NORFOLK, Va. — Stephanie Wagner lives in Norfolk now, but the Richmond native spent years working in the fashion industry in New York City.
Wagner has spent the last year starting her own fashion-based company, For The Feel. It’s an online marketplace that connects shoppers with eco-friendly, sustainable clothing companies.
But just as the brand was set to take off, the coronavirus pandemic happened.
“We have put everything aside for the time being,” said Wagner.
She is now focused on creating a movement to help hospitals with mask shortages. She started sewing them from her home in Norfolk and created a template and a tutorial so other people can join in on the cause.
“Old sheets are the best because we can cut out mass amounts,” said Wagner. “Anything that’s 100 percent cotton works.”
All you need is a sewing machine and basic sewing skills to make the masks. Wagner has already donated dozens of homemade masks to hospitals locally and in other states, like New York.
She also enlisted the help of businesses connected to her company, hoping they, too, will join in on the effort.
“Not everybody is thinking about that new top right now,” said Wagner. “They’re thinking about how they can keep people alive and keep our country going.”