High-end fashion labels Saint Laurent and Balenciaga will start making face masks to ease shortages during the coronavirus crisis, their French parent group Kering said on Sunday.

Paris (AFP) - French design houses Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga will shift their attentions from high fashion to producing surgical face masks to aid the global coronavirus assault, their parent company Kering said.

'Individuals involved tell us they're very excited to do this sort of work'

From hospitals to hand sanitiser, a number of big names from continental fashion capitals are turning their efforts towards the fight against the coronavirus. Will the British industry follow suit?

Rather than making clothes and beauty products, some of the world’s biggest brands have are providing face masks and hand sanitizers for free.

Designers like Brandon Maxwell, Prabal Gurung and Karla Colletto Swimwear, to name a few, are now making face masks and protective gear to support COVID-19 relief efforts, while beauty brands are formulating hand sanitizer.