Saving lives through a piece of clothing

In grim times like these, when we are struck by the second wave of Covid-19, all help is welcome. Last week saw fashion bloggers selling pieces from their wardrobes on Instagram, and donating the proceeds to verified foundations helping the community.

Influencer Karishma Yadav Bhalla sold 10 pieces and raised ₹12,000 which she donated to Hemkunt Foundation while blogger Aayushi Bangur donated ₹1 lakh to it after selling 20 pieces from her wardrobe. “All of us are trying to do our bit, but for me, as someone who has a wide reach, I thought it was essential to make people realise that every bit counts! I always get messages from people that if I’m ever looking at selling some of my clothes they’d be happy to buy them, so I just jumped at that.

Everything was sold out in minutes and we were able to pass on that amount to the foundation, which helped them arrange oxygen cylinders for patients,” says Bangur. Bhalla, who saw it as a way to help, says, “I asked my followers if they wanted the sale to go live, 80% said ‘yes’. So, I did it.”

Many designers too are helping out. While some are putting up sales and donating the proceeds, others are giving a percentage of their earnings. SVA by Sonam and Paras Modi are giving 70% of their sales to a foundation. “Paras and I thought of doing something in whichever way we could, so we decided to donate to Creators for DFY, an NGO,” says Sonam. Designer Sneha Mehta, who is donating 20% of her sales, says, “We need to help others and keep the economy going at the same time.”