The Domino Effect

We were travelling in Greece in mid February through mid March when the first cases of Covid19 started to hit in Athens.  It was a scary time to travel and a scary time to ponder the unknown effects this crisis was going to bring to us globally.  While I was visiting in Lesvos and posting beautiful images from around the island, trying not to think about the fact that there was a crisis with Turkey in addition to the growth of the virus building around me, a customer commented on a post suggesting we make Mati face masks.  My first reaction was not a positive one in all honesty.  I dismissed the comment.  Wasn't even a possibilty to consider.  As the crisis grew, and I returned home, and we kept hearing mixed messages on whether to wear a mask or not, and the critical shortage of masks that existed.  Then something wonderful happened, manufacturing companies starting changing their production lines, donations of masks to our healthcare workers started pouring in, and Americans started pulling out their fabric bins and making beautiful ones for everyone to wear.  In the midst of this, I was also checking on the well being of all our artists around Greece.  My discussion with Calilena design team was a familiar one - none of the artists were working, no one was shopping, everything had come to a stand still.    I asked them what they thought about making masks until the business conditions improved.   And that is where the first domino took its place.  A few weeks later, the designers came up with the first prototype.  They had taken time to learn the proper way to make them, to add the filter pocket, to create the folds as recommended by the WHO, but also to keep their signature flair and style to make a mask with a fashion statement - if we need to wear them, why not make them beautiful too?  The morning before posting, again the questions on our page about making masks were asked, even though at this point we had never publicly revealed the idea.  This was all customer driven and clearly something with a growing interest.  One customer simply asked the question whether we were making masks on an unrelated post last Sunday, and then several more followed suit seeing that comment - the second domino now took its place.   I answered the customers privately, as the designers were still finishing the last samples, we werent going to release the photos until the next day on our page.  Our plan was to take orders for those interested and donate a mask to any healthcare worker who contacted us.  The designers even threw in extra masks to help with the donation .  We were not thinking  of the larger impact these masks would make - the next several dominos now started lining up.  Sunday afternoon, as we had finished our phone calls with the designers and wished good night to my partner in Greece with a plan to release our masks the next morning, a flurry of messages now started hitting our email asking if we would "also" be selling masks because they wanted to wait and see ours before they purchased.  Its no surprise as the need for masks are growing, eventually folks were going to start coming out with "Greek-ified" versions of facemasks.   The box of dominos has now been hastily placed with a second set of dominos lined up rearing to go!     We have said over and over, we are a company that is not in this business to compete.  We are in this business to share beautiful products of Greece, to elevate the artists and people making the products, to share a piece of Greece with our customers.  At that point however, we decided it was time to post the masks so the designers' hard work, research and dedicated  efforts did not go to waste.  We don't like to follow any shop's post with a  "similar" product out of respect, especially when we  know the online Greek shops share many of the same followers....its fine for some shops to work this way, but it is just not who we are.  Yet, as you will find with with much of our catalog, we feel we are bringing something different to the market in regards to an authentic Greek made product.  The Calilena design team who are used to selling sought after handbags in Europe and Australia created these masks as a special product for us, not just for our customers who requested them, but also for us to be able to donate to the dedicated healthcare workers who have given so much to all of us.   And once we posted that first photo - the dominos began to fall.  Between online orders and personal calls with customers who needed assistance, notes of encouragement, of thanks, comments of gratitude, WOW - you guys really lifted all our spirits!   As of yesterday, the designers were given hundreds of orders from us to fill for our customers around  the USA and also for Canada, Australia, New Zealand UK...even Africa!   After they finish our initial collection, they have also had requests to sell their masks in Greece and Australia.  The designers,  who have not worked in two months now had something to create, to bring their signature style to, and to know that they are also helping folks with this product.   We also have donated so many masks and will continue to do so when the first shipment arrives from Greece.   The clothiers where the designers get the cloths from in Athens were given fresh new orders to help create the masks.  So the dominos that have fallen have uplifted so many simply from your purchases of our masks.   Think in this manner for any made in Greece product you purchase...a purchase that supports the artists and designers making them, that also brings you pleasure, or in the case of masks, some light in a dismal time,    As much as we love Calilena's collection of masks, we hope its a product we won't have to carry for very long, but we will have it as long as they are needed by our customers.   Thanks for keeping our artists working, and for keeping the team of Taste and Art of Greece going strong.  We can't wait to see everyone again at the next festival, and continue to wish everyone health and strength.