DESIGN DOING GREAT: DALLAS’ KATHY FIELDER CREATES MUCH NEEDED MASKS FOR COVID-19 PANDEMIC
By Lance Avery Morgan Photography courtesy of Kathy Fielder
By now we all well know that the COVID-19 pandemic has created shockwaves throughout the global supply chain and that companies are working feverishly to manage shortages. In fact, the manufacturing sector that produces vital medical supplies including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves and medical gowns has been hard hit like never before. Since the pandemic began domestically roughly five weeks ago, there has been a huge surge in demand for medical supplies and protective gear.
Like many Texas business owners, Dallas-based retailer Kathy Fielder was faced with furloughing her staff and halting operations when shelter-in-place mandates were issued. Instead, she and her team, in just three weeks, reworked the entire business model of Kathy Fielder Boutique and Isabella Collection by Kathy Fielder to utilize her resources and contacts through her 20-year career in the field of manufacturing to bring in crucial PPE products for frontline defenders and 3-ply disposable masks for medical workers and the general public’s use.
“This is an unbelievably stressful time for all business owners, but I’ve always been one to tackle a problem head-on instead of letting it defeat me,” said Kathy Fielder. “In addition to homeschooling my two children, I’ve spent endless hours over the past few weeks educating myself on the medical field, FDA, and NIOSH in order to bring the highest quality merchandise available to those who need it. I am thrilled that I can help my local community, keep my staff employed, and continue to stimulate the economy.”
We love that for the past 15 years Fielder has also manufactured a bedding and home décor collection, Isabella Collection by Kathy Fielder, in Dallas, TX. This collection has sold to numerous retailers including Neiman Marcus, Horchow, Perigold, and QVC, to name a few. Fielder Boutique, a retail clothing and accessories boutique, has locations not only in the heart of Lower Greenville in Dallas, but also in the Garden District on Magazine Street in New Orleans.
For more information, visit https://kathyfielderboutique.com/products/3ply-mask. For DIY-ers, Fielder has also created a unique pattern designed to be fitted, functional, and washable. Create your own masks with materials found around the home using step-by-step instructions and a video tutorial: https://kathyfielder.com/2020/04/creating-a-mask-with-essentials-from-your-home/. Then, check out her YouTube tutorial: https://youtu.be/2D59w22v8fA
