Anna Wintour and Tom Ford have come together to support fashion designers through the coronavirus pandemic.
Anna Wintour
The editor in chief of Vogue magazine and the chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America are repurposing the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund - which was initially set up in the wake of the terrible events of 9/11 - to help those fashion houses affected by COVID-19.
Explaining their new initiative, they shared: "A Common Thread is a storytelling initiative spearheaded by Vogue and in collaboration with the CFDA, to raise both awareness and needed funds for those in the American fashion community who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund was originally established as a response to the tragedy that took place on 9/11. Now, as we are all faced with new challenges, it is being repurposed to - in addition to raising and distributing funds to those who have been most affected - highlight designers and tell the stories of those who work tirelessly behind the scenes across the country in our incredibly strong and vibrant fashion industry. Parameters of the fund are still being established, and applications will be available on the CFDA website beginning on Wednesday, April 8th. The fund is not limited to former Fashion Fund participants or members of the CFDA."
It comes after Tom urged the government to support fashion, as they suffer a reduction in sales due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 58-year-old fashion designer said in a statement: "I would suspect and hope that this is the chief focus of any fashion organisation now: taking care of their people. Inclusion of the fashion industry in the $1.6 trillion stimulus package expected to be released imminently is critical and of the utmost importance for us all. The CFDA understands that the industry needs immediate critical support and is working to access relief at the federal and local levels."
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