As a small family run business, we take the care and safety of our team incredibly seriously. That’s why during the shelter in place order in San Francisco, we’ve been vigilant to keep strict social distancing, work from home, and safety measures in place for our entire team. We know that no matter where you work or live, you’re likely living in this new normal, too. It can be challenging to figure out how to go outside, how to work, and how to even buy groceries at a time like this. And that’s why when this crisis began, we started looking for ways we could.
To help our customers navigate through this incredible time, we are so thrilled to announce that we will now be carrying the #InThisTogether Face Masks, designed by the amazing California-based entrepreneur Vivian Chan. These times have been challenging, but they’ve also brought out the ingenuity and care from entrepreneurs yearning to make a difference. And these beautiful, stylish face masks, crafted by Vivian Chan, are no exception. So today in the journal, we’ll be sharing a little bit about Vivian, her mission, and how she developed these masks to meet the moment we’re in.
We have loved Vivian Chan’s work and been fans for awhile, her brand mission has always spoken directly to us: “VIVIANCHAN is inspired by and dedicated to real women, real careers, and real personalities. Our purpose is to create garments that can allow a woman to celebrate her beauty as well as embrace her femininity. Each design is developed with attention to detail to complement your style and taste, encouraging you to feel comfortable in your own skin. From sourcing fabrics with our local vendors to sending handwritten letters with every order, we keep you in mind when creating each garment. At VIVIANCHAN, we hope that the quality of our designs will bring out the best qualities you have within yourself.” This vision is brought through every piece she creates, so when we saw that she was producing non-medical grade face masks that would be available for the public to purchase, we knew they would be something special and something we had to bring to KIM+ONO. The face masks Vivian has designed and produced are absolutely gorgeous. Just like the inspiration for the designs of our kimono patterns, Vivian’s mission has been for people to remember their own inherent beauty, even during a challenging time as we battle the coronavirus. She says, “Even in times of crisis I believe it's these little things that can make us feel "normal" and ourselves again. “
Vivian says, “I have put a lot of research and time into modifying the fit and design for these, so hope everyone will be happy with them!” To develop these masks, Vivian was in close contact with the nursing staff at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles while creating a custom mask for nurses. The masks Vivian created were specifically designed to meet the needs and requests of the medical professionals who will be actively using them on a day to day basis. She uses the very same material she uses for her beautiful line of clothing to bring a beautiful and minimal touch to a functional face mask.
While shelter in place orders are in effect, we hope you stay home and wear your kimono cardigan to bring a little extra comfort and joy to your every day. But when you do go out, we hope these face masks bring a little beauty along with you. Vivian designed these to be functional and elegant and beautiful. Each mask is made with an adjustable wire at nose bridge, fully lined interior insert for a filter, and elastic ear loop. We echo Vivian’s wishes for all of us to feel “normal” and ourselves again as much as possible during this crisis. We hope you wear these masks to protect yourselves and your community first and foremost, but that you also feel just as beautiful as ever when wearing them.
While we are so excited to bring these face masks to our customers, we are just as excited to support another female entrepreneur in the process. To order your own face mask, shop here. And to read more about our giveback efforts and how every purchase you make gives back, start here.
