There must be nothing more exciting than starting your own apparel business. You get to design fashion the way you want to, and then you actually get to see people wearing it out in the public. You know how to make that even cooler? Design clothes for pets. Then your job is even cuter!
Pet fashion is a big industry. People just love to dress their pets up in fun costumes. There are even Star Wars themed costumes in case you get the feeling that your pup might be a Jedi. With the exception of chihuahuas, most pets don't need clothes, but it's still a lot of fun to dress them up.
Just like all business during Covid-19, the pet fashion industry is going through some strange times. What's most strange about the pet industry in these strange times is that they aren't even making pet clothes anymore. Instead they have shifted to making masks to help fight Coronavirus.
Ada Nieves is one of New York's hottest pet fashion designers. She hasn't just designed clothes for dogs and cats. She's even sewn outfits for pigs, camels, chickens, bearded dragons, and hamsters. These aren't just any normal pets either. These are pets who walk the New York Pet Fashion Show and star in the entertainment business.
She has decided to start using her expertise and materials to produce face masks for humans. She's going above and beyond as well. She is certainly selling masks, but then she uses the money she earned to make more masks to donate to nurses, hospitals, and the elderly who can't leave their homes. People contact her via social media and she takes it from there. It is one example of someone doing their part to help all of us.
Ada Nieves spoke with TODAY about the situation and said, “The situation right now that we're all living in is a nightmare. It's horrific, it's horrible. We're all so stressed and I am just trying to use what I know and what I do to try to bring a little entertainment so people, even for five seconds, they can ease their minds and maybe for that moment, they can relax.” It's not as if Ada Nieves is running a big operation either . She spends 14-15 hours of her days making the masks. This has led to over 500 masks being sent out with more on the way.
Ada Nieves believes that it's the little things that count and make the difference. “We're all in this together. I think that's the key to this: Together, every little thing that we do together, it helps.”
Ada Nieves isn't the only one stepping up to help provide masks. Mask shortages have been an issue ever since the Coronavirus first broke out. Luckily it's been a way to show just how wonderful people can be. People from all over are stepping up and creating masks for others to wear. The President of the Pet Fashion Guild, Laurren Darr, isn't surprised, “It was heartening to see them be some of the first people to jump in and start using their skill set to help their communities. It's just been phenomenal to watch.
It's not as if people are going to be eager to spend money on expensive pet outfits in these uncertain times, so it is also a wise business decision to pivot strategies. Use Ada's story to reflect on the small ways you can help others in this strange time.
