Amid the coronavirus pandemic, ski Resorts across Europe may be shutting down their lifts, slopes and Après bars in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus, but luxury ski brand Moncler has reacted to the COVID-19 outbreak in an entirely different way.
Known for making the best luxury ski gear for men and women, the high-end retailer has joined the ranks of other luxury brands helping fight coronavirus. Chairman and CEO Remo Ruffini, who is also the owner of 54 metre CRN superyacht Atlante, has announced that Moncler has now donated €10 million to help build a new hospital in Milan.
The funds from Moncler are dedicated to the production of 400 new intensive care units that will serve coronavirus patients. These will be part of a 270,000-square-foot facility being constructed in the former Fiera Milano exhibition area.
Ruffini's concern may derive from his proximity to the outbreak. The Italian billionaire is based in Lombardy's city of Como, located just an hour north of Milan. In an official press release, Ruffini stated: “Milan is a city that has given us all an extraordinary time. We cannot and must not abandon it. It is everyone’s duty to give back to the city what it has given us so far."
Over the past weeks, the Italian city of Milan and the surrounding Lombardy region have become the epicentre of the European outbreak of COVID-19. The latest statistics from US news channel CNBC report over 12,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the region, which is currently under lockdown with the rest of the country.
With construction already underway and doors expected to open before the end of the month, the new hospital aims to help the overwhelmed health centres of this badly affected area. With an optimistic outlook regarding the new hospital, Ruffini concluded his statement by adding "I am sure that the team of the Region of Lombardy [...] can bring this great initiative to become a reality as soon as possible”.
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