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1.6 Outline of the paper

1. Introduction a. Background information of PPE b. Thesis: Local fashion designers are taking responsibility due to the high demand of PPE that is causing the shortage of stocks globally. 2. Body

Major Point 1: Differentiation of the four main segments in the fashion industry

a. Different segments have different strategies, goals and objectives. b. Each segment has its business model during the pandemic.

Major Point 2: Fashion industry contributes in the contingency planning for PPE

a. Fashion industry from each segment has turned to producing PPE items for the front liners. b. By switching productions, the fashion industry was able to resolve the shortage of PPE at its maximum to supply the medical community, and stabilise the economy.

Major Point 3: Analysis data from the interview of local fashion designer

a. Half of the designers agree that the fashion industry is responsible for the contribution of PPE. b. Different methods of contributions for PPE are carried out by the local fashion designers. 3. Conclusion a. Fashion industry plays one of the important roles to contribute itself in the pandemic situation. b. PPE are some of the most essential products during the pandemic for the whole community especially for the front liners that are more exposed to the Covid-19.

In the fashion industry, there are four main segments: the independent designers, the luxury fashion concerns, the middle market segment, the retail chains. Particularly, the independent designers and the middle market segment are very present in the current situation. For independent designers, the creative talent of the designer is the engine of the business. The creative collections are identified by their particular styles of signatures. Independent designer’s job is not only to be creative but also to innovate which they can be innovative with the ways in which they use materials; they can be aware of their environmental impact; and they can also create impact through designing products that expand across several demographics. Independent designers often feel less tied to trends, even though they must also consider some basic rules regarding the composition of a collection. Independent designers can also work to inspire the industry, such is done by examples like the Milan Prada Foundation which has a focus on contemporary arts; or the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, and the Armani Silo in Milan. Each of these showcase the importance of the arts and their link to the fashion industry. Therefore, consumers can also create an impact by consuming more art and design in order to spur the creative process, which will in turn inspire fashion designers to new motifs, new technologies, new materials, new ways of looking at things. Sustainable fashion to me refers to using sustainable materials that don’t negatively impact our environment and that designers and retailers who look to be socially responsible and sustainable are making their mark in the industry and the more these companies start coming up, there will be a push for other companies to follow those steps. Essentially, sustainability is all about the emphasis of quality over quantity and the source of that quality. As the rise of the sustainable era continues to grow, it is becoming increasingly accessible for consumers to buy responsibly, thus, making an impact. The various outlets today’s conscious consumers have such as H&M’s Conscious Collection, which use local and sustainable fabrics; and toxic free production methods taken on by companies such as Levi’s and Zara (Clau, 2017). The luxury segment of the fashion market is aimed at the upper end of the consumer market. This segment has long been dominated by fashion houses operating more or less according

to a dated version of the value network described above. In recent decades, however, this market has become increasingly dominated by multinational luxury groups, including LVMH, Kering (until March 2013, PPR), Richemont, Prada and Puig. These conglomerates have gradually bought many old fashion and luxury houses, changing the business models behind them in the process. The middle market segment consists of brands that bring fashion to a clearly defined target audience within the middle class. To be as pleasing as possible to this target group, collections are often based on the identity of the brand (ranging from very creative to sophisticated-conservative), as well as on projections made after analysing sales figures and trends. In this fashion segment, it is more common to experiment with different collections each season, although these tend to be derivatives of the main idea behind the collection. Production volumes are generally higher than in the previously discussed segments, but the technical complexity is somewhat lower. Both of these aspects have an impact on consumer prices. The slogan of the retail chains is ‘fashion for the masses at very competitive prices’. These companies reason from within a market-pull strategy. The collections are adjusted according to projections on what the market will demand. Trend forecasting, market research and sales figures from previous collections define the appearance and composition of the collection. In order to reach as many different types of consumers as possible, chains carry a variety of proprietary brands under one roof. To stimulate as many consumers as possible, new stock is also placed in store throughout each season. This new stock can range from bestsellers of the current (or previous) season to pieces derived from the core collection to new, separate capsule collections. The industry average for collection exchanges is around six weeks, although some retail chains are speed demons, refreshing the range of products in their stores every two weeks. Speed to market is thus vital in this fast-fashion business. Retail chains also try to keep the cost price as low as possible. This is reflected in the material used and the simplicity of the design, but it also affects the core philosophy of the value network (Schrauwen & Schramme, 2014). The term “fast fashion” was first invented by retailers to indicate how fashion styles and trends change rapidly from the catwalk to the store (Brooks, 2015). How fast fashion brands work with different Supply Chain companies to finish their projects in a very short time, the most important aspect

