French fashion label Christian Dior said on Tuesday one of its workshops had started to produce face masks for workers in supermarkets and other sectors still operating during the coronavirus outbreak, echoing moves by other luxury brands.
Dior, which is owned by LVMH, will produce the protective gear in a plant in Brittany, northern France, which normally makes high-end baby clothes and which will be staffed by volunteers.
All the brand’s other production sites have closed.
France has entered its third week of a broad lockdown aimed at fighting the spread of the virus, although factories in some industries are still operating or looking to reopen after bringing in extra health measures.
Other fashion companies in France and Italy, home to some of the world’s biggest brands, have also turned their hand to making face masks or medical blouses.
LVMH is also using some of its perfume factories to make hand sanitiser gel, as are other cosmetics makers. Dior said its face masks would be donated to workers in key jobs, such as in transport or food distribution, albeit not hospital staff.
