When New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made a public plea for assistance producing PPE equipment for frontline medical workers, his cry for help did not go unheard. Rachel Rothenberg-Raenz, Alexandra Baylis, and Amy Tiefermann, co-workers who met at their current jobs at Oscar de la Renta, jumped into action. With years of experience in fashion, working for brands including Marchesa, Dior, Ralph Lauren, and The Row – the group took matters into their own hands by utilizing their deep relationships in the manufacturing sector of the industry. Just a mere month ago, the group self-funded an order of 300 water repellent reusable gowns. With the support of a GoFundMe page and a partnership with the NYC EDC, the group has established Garment District for Gowns, an alliance which now produces 25,000 gowns per week. Their work is far from done – the group has lofty ambitions to continue their work to make up for the local and federal shortage on PPE equipment. Below, the group shares how their operation started.

What inspired you to start this initiative? 

On March 20th, we heard Governor Cuomo’s call for New York manufacturers to come up with creative solutions in response to personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages. Having backgrounds in product development, design, and patternmaking, with strong relationships with factories in New York City’s Garment District, we felt confident that we could make an impact, even if initially small, in providing this essential piece of protection needed on the front lines. The three of us brainstormed ideas to sustainably and effectively create these gowns, and consulted doctors and nurses on the necessary specs. The resulting gown stemmed from a process not too dissimilar from the normal steps we take to develop ready-to-wear lines… only this one serves a very different purpose.

Meanwhile, we formed the non-profit Garment District for Gowns, and launched a GoFundMe campaign where we have raised over $66k to date. This has allowed us to continue manufacturing and distributing thousands of gowns to hospitals and healthcare workers in dire need. We are working in lockstep with Governor Cuomo’s office via Empire State Development, the FDA, the AAMI, and other organizations to ensure we are meeting all regulatory requirements to keep healthcare workers safe and well equipped.

What has the response been from your partners in the Garment District you have been working with on this project? 

We initially reached out to several Garment District manufacturers we share longtime professional relationships with and, not surprisingly, found them to be equally passionate and motivated to support our healthcare workers. Our first production runs were relatively small, and we were able to set up sewers with machines in their homes for their comfort and protection. Shortly thereafter, working together with Gov. officials, we were able to safely reopen factories, while maintaining strict social distancing protocols. We are now able to operate on a much larger scale, having brought back 152 furloughed sewers, while following the same safety directives. Together, with the added support of the Garment District Alliance, we have been able to expand our manufacturing network and ramp up production beyond expectations, to make a meaningful dent in the state shortages.

In terms of the fashion community, we have been inspired by the outpouring of support. Oscar de la Renta has donated 10% of sales to GDFG from their first-ever online sample sale. Brandon Maxwell’s atelier has donated fabric, contributed invaluable hours and skills, and reaches out each week to ask what more they can do to help. Alice & Olivia donated much-needed and difficult to source supplies and notions. Roopal Patel, Global Fashion Director of Saks Fifth Avenue, has been lending her outstanding support by championing for us on multiple platforms. (She even offered to help us pack gowns into boxes!) Cal McNeil of the CFDA has shared with us his immense knowledge of American manufacturing to ensure we wouldn’t encounter any supply chain road bumps. Stetts Model Management offered to send models who have recovered from Covid-19 to help deliver donations. And the list goes on. This support not only highlights the good that’s out there, but also keeps us motivated and positive.

How has this initiative evolved since launching? Are you surprised with how this has evolved?

Our first batch of over 300 water-repellant, reusable gowns was self-funded and sewn only four short weeks ago. Today, we have distributed thousands of gowns, and thousands more are in progress. To date, GDFG has provided gowns to the New York State Department of Health, as well as over 31 hospitals, nursing homes, EMT Stations, and Fire departments. We never envisioned when ordering fabric for those initial gowns just how far this project would come. And we are in awe of what a significant impact some simple manufacturing and well-intentioned people banding together can have on our community.

When we go to donate gowns, we see firsthand the stressful environment the frontline workers face everyday. Having the opportunity to support them by providing much needed PPE has been incredibly inspiring for us. We see how hard they work and that keeps us motivated around the clock to do what it takes for them. Plus, the feedback we’ve received from medical workers has been so encouraging and heartwarming! They’ve let us know that they not only really like the gowns, but also feel very protected in them.

What is your goal with this initiative, and where do you anticipate taking this operation in the future? 

Our original goal was fairly conservative. We are just three women with a strong desire to help, and the experience and ability to do so. However, we quickly recognized just how critical our efforts were and have been racing to build a robust operation that would offer an immediate solution to the medical community’s needs. Thanks to our generous donors and our amazing volunteers, we are now working with high-volume manufacturing plants that allow us to scale faster and increase our capacity to produce FDA-approved PPE. On learning that experts projected a shortfall of 20 million gowns, we increased our own goals to meet the initial needs of the state.

Although the peak of the virus in NYC appears to have passed, demand for protection by our frontline workers remains strong. In his May 3rd briefing, Governor Cuomo went so far as to call PPE shortages “a national security issue,” and we intend to do whatever we can to get ahead of the curve in the case of a second wave.

What is your message for the fashion community? 

As our industry – and the economy at large – endures this dark period, it’s now more important than ever to support American manufacturing. The Garment District is truly the behind the scenes stars of our line of work, and we should all do what we can to pay homage to it during this unprecedented time.