for them is to get the service done at a low price and within the specific time frame to be distributed in their showrooms in a short time. Mass retailers such as Zara and H&M have adopted this business strategy and have become recognized for steadily refreshing their product range with new fashion styles, capturing the attention of media and driving customers to visit their stores on a frequent basis (Rosenblum, 2015). Fast fashion brands do not emphasise on process, the outcome is the important aspect. It is the opposite of how the Luxury Brands work. The outcome is not the only important aspect but the process also plays an important role (Alabbasi, 2016, pg 2). Luxury brands confer much emphasis on creating high brand awareness and the proper brand image with the objective of achieving a high level of brand loyalty and consequently a steady income stream (Amatulli & Guido, 2012). Therefore, luxury brands generally have the advantage of attaining a higher level of global brand awareness than fast fashion brands (Business of Fashion, 2011). The strategy is conceived to assist in developing the global presence and reputation of the brand, and to leverage its status and awareness. Luxury and prestige brands have traditionally embraced the premium pricing strategy to highlight their brand exclusivity (Fionda & Moore, 2009), high quality, and the strength associated with luxury goods, and also to distinguish them from the fast fashion brands. Furthermore brand exclusivity and rarity are essentially maintained through limited production where the aura of scarcity adds to the appeal of luxury brands (Joy et al., 2012; Kapferer, 2004).

In the face of global Coronavirus spread, authorities urge citizens to stay home and practice social distancing, we’re left with Covid-19 closures, a tightening self-quarantine vice, and a gnawing sense of anxiety over what is to come. Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a highly infectious agent that causes fatal respiratory illnesses, which is of great global public health concern. Currently, there is no effective vaccine for tackling this COVID19 pandemic where disease countermeasures rely upon preventing or slowing person-to-person transmission. Specifically, there is increasing efforts to prevent or reduce transmission to front-line healthcare workers (HCW). However, there is growing international concern regarding the shortage in the supply chain of critical one-time-use personal and protective equipment (PPE). PPE are heat sensitive and are not, by their

manufacturer's design, intended for reprocessing. Most conventional sterilization technologies used in hospitals, or in terminal medical device sterilization providers, cannot effectively reprocess PPE due to the nature and severity of sterilization modalities. Contingency planning for PPE stock shortage is important. Solutions in the Republic of Ireland include use of smart communication channels to improve supply chain, bespoke production of PPE to meet gaps, along with least preferred option, use of sterilization or high-level disinfection for PPE reprocessing (J.Rowan, G.Laffey, 2020). Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as "PPE", is equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests and full body suits. All personal protective equipment should be safely designed and constructed, and should be maintained in a clean and reliable fashion. It should fit comfortably, encouraging worker use. If the personal protective equipment does not fit properly, it can make the difference between being safely covered or dangerously exposed. When engineering, work practice, and administrative controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must provide personal protective equipment to their workers and ensure its proper use (OSHA). PPE used in healthcare includes gloves, aprons, long sleeved gowns, goggles, fluid-repellent surgical masks, eye, nose and mouth protection, face visors and respirator masks. Healthcare workers should wear protective clothing when there is a risk of contact with blood, body fluids, secretions and excretions (J.Rowan, G.Laffey, 2020). Before the crisis, China was the largest producer of PPE finished products, as well as of many of the raw materials needed to manufacture these products. According to Unicef, China produced an estimated 50% of surgical masks globally (estimated to be 20 million masks a day, pre-pandemic), while Taiwan alone makes up 20 percent of the global supply of face masks. With China the first to enter lock-down as PPE demand soared, the supply chain was massively disrupted. As virus restrictions in China have lifted, the country has directed its manufacturing might toward making the PPE that healthcare workers need to battle the coronavirus. However, the

