THE FASHION COMMUNITY

West Coast Designers to Support Now


With the coronavirus pandemic spreading rapidly up and down the West Coast, many members of the fashion community in Los Angeles and San Francisco have stepped up to support healthcare workers, produce reusable cloth masks, or donate a portion of their sales to local hospitals. Here, some of our favorite pieces from those intrepid designers, for those of us who want to support their efforts from home. Note: Many e-commerce sites have ceased operations until further notice or staggered outgoing shipments for the safety of their employees, so there may be significant delays in shipping. Be sure to check each designer’s website or social media feeds for the latest information.

1
Staud knit pants and vest, $165 each, staud.clothing

Known for their colorful, wearable, ’60s-ish designs, Staud has quickly become a fashion-world favorite since their launch in 2015. Right now, they’re donating 10% of sales to L.A.’s St. Vincent Hospital Meals on Wheels program. Upgrade your WFH wardrobe with this knit pant and vest set. You’re going to get sick of sweatpants eventually.

2
Entireworld cotton high waisted shorts, $40, theentireworld.com

Founded by former Band of Outsiders designer Scott Sternberg in 2018, Entireworld has made a name for itself as a purveyor of sleek, extremely comfortable sweat suits—a go-to pandemic uniform. But don’t sleep on the rest of their offerings, which range from perfect scoop-neck tank tops to jewel-toned corduroy trousers. These high-waisted shorts are a few steps up from boxers, ideal loungewear as the weather gets warmer. Last week, Sternberg announced that 10% of online sales will go toward Doctors Without Borders.

3
Lisa Says Gah knit dress, $138, lisasaysgah.com

This week, all dresses from S.F.-based online boutique Lisa Says Gah are marked down by 25%, and for every dress sold, $5 is donated to the World Health Organization. This comfy knit dress from proprietor-slash-designer Lisa Buhler’s own brand will be a summer staple for years to come.

4
John Elliott fleece hoodie, $186 (was $248), johnelliott.com

L.A. designer John Elliott just pledged $10,000 to UCLA Health, and will donate 10% of all on-sale purchases to the hospital network as well. Support the cause and shore up your quarantine wardrobe with this cloud-like fleece hoodie.

5
Tom Ford cashmere and suede jacket, $5,890, tomford.com

As the chairman of the CFDA, Tom Ford has worked to repurpose A Common Thread, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, to support those in the fashion community whose businesses have been affected by the pandemic. In addition, 10% of all online Tom Ford sales go toward the initiative. This tomato red jacket is a modern classic.

6
Apolis market bag, $68, store.apolisglobal.com

Los Angeles brand Apolis is known for their simple woven totes, which have become a status grocery shopping bag of sorts. The company is giving away free market bags to customers who fill their own bags with supplies, drop them off outside the homes of their neighbors or other members of their communities, and snap a photo of the gift on Instagram.

7
Doen cotton dress, $298, shopdoen.com

This women-led brand, known for their floaty, ethereal dresses in soft hues, has always had an ethical bent: Last week, they donated a portion of sales to Planned Parenthood, and have been promoting various causes on their social feeds, including This Is About Humanity, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about separated families at the U.S.-Mexico border.

8
Michael Costello made to order kaftan, $7,000, michaelcostello.us

Michael Costello has transformed his L.A. atelier into a hub for producing and donating thousands of reusable fabric face masks to more than 45 hospitals and essential businesses around the city. Once things get back to normal, consider putting in an order for this statement kaftan.

9
Los Angeles Apparel mock neck shirt, $28, losangelesapparel.net

Los Angeles Apparel has been selling cotton face masks and donating thousands of them to healthcare workers up and down the West Coast. As government guidelines about everyone wearing masks as a precautionary measure have evolved, consider tossing a few of those in your cart as well.

10
Hedley and Bennett buy one give one face mask, $22, hedleyandbennett.com

Known for their chic aprons and elegant-yet-sturdy chef’s uniforms, Hedley and Bennet has joined forces with Dr. Robert H. Cho, chief of staff at Shriners for Children Medical Center in Pasadena, to design washable chambray masks with inner pockets for HEPA filters, in addition to producing thousands of masks for José Andrés’s nonprofit, World Central Kitchen. You can buy a mask for $22, and a second one will be donated to a healthcare worker in need.

11
Citizens of Humanity cotton shirt, $288, citizensofhumanity.com

CEO Amy Williams has produced and donated cotton masks (which can be used on their own or worn over N95 respirators) to City of Hope, Cedars-Sinai, Stanford Children’s Hospital, UCLA Health and other organizations. This cotton shirt is bound to be a perennial favorite.