Renowned Los Angeles womenswear designer Mona Thalheimer is commemorating Nurses Week by giving the shirt off her back to UCLA Health nurses in a gesture of goodwill to those who have given so much during this last year. National Nurses Week begins Thursday, May 6 and runs through Wednesday, May 12, 2021.
“I am so thankful for their selfless work. Nurses are the epitome of what it means to be of service,” Thalheimer said.
Thalheimer, the first deaf American fashion designer to own and manufacture her own eponymous clothing business, is donating $30,000 worth of her classic-inspired shirts to these frontline heroes.
Known for her chic elegant shirts and hybrid shirt dresses, eye for detail, and easy tailoring, Thalheimer made history when her fashion designs sold on the racks of Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Fred Segal, and numerous other high-end specialty shops across the U.S. She is a graduate of the Chouinard Art Institute, CAL ARTS.
Thalheimer has always pushed herself to succeed, and after her studies at CAL ARTS, entertained offers from Givenchy, Valentino and Brown’s, London. Instead, she remained in her native Los Angeles where she honed her classic with an edge aesthetic and launched her business. She is a regular at New York Fashion Week.
Today through June 30, 2021 buyers will have the opportunity to view Thalheimer’s Fall/Winter 2021 collection of shirts and shirt dresses in crisp cottons, luxurious silks, and cool linens—all in her modern classic signature look. Her collection can be viewed online at designersandagents.com digital platforms.
Throughout her life, Thalheimer has never allowed her deafness to be a reason to give up on herself. She feels fortunate to have had so many others believe in her and her talent and skill as a designer.
This is why she has always given back to others.
Thalheimer’s inspiration for this initiative comes from the kindness she received from the numerous nurses and doctors who helped her deal with her hearing loss when she was young.
More recently, nurses and doctors came to her rescue with compassion and empathy when she was diagnosed with leukemia several years ago. She was successfully treated for her leukemia at UCLA’s Boyer Oncology Clinic.
“I was scared to death,” Thalheimer said. “But I had great care and, most importantly, I had great love from the doctors and nurses. The staff represented the best of America—all nationalities from many different countries showing what America stands for.”
She said gifting her garments to frontliners is a way to show her gratitude.
“I’m deaf and often people don’t have patience for me. The frontline doctors and UCLA Health nurses are always patient and generous with their time,” she said. “So, this is my way of showing my thanks. During this terrible time for our country, I want the people who’ve given so much to others to know that we truly appreciate their efforts.”
UCLA Health nurses will receive an email from within UCLA Health alerting them to their gift. Nurses will be able to go to the dedicated shopping page to collect their shirt.
