We’re not even a full quarter into the year yet, and 2020 has already been a wild year.
Recently, we caught wind of the news about Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announcing the full lockdown of the Metro Manila region — an area that holds over 12 million people — for an entire month, from March 15th to April 14th, due to the coronavirus. This means shutting down any government work, suspending all domestic travel to and from Metro Manila and restricting entry of travellers from foreign countries, especially those known to be directly exposed to the COVID-19 virus. You could read more about the details of the Manila lockdown due to the coronavirus here.
As our VINTA headquarters and main atelier is in Manila, our team will be directly affected by this news, as many of the VINTA sewers, embroiderers and finishers travel to and from our HQ within the city. We’ve been in constant communication with the team via our amazing Production and Operations Manager, Bernadette, and the ladies are safe and in good spirits in spite of the lockdown order.
Since the local government advised any workers to try and work from home, luckily our atelier is inside a residential home. The VINTA house is a roomy bungalow with comfy accommodations, where the ladies are free to stay, as they take preventative measures against the virus spread (ie. wearing masks, disinfecting everything, washing their hands, minimizing travel, etc.).
For the most part, normal operations at the VINTA HQ will continue, as we do not foresee any delays in fabric supply (although there may be a slight slow-down of production for the embroidered pieces).
**Please note shipping times will be affected for the time being — starting today, we'll be slowing down sending shipments to once a week for the next four weeks.** We’ll keep you posted on any further shipping changes, so please follow us on Instagram @vintagallery for the most up-to-date news about orders and production.
Otherwise, since speaking with Bernadette, everything appears to be on schedule, so expect some exciting Hot Drops and restocks coming your way. (Hint: Our popular Ruffle Barong, Backless Terno Top and Ifugao Vest are making their big comeback.)
After much discussion on whether we should continue our operations, we recognise that VINTA is an important source of livelihood for these ladies and their families. I’m incredibly grateful to each and every one of them for their ongoing drive and enthusiasm to help create these pieces for you — and we definitely could not do this without them. And huge thanks always to our VINTA followers and customers for your continued support and love. We see you. We’ll get through this tricky time together with grace and ease.
Xo
Caroline
