Prada is the latest brand to make a substantial donation to help fight the coronavirus in Italy.
This morning, Prada S.p.A.’s co-CEOs and chairman issued a statement that they have each donated two complete intensive care and resuscitation units to Milan’s hospitals of Vittore Buzzi, Sacco and San Raffaele. This makes six units in total.
FN reached out to the brand, which explained that the donations were private and had been made personally by Miuccia Prada, Patrizio Bertelli and Carlo Mazzi.
The move comes as COVID-19 continues to devastate Italy. The country recorded 368 deaths in 24 hours, bringing the total to 1,809 as of Sunday night. In Spain, the death toll doubled in a day, rising to 292.
Over the past week, a number of major fashion players have donated millions of euros help treat the sick and arrest the spread of the virus. The most recent was LVMH. As announced Sunday, the French luxury conglomerate said that production facilities across its cosmetics arm, including Parfums Christian Dior, Parfums Givenchy and Guerlain, will start to manufacture “large quantities” of hydro-alcoholic gel, or hand sanitizer. The initiative begins today. Beginning on Monday, the sanitizer will be provided to the French authorities at no cost.
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Last week, other big fashion names announced their own efforts. Donatella Versace said she and her daughter, Allegra, were making a personal donation of 200,000 euros ($220,350) to the intensive care unit of the San Raffaele hospital in Milan.
While Milan and the entire Lombardy region — one of the country’s shoemaking hubs — are the hardest hit parts of Italy, other high-end footwear manufacturing areas, including Marche, have also been seriously affected.
On Friday, Giuseppe Santoni said he was launching a fundraiser to help hospitals in the Marche region and kicked it off with a donation of 50,000 euros ($55,000). Overall, he hopes to raise 500,000 euros ($551,000) through donations.
Sergio Rossi also said that from March 14 to 20, it is donating 100% of proceeds from sales on its website to ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco hospital in Milan. The company made a donation of 100,000 euros to support the fight — and is encouraging customers to support the cause.
