COVID-19 / A LETTER FROM THE DESIGNER

LETTER | BY MICHAEL MIZRAHI

I worked on this brand for 2 years, and as it was ready to launch our society got turned upside down.  For the first 2 weeks of shutdown, I was sitting on the sidelines watching the same show as everyone else, and becoming more frustrated by the day as the story unfolded.  From my perspective, we're so far behind this thing, and right now we're under water just trying to get to sea level.  Once we pop our head out - there are going to be so many other problems that exist as a result of the worldwide spread of COVID-19.  

 

I want to help the situation right now, as well as for the future using these products that I've created as a medium to help fight this war we're all in together.  Sometimes we need to fight with supplies and reinforcements and other times it's with awareness and strategy.  Donating to charity is great, but this give back is something that's going to be handed directly to those in need.

Watching Bill Gates on CNN the other day - he said we should simulate "virus games" in the same way that our governments simulate "war games". There's no more time for simulation, as we are in the reality of the situation and there are no more games to be played.  We must learn, adapt, and adjust on the fly and figure out the best way to weave and will ourselves out of this pandemic.

 

Right now our nurses and doctors - the people I view on the frontline of this war - are in dire need of supplies.  The homeless population is as susceptible as any to community spread, and we are so busy trying to catch up to zero, once we pass that barrier we will see how much the spread through the homeless will not only affect them, but our society as a whole.  Even after this first cycle is contained, we will probably have continuous outbreaks until we are fully vaccinated, which could take up to 2 years to develop and implement.  

 

How long will it take to sit next to someone in a restaurant or at the movies or to try on a sweatshirt in a store or spray a tester of perfume without having some type of phobia about this virus.  Our behaviors will be changing and the thing is we don't have a real understanding of any timeline.  So let's all fight this together, I'm here to do my part - we can all learn along the way. We're in this together!

Stay strong, educated, be positive, and highly aware - we will win this!

Michael Mizrahi / Founder + Designer / GOOGY