Coronavirus Kills Dominican Fashion Designer Jenny Polanco

Yesterday, the coronavirus claimed the life of Dominican fashion designer Jenny Polanco. Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas, the Minister of Public Health, confirmed the death of Polanco, and the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic reports that as of today, Polanco is the sixth person to die of the coronavirus. The U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic also indicates that there are currently 312 confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

On March 16, Jenny Polanco announced on her Instagram page they would be closing their boutiques in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus until March 23. Last week, a new post announced that the stores would remain closed indefinitely.

Dominican fashion designer Jenny Polanco lost her battle to coronavirus yesterday, March 24, 2020. Jenny was also the first mentor to LPS lead seamstress, Yayi Sanchez. #RIPJennyPolanco #designer#dominicanrepublic# #love#fashion#loftisproductionservices pic.twitter.com/dam92XzBW0

— Loftis Productions (@LoftisStyling) March 25, 2020

“Good afternoon,” the post read last week. “Through here, we’d like to inform you that all of our stores will be temporarily closed until further notice. Our lovely community’s health and safety are a priority to the JP team, for that reason, we’ll be taking necessary measures. Let’s be patient and take care of one another. Stay home, stay safe.”

However, it wasn’t known that Polanco was one of those people that had contracted the virus. On March 15, Reuters reported that most of the coronavirus cases on the island were from tourists, including travelers from Canada, Italy, France and Venezuela, and Dominicans who were abroad a cruise ship. 

Like other countries around the world, the Dominican Republic government has put in place a curfew until April 3 for its residents and suspended travel to Europe. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA3UqJLBSqL/

According to Polanco’s website, the designer had been in the industry for almost 40 years. “Her designs for women’s clothing Prêt-à-Porter and Couture are characterized by establishing a fluid dialogue between classic avant-garde style and certain essential characteristics of the region that gives it its language in fashion: the Caribbean. Thus, it fuses sophisticated lines, drapes, and exquisite cuts, with handcrafted details of the Dominican vernacular: buttons in amber, details in horn, larimar, nacre, coral, among other autochthonous elements.”

People on social media are remembering the designer for her brilliant work and the incredible legacy she leaves behind. 

Rest In Peace Jenny Polanco #designer 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/GXHGrepY4w

— Eta Lloyd (@Lloyd_HBMG) March 25, 2020

Polanco had boutiques in Altos de Chavón and La Marina de Casa de Campo in La Romana, and Piantini, Bella Vista Mall and Colonial City in Santo Domingo. She is also the co-owner of the boutiques at Lotus Plaza in Pétion-ville, Haiti and at the Eden Roc Hotels at Cap Cana, Zoetry and Dreams Palm Beach in Punta Cana.