Shout out to Burberry: Matt Hancock praises luxury brand for producing gowns for NHS staff

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Burberry has joined the UK’s fight against coronavirus by using its expertise to help the NHS.

The luxury fashion house has begun producing protective gowns for healthcare workers tackling the outbreak, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said.

Mr Hancock was addressing Friday’s Downing Street press briefing when he offered a “shout out” to the brand.

Quizzed on supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), he revealed that Burberry had turned over its production to create much-needed items.

Matt Hancock praised Burberry for contributing to PPE production efforts
via REUTERS

“Burberry deserves credit for what they have done so far for the nation and hopefully there will be lots more Burberry gowns to come,” he said.

Twitter users responded to his praise of the brand by envisaging designer hospital wards.

Journalist Tom Peck tweeted: “Matt Hancock says Burberry is now producing protective clothing for nurses. Cannot wait to see that ward. Like Daniela Westbrook at an England away game.”

While others imagined healthcare workers clad in its iconic print.

The company announced it would be using the factory in Castleford to make surgical masks, non-surgical masks and gowns for use by medical staff and patients.

The British designer also shared plans to dedicate its global supply chain to delivering more than 100,000 surgical masks to the NHS for use by medical staff.

Marco Gobbetti, CEO, Burberry said: “In challenging times, we must pull together.

"Covid-19 has fundamentally changed our everyday lives, but we hope the support we provide will go some way towards saving more lives and helping our world recover from this devastating pandemic.”