Fashion is at its very best when it reflects and voices the prevailing social, cultural and political issues in culture. This month and the last week, in particular, has been one of the dreadful weeks India has experienced with over 2000 deaths being officially reported on a daily basis. And still, the number is only increasing due to the current COVID-19 outbreak.
It feels heartbreaking, to see how the system has failed, and the burden of the current scenario seems to rest on our frontline workers. With a realisation that as normal citizens we can take small steps that matter and will make a big difference, the Indian fashion community has responded, and taken up an initiative that revolves around commerce and compassion, and from critiquing to community building.
Industry influencers such as Amrita Thakur who currently has a following of 114,000, Rasna Bhasin who entertains 100,000 followers on her Instagram and Sherry Shroff with her 250,000 fabulous followers are among those personalities who are doing everything in their power and using their social media handles as a platform for Covid 19 resource, in order to reach out to the masses.
They have decided to put all their other activations on hold for some time now and are investing and actively participating in helping the people of our country. These influencers are using Instagram as a medium that will provide verified information of where beds, oxygen, plasma and other medical supplies are available across the country. As said above that their sources are all verified, additionally they are also sharing requests from followers who are in need of medical aid for themselves or for a loved one as their story so more help can be reached out to each. Verifying, updating and amplifying posts is a full-time job that requires presences of mind, dedication and determination. The useful information they have shared with the world had certainly helped many people and helped them reach out for their required urgent resources and hopefully even saved lives.
Peoplekind, which is a Talent Management firm owned by Praachi Kapse, has been amongst the first companies which decided to utilise their platform to circulate the information concerned with the outbreak and has encouraged many of her much-followed influencer clients to participate equally. Their hustle ushers in hope that India will get through this phase soon.
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Besides this, fashion designers like Anita Dongre and 431-88’s Shweta Kapur have also contributed by curating crowdsourced guides on how to donate, where to donate to and how to become a volunteer. Various fashion publications have also joined in the conversation magazines such as ELLE, Grazia and Vogue India and put out crowdsource lists of how to cope with Covid 19. It provides verified mental health services, where one can look up home-cooked healthy meals in case one is home alone and isolated.
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On the other, the industry also has independent fashion journalists, stylists and commentators who are keeping people updated all the time with insightful and informative media reports, opinions and other useful information. Also, the owners of fashion’s most reputable PR agencies such as Longform India and Peepul Consulting, are also giving their hundred per cent through their personal Instagram accounts by sharing edits. Their contribution is creating and helping people understand their social media responsibility today, unite themselves and broadcast relevant facts for the upliftment. They have made fashion a kind and empathetic industry which is often seen as the one too indulged in itself. Today, it is seen contributing to society and the economy.
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