Covering Up . . . In Style!

A thousand people in the original LA are benefiting from the generosity of an award-winning costume designer and her colleagues in the other LA. LSU Health New Orleans faculty and employees who don’t have clinical responsibilities are covering up to decrease the spread of COVI-19 thanks to an effort put together by Lauren Oppelt. The connection to LSU Health New Orleans came through a friend of a friend who happened to be a patient of LSU Healthcare Services Division CEO Dr. Rebekah Gee.

“LSU Health was one of the first big orders we had, and we knew that New Orleans was getting hit hard by COVID-19,“ notes Lauren Oppelt. “It took us a couple of weeks to gear up and get 1,000 masks together. It was an evolution where we started as a small grassroots organization.”

The Mask Crusaders describe themselves as “a ragtag team of Los Angeles based Costume Designers, Set Costumers, Producers, Burlesque dancers, Dog owners, Parents, Actors, Wine enthusiasts and more who have teamed up to help our healthcare workers. Our team grew from 1 to 4 to 85 and counting in just a few days.”

The group then partnered with the Costume Designers Guild (CDG), the Motion Picture Costumers (MPC) and International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

“This enabled us to fulfill the order because of the work from both Mask Crusaders and members of the CDG and MPC who helped to secure donations of materials to make them,” Oppelt explains.

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At the beginning of April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began recommending that people wear masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. Since medical and surgical grade masks are needed by health care workers, the CDC advised using cloth face coverings. As the source of front-line health care professionals, LSU Health New Orleans remained open, and although some employees were able to work from home, a significant number came to work every day. They needed cloth face masks, and few had them. Instead of homemade versions fashioned out of cut-up t-shirts and rubber bands, the professionals stepped in.

“There are a couple of different designs that we sent you,” says Oppelt. “Mask Crusaders’ original design was based on the Deaconess pattern, but we added features. The other pattern was a team effort of several members of the Motion Picture Costumers Union Local 705. We are now a small part of an effort functioning under the umbrella of a larger effort, the IATSE Mask Initiative, and have collaborated to have one pattern, a video tutorial and step by step instructions that we have been using for a couple of weeks now.”

Volunteers and hundreds of members from union locals all over Los Angeles County pitched in to help. They say they started sewing masks on March 19 and have no intention of stopping until this is over.

“All of the people who are volunteering are just trying to be a part of the solution,” Oppelt says. “I feel that if you have the skills and privilege of being able to help people, it is your moral obligation to do so. We want people to display their best qualities during times like these. Empathy, kindness, compassion, etc. We always talk about the Mister Rogers quote ‘Look for the helpers.’”

Dr. Jayne S. Weiss, Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine oversaw dispensing the masks on campus.

“We distributed these stylish face masks across LSU Health Sciences Center,” Dr. Weiss, who is also Chief Medical Officer of LSU Healthcare Network. “Not only do they look great, but they are comfortable and have added features that can increase their level of protection.”

The donated masks have pockets for filters, poly/cotton jersey liners for comfort and efficacy, as well as nose wires that afford a custom fit.

“The best part of doing this is being able to help people,” says Oppelt. “So many people have stepped up from all over the country and world to make a contribution. It truly shows the value of skills like sewing and community organizing, which are typically female skills often overlooked and taken for granted. We hope that our efforts help to showcase the value of these traditional skills and how they can be implemented in life saving ways. It’s been incredibly humbling and inspiring to be a part of a community of people who are really trying to help.”

The IATSE Mask Initiative, funded by donations from all over the country, has fabricated and sent out over 20,000 masks. By paying it forward, you, too can help keep the project going strong.

“We need your help! If you can sew, if you can donate money to Mask Crusaders or if you can donate elastic, cotton fabric, cotton jersey, twist ties or thread, we will take it,” says Oppelt.

And with their help, New Orleans is taking carnival masking in a new direction.

“My Mardi Gras Krewe of Iris has issued a challenge for every member to provide masks,” reports Dr. Gee.

Oppelt’s group gave the Krewe a great start. “We have also sent 100 kits (2,000 masks worth) to the Krewe of Iris to sew.”

“In these times of crisis, we are reminded of the generosity of the human spirit,” says Gee. “I am very grateful for these masks, and they have made it possible for us to give each of our LSU Health staff members a beautifully made mask that has helped them feel protected and reminded them that there are those they don’t know who care about them.”