market to procure those supplies is now very competitive. Alongside issues with traditional PPE procurement, it is challenging for companies to re-purpose as a PPE provider. There is a raft of regulations, certifications and standards that are highly technical. It’s even harder to re-purpose and produce PPE at scale (CBI, 2020).

Even more pressing than our fears and worries, however, is a rapidly draining supply of medical equipment needed to save those infected with the virus from ventilators, to protective face masks. In response, luxury fashion brands worldwide have heard the call, and are mobilizing to combat the disease. As fashion weeks are cancelled and the industry comes to a halt, designers and labels are working hard to help those who need it most. From large, multinational comolgermates diverting their resources to make healthcare products, to brands putting their apparel production on hold so they can provide assistance to the needy (Losmithgul, 2020). Many are switching productions, if not donating to causes that can help out those affected. Big names like LVMH, Kering, Armani, Prada and Ralph Lauren have turned to producing essential items needed by the medical community. These include sanitisers, masks and medical suits. LVMH for example, announced on March 16 that three of its perfume and cosmetics factories will start producing hand sanitisers. This is for distribution to hospitals fighting the outbreak in France. Armani said this week that all of its Italian production plants would start producing single use medical overalls. It is the brand’s effort to support healthcare workers in the Covid-19 crisis. Other designer labels have made similar changes. Gucci (owned by Kering) and Prada are churning out masks and overalls for medical workers. Ralph Lauren is also pitching in, producing medical masks. Fast fashion label H&M has announced it will use its extensive supply chain network to help hospitals in need of supplies like masks and gowns. Inditex, the company that owns Zara, has offered to do the same (Cheong, 2020). Zara owner, the Inditex fashion group, announced that its factories and logistics teams will now be creating and donating surgical face masks for medical workers and coronavirus patients - adding to a long list of retailers shifting resources to help fight the pandemic. Inditex is also writing off €287 Million of its inventories, which has caused the group to temporarily close half its shops, and is now focusing resources on helping the fight against coronavirus. The company shared that

they will make a delivery at least once a week of materials they purchase directly. It also added that Inditex has already donated 10,000 protective face masks and by the end of this week expects to be in a position to ship another 300,000 surgical masks. The distribution of masks is well underway as the company is still in the process of sourcing medical grade fabric for hospital gowns. “We are investigating the possibility of switching some of our textile-manufacturing capacity over to the production of health materials,” they stated (Sheinberg, 2020).

3. Methodology and Methods

This chapter presents the discussion on the research methodology of the study as how the independent fashion designer has rallied to help overcome a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) after the Health Ministry warned that stockpiles are running out fast.

The respondents will be the independent fashion designers who are contributing in the PPE project. To collect data, a questionnaire was designed and sent to interview the independent fashion designers who are contributing to it, allowing us to better understand their situation and the details of the process of production.

The questionnaire for this study will be limited to Malaysia only as there are some certain limitations in this period. And, it has been mentioned that the interview will be only on the independent fashion designers of Malaysia.

The primary data will be collected from the selected independent fashion designers which is based on their online posts and news. Moreover, these data will be gathered directly from the selected respondents through a form of questionnaire, and the questionnaire was being sent to fifteen respondents.

The interview schedule consisted of different types of questions, related to the topic of the research and relevant variables to gather the needed information. Thus structured interview schedules were developed and used in order to allow the respondents to freely express their opinion and experience that related to the research topic. After formulating the interview schedules, necessary editing was done for its observed consistency and logical sequence with a frame of reference of the respondents. Then it was subjected to a pilot study on non-sample respondents with a minimum and adequate sample size. Based on the nature and extent of responses obtained, necessary modifications and further editing was done in the interview schedules to ensure its clarity and completeness for generating the needed information from the respondents.

