The current coronavirus situation is mind-bendingly difficult on everyone. But, true to form, the indomitable design industry has been rising to the challenge, turning some extremely bitter lemons into fantastic lemonade.
We’re wowed by the enormous acts of generosity we see popping up everywhere, and so proud to be part of this community. Here are just a few of the many things we’ve seen.
The #Charcollage Challenge
Charlotte Moss—decorator, author and collager extraordinaire—threw down the glue-and-paper gauntlet on Instagram, pledging a donation to the hunger-relief organization Feeding America for every collage that someone made, posted and tagged. She raised $100,000, which will provide for one million meals.
PR maven Christina Juarez celebrated the chicest of loungewear for one of the decorating world’s most-cherished causes, pledging a donation to Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club for every tagged post featuring someone decked out in a caftan. Together with other design-industry luminaries who joined her commitment to donate—Bunny Williams and John Rosselli among them—she raised more than $16,000.
The President of Schumacher, Benni Frowein, has met the COVID-19 crisis head-on, kickstarting a weekly webinar series aimed at arming designers with the tools and resources they need to navigate these unprecedented times. His guests range from top decorators such as Timothy Corrigan and Windsor Smith to tax and law experts who can drill down on the crucial nitty gritty.
rita_k_shopping
Known for her disarmingly fresh take on classic English decorating, Rita Konig recently made public a top-secret private Instagram feed that she’d kept of her favorite antiques dealers and shops. Her intent? To bring these treasured sources as much support as possible. Shopping from home and keeping projects going is something “we can do to keep the wheels turning so we don’t emerge from this and find these wonderful small businesses have sunk without trace,” she posted.
Determined to make a positive contribution to their beloved and suffering home base of New York City, the partners of design studio General Assembly rounded up knockout collectible items from such colleagues and friends as Roll & Hill, Workstead, Lindsey Adelman and David Weeks Studio, and launched the multiday, online auction event At Home. All net proceeds benefit the aid organization Direct Relief, and will address the ravages of the COVID-19 crisis in the New York City community.
Many fabric houses—Schumacher, Thibault and Kravet among them—have been making and distributing masks to those in need. Such can-do, proactive efforts make us confident that we will get through this together!
