Angel gowns for ‘lost babies’

Translation of article by Jana Breytenbach | 15 October 2017 18:35

It is a time of utmost grief. A fashion designer from Gordon’s Bay started a special project to specifically to help parents that loses a baby.

The Angel Gown® Initiative (TAGI) was founded in June by Eric Elronde after a friend approached him to repurpose wedding gowns into angel gowns. Elronde is a fashion designer that makes wedding gowns.

Eric Elronde sits by some of the angel gowns he made and donated. Photo: Eric Elronde

These angel gowns serves a specific purpose for babies that will never make it to their earthly homes, explains Elronde.

Sunday is international pregnancy and infancy loss day.

“The angel gowns are gifts to parents that loses a baby. It is something special they can send their baby off into the hereafter.”

The scissors and cotton shows just how small the angel gowns are. Photo: Eric Elronde

Elronde said the initiative started in June when a friend of his asked him to make an angel gown out of her wedding gown.

Wedding gowns are disassembled and the angel gown made by hand, just like a wedding gown would have been made, with the same elegant finishing.

After this they are donated free of charge to hospitals so that they can be distributed to families that lose a baby.

In the past four months Elronde already received 61 wedding gowns and he has already made 102 angel gowns. In the past week he received 47 dresses from an anonymous donor.

Elronde explains in Brittain, America and even Australia it is a very popular thing, but not in SA.

“There is clearly a big need for the angel gowns,” said Elronde.

There are four sizes Elronde makes, namely micro (0.6 kg to 1.1kg), tiny (0.9kg – 1.8kg), preemie (1.3kg – 2.7kg) and newborn (2.2kg – 3.6kg).

Another example of an angel gown Eric Elronde made and donated. Photo: Eric Elronde

Every donation is meticulously documented and donors thanked accordinly.

Some of the hospitals where Elronde has donated angel gowns includes Mediclinics in Vredendal, Paarl and Stellenbosch.

“The initiative has now gotten a life of its own,” said Elronde.

People that are interested to get involved can contact Eric at TAGI@erikrhouse.com or on Facebook.