Interview in 20 minutes:

1. What is your thought on Covid-19 pandemic? What is your thought on following fashion’s market development?

2. So, the Health Ministry had warned the stockpiles were running out fast. What do you feel when you read the news that some frontlines had to use raincoats and plastic garbage bags to protect themselves?

3. Do you think the frontlines need to be protected by wearing proper gear while treating a patient? Why?

4. Do you think a fashion industry should take on this responsibility in this situation? Why?

5. Do you contribute? So, what motivates you to contribute and work hard on this PPE project?

6. Can you briefly talk about the PPE making process and current results of the PPE’s amount?

i. Which types of PPE have you made?

ii. Can you share the process? How did you do?

iii. Did you make the contributions alone or with your crew?

7. Do you think the fashion industry is a great motivational boost for the frontlines?

(as they know that the public cares about their well being) Why?

8. Thank you for participating in this questionnaire, before we end do you want to disclose your personal information or remain anonymous in the data presented?

4. Analysis of data

In this chapter, we will discuss the analysis and interpretation of qualitative as a kind of follow through chapter 3 interviews. The main goal of data analysis in fashion’s market research is to gather information which links an organization or firm to its market business. Through the interview, we will be able to know how and the reason behind the independent fashion designers in Malaysia contribute PPE to the frontlines. A questionnaire was designed and sent to interview the independent fashion designers who are contributing to it, allowing us to better understand their situation and the details of the process of production. However, out of fifteen respondents sent, only three of the respondents responded. The documentation and analysis process aim to present data in an intelligible and interpretable form in order according to the questionnaire to identify the trends and relations behind the fashion industry in Malaysia with the current pandemic. In turn, the identified trends and relations in accordance with the research aims, would enable the researcher to motivate not only the fashion industry in Malaysia but also other industries to help contribute in different methods to help the country to get through the current pandemic. Also, the transcript of the interview would be included in Appendix 1.

4.1 Thoughts on the Pandemic

For our data collected, the three respondents are brand representatives from Mini Yng, Bev C Clothing Brand and Kit Woo. The independent designers in Malaysia think that not only the fashion industry was severely affected but also other industries. Not only big industries, smaller individuals are also suffering financially, emotionally due to the pandemic. However, for the fashion industry itself, the original way of working was disrupted due to the ‘new normal’ derived from the current pandemic. Scheduled fashion shows and fashion week were all on hold and rescheduled due to the social distancing act and some fashion houses changed the tradition of sending their pieces onto the runway to show their creations on social media platforms. Also, the fashion industry was going

too fast and generating an over-abundance of fashion waste from the huge clothing products that are exceeding way more than the actual demand. People have started to buy less and think more on their actual need for clothing and making a change on the sustainable aspect in the fashion industry. When the Health Ministry had warned the stockpiles were running out fast that some frontlines had to use raincoats and plastic garbage bags to protect themselves, the designers felt like they had to make some contributions on PPE for the frontlines in order to protect them from the virus while they are working.

4.2 Fashion Industry's Responsibility to Contribute PPE

In this circumstance, half of them think that the fashion industry has the responsibility to contribute PPE for the frontlines as the independent fashion designers are supported by numerous sources to help them survive through these hard times in the pandemic. So, they should also do their part to contribute PPE for the frontlines as a mutual assist. However, another half of them think that is not fully their responsibility to help contribute to the frontlines but they could make use of their skills on sewing to produce PPE for the frontlines during the shortage of PPE as an act of kind instead of as their responsibility. In comparison, we can see that the fashion designers agreed they should contribute to this pandemic but the motive behind is slightly different. Most of them had made contributions on PPE for the frontlines and only a minority did not make contributions. For the designers who made contributions, there are different methods of contributions which some of them made the PPE all by themselves, such as producing PPE gowns and disposable masks by her own sewing machine. While some of them were contacted by Malaysian Official Designer’s Association to provide support for the contributions of PPE to the frontlines. For the ones who did not contribute, they do not have extra time to make PPE as they have ongoing projects and work to do for their own brand. In conclusion, the designers have tried their best to contribute in their own ways for the current

situation. However, some were unable to help due to some limitations they are facing in their brands.

