These days, when my family ventures into town to pick up groceries, we see people wearing a rainbow of creative face masks. Have you noticed it too?
The facial coverings are a practical way to stem to spread of COVID-19, but they also reflect our personalities and outlook on life. A man jogs by wearing a stretchy mask that looks like it was made from the same performance material as his shorts. Several people at Trader Joe’s wear masks in fun retro patterns, perhaps cut from outfits they found in the recesses of their closet. On my Instagram feed, people are wearing masks made of everything from repurposed designer hand bags to aprons. In 2020, masks aren’t just medical devices; they’re fashion.
Those of us living through COVID-19 are not the first to treat our face masks as a form of self-expression. According to Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, people have used protective facial gear throughout history to send a message to those around them. In the 1600s, doctors wore masks with long, pointed beak-like extensions at the nose, which could be stuffed with incense, since people believed that the plagues were transmitted through foul smells. “They clearly didn’t work,” Steele says. “But they were terrifying to look at and expressed the horror that that society was experiencing.”
In the 19th century, when scientists discovered germs on dust particles, wealthy women in Paris wore lace veils to protect themselves from particles circulating on the busy streets—particularly during cholera outbreaks. In 1918, when the Spanish flu pandemic coincided with World War I, many Americans wore masks as a symbol of their patriotism and their effort to curb the spread of the disease to protect soldiers who were about to enter the battlefield.
While there is still some cultural resistance to wearing masks in the United States , it has been common for people to wear masks in Asia for decades, partly because the region has been harder hit by recent pandemics, including SARS in 2003, as well as rising rates of air pollution. In these countries, masks do more than offer protection and a form of self-expression. Medical anthropologists say they are a way for wearers to express their civic-mindedness and concern for the well-being of their community.
Now that the United States is facing the gravest public health crisis of the century, citizens are embracing masks. And as with any garment people put on their bodies, they are getting creative with it. People who are trying to express how seriously they take public health might stick to medical masks, but many people also wear masks covered in teddy bears, Hello Kitty, and other cute images—perhaps as a way to reduce their anxiety. Others take the opposite approach, wearing masks that feature goth symbols like skeletons to emphasize the fear at the root of the pandemic.
The widespread wearing of masks is not likely to go away anytime soon. Epidemiologists say that we should be prepared for future pandemics. Moreover, we are likely to face other catastrophes in the era of climate change such as fires that will require masks. Masks may be the fashion for a long time to come.
Scroll down to see some of the most creative fashion masks that have appeared since the novel coronavirus took hold.
Coronavirus, but make it fashion
Some people are creating masks emblazoned with their favorite designer logos, including jewel-encrusted Chanel and Gucci emblems. To be clear: Those designers don’t actually make face masks. But the DIY masks are more homage than knock-off. “These are people expressing their appreciation for their favorite brands,” says Steele. “These are people saying, ‘We’re not going to let this pandemic destroy our love of fashion.'”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_C_txmhvOr/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-qYqceplhR/
Cultural expression
Some are finding ways to express their love of traditional patterns like Indonesian batik and West African kente cloths.
4/20 ready
When the coronavirus coincides with 4/20, it makes sense that many people are turning to cannabis to reduce their anxiety. Some have also created fashionable masks that are cannabis-themed.
If the mask fits
Apron brand Hedley and Bennet has pivoted to making masks, transforming the breathable, colorful cotton materials it had on hand to make masks that are designed with an ergonomic fit.
Embroidery is in
Some people are putting their crafting skills to work in their mask-making endeavors. Some of the most gorgeous masks involve embroidery, often of scenes of nature. It is spring, after all. If you’re inspired by this trend, bear in mind that embroidery creates holes in the fabric which could potentially make the mask less safe, so be sure to include an inner layer made from a more tightly woven fabric.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-gj5kcDRyL/
Do you have a design you want to share with us? Message us on Twitter or email CoDTips@fastcompany.com.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
