Tourists shop for goods at a CHANEL store at China Duty Free Group’s (CDF) Sanya International Duty Free City in Sanya, Hainan Province, China, Aug 28, 2023. Photo: CFOTO via Reuters Connect

Several fashion brands and their parent companies have announced that they are making donations to help provide humanitarian aid to Israeli victims of Hamas atrocities following the Palestinian terror group’s infiltration of Israel on Oct. 7.

The luxury house Chanel reportedly said it will make a donation of $4 million to organizations providing emergency humanitarian aid to southern Israel as the country faces a barrage of attacks orchestrated by Hamas, which controls the neighboring Gaza Strip.

Chanel’s CEO Leena Nair and Global Executive Chairman Alain Wertheimer announced the decision in an internal email, which has been shared on social media and reported by Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), adding that they’re looking into other “concrete ways of supporting the victims of this devastating crisis.”

“Across Chanel, we stand for peace and for all people impacted by conflicts,” the note added, with the fashion house saying that it has been “horrified and deeply saddened” by the Hamas terrorist attacks, which have resulted in over 1,400 deaths in Israel. “The war and humanitarian crisis that has ensued is a tragedy. Our thoughts are wholeheartedly with all of those directly or indirectly impacted.”

The email continued: “On the ground, Chanel’s immediate priority is to ensure the safety of all people who are working for us in Israel. We can report that for the time being they and their families are safe and we remain in constant contact with them. We know that the impact of these horrific events will be felt deeply by team members across our organization, especially those with family and friends affected. We stand in solidarity as one community.”

Chanel did not respond to The Algemeiner‘s request for comment about the donation.

The luxury brand was founded by designer Coco Chanel. A documentary released in 2014 showed evidence that she spied for the Nazis during World War II as a member of Abwehr, Adolf Hitler’s secret military intelligence agency. Chanel sold her business in 1924 to the Wertheimer family, who are Jewish. In 1974, Alain and Gerard Wertheimer took over as co-owners of Chanel after their father, Jacques Wertheimer, died.

Beyond Chanel, Authentic Brands Group — whose portfolio includes Nine West, Judith Leiber, Harve Leger, Forever 21, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, and many others – announced last week on Instagram that it has launched a “1:1 employee matching donation program” to “support organizations on the ground that can get help and resources to innocent men, women, and children who need it the most.” Those non-profits include Magen David Adom; ERAN, Israel’s emotional first aid providing service on the phone and online; NATAL — the Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center; and Operation Embrace, which offers assistance to injured survivors of terror in Israel.

“As the horrifying attacks in Israel continue, our hearts go out to those being impacted in the region,” Authentic said. “We condemn terrorism and stand in solidarity with our Jewish community and all who are impacted. Please join us in calling for peace.”

Meanwhile, WWD reported that in a letter sent to employees last week, Jewish designer Tory Burch — the executive chairman and chief creative officer of her brand — and CEO Pierre-Yves Roussel said they will be donating “$100,000 personally and $150,000 on behalf of the company” to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP), a coalition of more than 170 organizations — and tens of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis — focused on building peace and co-existence in the region.

“Additionally, Tory Burch LLC will match any employee donation made to ALLMEP,” Burch and Roussel added. “We continue to pray for peace and work toward lifting up our collective humanity.”

The PVH Foundation — the philanthropic arm of PVH, which owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger — has made a grant to the International Committee of the Red Cross, Magen David Adom and the Palestinian Red Crescent, according to WWD. PVH is reportedly matching 2:1 donations made by its associates toward relief efforts in the region, and offering financial assistance to associates and their families who were impacted in the war.

A spokeswoman for Capri Holdings Limited — the parent company of Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, and Versace — told the publication: “We are deeply saddened by the recent attacks on Israel. We mourn the loss of life and suffering experienced by all those affected by the conflict in the region. Capri Holdings is currently exploring different organizations to which we can contribute that will focus on humanitarian assistance for those impacted.”

A spokesperson for Tapestry —which owns Coach, Kate Spade New York, and Stuart Weitzman — added that the company has been in touch with international humanitarian organizations to decide how they can aid victims of the war.

Meanwhile, American Eagle posted an image of an Israeli flag on its flagship billboard in Manhattan’s Times Square. The company’s chief marketing officer, Craig Brommers, shared a photo of the billboard in a post on LinkedIn.

Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP have all released statements about the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians following Hamas’ invasion of Israel. Meanwhile, the Council of Fashion Designers of America said in a released statement that it condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel “and stands with those determined to fight terrorism. We mourn the loss of life and pray for the cycle of violence to end for a lasting peace.”