4.3 The Making of PPE

There were several types of PPEs made which are PPE gowns and PPE masks, leg covers and head gears. For the PPE making process and the current results of the PPEs amount, there are two methods of PPE making in their contributions. The first is the PPE fabric and pattern are sent by an organization to the designer's home and gowns are drafted, cut and sewn all by the designers themselves and the leftover scraps of the fabric are made into PPE masks to avoid any wastage. The quantity of PPEs made in this method is limited due to the more intensive labor work involved. The other method is the fabrics of the PPE were sent pre-cut to the designers and their job is to join all the pieces to make PPEs, leg covers and head gears. Through this method, a large quantity of PPE is able to be produced due to less work involved in the making process. All of the designers were supported by their team and crew to help them throughout the PPE making process.

4.4 Conclusion

Through this PPE contribution, the designers definitely felt that their work had motivated the frontlines by providing them safety with ample amounts of PPE made especially for them. This would let the frontlines know they are not by themselves but supported by a large group of people and industries behind them to fight through this pandemic. In conclusion, the independent fashion designers in Malaysia think that it is part of their responsibility to help solve the shortage of PPEs for the frontlines as they acquire the skill of sewing which is very helpful for the making of PPE in this current pandemic.

5. Conclusion and Implications

At the end of the study, we had interviewed a few independent fashion designers who are currently active in the fashion industry in Malaysia and analysed their way of contributing to the frontlines in order to determine how the fashion industry is able to contribute PPE to the frontlines in the current pandemic. The PPE shortage is crucial when the majority of the countries all around the world are facing lockdown situations. The independent fashion designers in Malaysia had utilized their sewing knowledge and skills to produce personal protective gears (PPE) for frontliners through different methods. The first method is the PPE fabric and patterns are sent by an organization to the designer's home and gowns are drafted, cut and sewn all by the designers themselves and the leftover scraps of the fabric are made into PPE masks to avoid any wastage. The other method is the fabrics of the PPE were sent pre-cut to the designers and their job is to join all the pieces to make PPEs, leg covers and head gears. Through this PPE contribution, the designers definitely felt that their work had motivated the frontlines by providing them safety with ample amounts of PPE made especially for them.

From chapter 2, we can see that in the fashion industry, there are four main segments: the independent designers, the luxury fashion concerns, the middle market segment, the retail chains. Currently, almost all the major fashion houses in the world have switched their production line to help mass produce PPE, medical suits, hand sanitisers and other essentials in the current pandemic. However, there is a lack of information and documentation on how the other segments in the fashion industry contributed in the current situation. This is due to independent fashion designers not being like those major fashion houses who have much more resource and supply for the related products needed in the pandemic. Through our research and interviews with independent fashion designers in Malaysia, we are able to know how they contributed in this situation with the limited resources and supplies they have. The independent fashion designers have teamed up together and collaborated to produce as much PPE

they could for the frontlines. The independent fashion designers unlike major fashion brands, they had well utilised the social media platform to spread their campaign to involve more man power and finance for their effort.

By executing this project in a few weeks time, we had faced several limitations that restricted methods to approach those who were involved in the fashion industry. We are only able to keep in touch with them through social media platforms and email instead of face-to-face interviews in reality. Besides, the duration for message reply is also a problem that we couldn’t ensure all respondent replies at instance hence lengthen the timing for data collection. Less response from the independent fashion designers cause less database sources to be collected, hence reducing the reference of data for analysis purposes. Through this research, we have realised how important PPE is for everyone in a pandemic. Independent fashion designers in Malaysia can unleash their creativity to design more user friendly PPE gears. To avoid any shortage of PPE in the future, all industries should collaborate with each other to contribute their expertise and help mass produce PPE to ensure it is always sufficient for everyone.

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