Giving Tuesday: WHY WE GIVE
Each year, Giving Tuesday invites us to pause—to think about what we value, who we care about, and how we might show it. For Verdalina, the answer is clear.
This year (and every year), we give 20% of the day’s sales to The D.R.E.S.S. Syndrome Foundation. It's a small nonprofit doing vital, life-saving work in the name of education, research, and advocacy—and one that’s close to our hearts.
What is DRESS Syndrome?
DRESS Syndrome—short for Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms—is a rare, delayed hypersensitivity reaction to medications. It’s serious, potentially life-threatening, and often misunderstood or misdiagnosed.
DRESS can be triggered by over 50 common prescriptions—especially anticonvulsants and antibiotics—and can lead to severe inflammation of the organs, including the heart, liver, kidneys, and lungs. The most challenging part? It’s incredibly difficult to predict who might react.
As the field of pharmacogenomics advances, The DRESS Syndrome Foundation is working to identify genetic markers that increase risk. Their hope is that one day, patients can be screened before they’re ever prescribed a drug that might harm them.
Why This Matters to Us
You might not know this, but Tasha Tolliver is a big part of Verdalina. She’s our dear friend—and the photographer behind nearly every image we share. Tasha lost her daughter, Izzy, in 2015 to DRESS-induced eosinophilic myocarditis, caused by the antibiotic Bactrim. In the months that followed, she searched for answers. What she found was a shocking lack of information and awareness. So she built something to change that.
Tasha is the Founder and Executive Director of The DRESS Syndrome Foundation. Through her work, she’s helping to ensure that more families feel supported and can access compassionate, accurate and potentially life-saving care. Her vision, creativity, and unshakable kindness are part of this shop’s DNA. Supporting this work means supporting Tasha—and the future she’s fighting for.
DONATE TO D.R.E.S.S.