDA approved. We must be smart.”
Photo Source: Bravo TV
