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Dominican fashion designer Jenny Polanco lost her battle to coronavirus. On Tuesday, March 24, the Minister of Public Health, Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas, confirmed her passing, making her the sixth person in the Dominican Republic to die from the epidemic. According to reports, Jenny had tested positive for coronavirus after a visit to Madrid, Spain. Almost a week prior to her death, her namesake label shared a message on social media letting the public know they would be closing their stores.
The message read: “Good afternoon. 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.”
The Latina designer, who had more than 35 years of experience and often presented during Miami Fashion Week, was celebrated for making chic woven handbags and ready-to-wear elevated separates.
Aside from working with handcrafted details that embody Dominican culture, Jenny’s pieces were timeless drapey designs filled with elegance and sophistication. Her latest Spring 2020 capsule collection features an array of pretty florals and statement-making designs.
Moreover, Jenny owned several stores in Santo Domingo and co-owned stores in Palm Beach, Punta Cana, and Haiti. Additionally, she opened Project, “a store that manages the local and regional art and crafts in a conceptual manner and whose products are curated by the designer, in order to promote emerging talent,” according to her site.
According to Sánchez Cárdenas, there are 312 infected with coronavirus in DR – 68 of which are isolated in hospitals, meanwhile, 234 are in in-home isolation. The ages of the deceased range between 51- 84 years. Our hearts go out to Jenny’s family and friends.