A compulsory accessory put in place by the World Health Organization to stem the spread of the covid-19 pandemic. However, how did the fashion industry react to this?
This compulsory accessory was put in place by the World Health Organization to stem the spread of the covid-19 pandemic. However, how did the fashion industry react to this?
2020 is not one of the best years ever - economically and socially speaking - and the coronavirus is the main cause. We are currently going through an extremely difficult economic phase and both socially and morally we have to follow strict compulsory duties such as social distancing and wearing face masks in all public places. Thus, everyone has to adapt to this specific context during the current coronavirus. Face masks have been accompanying our outings for several months and will do so for a long time. Not only all individuals but also companies, in particular the ones working in the fashion industry, have to adapt to this pandemic.
Since the surgical mask, the blue and white one, is not exactly nice-looking, the fashion system immediately set to work to create a cute accessory. The mask market seems to offer fruitful opportunities for the fashion industry that could be exploited during this pandemic. In doing so, fashion companies have managed to create an object that should be worn to prevent the spread of the virus in a fashionable accessory that is on par with a pair of earrings or a trendy belt.
The first to launch this trend of wearing fashionable face masks was the pop star Billie Eilish, who wore one at the Grammy Awards at the end of January. She wore a Gucci one.
Fashion Face masks becoming the new must-have product
The imagination to create fashionable masks has been unleashed, ranging from expensive and designer masks to those at much lower prices made by small artisan workshops.
Let's start with the face mask by Fendi and its exorbitant price over 190 euros. The high price was because of its use of lovely silk, making it sell out in a few days. In addition, the fashion stylist Marine Serre during the Paris fashion week showed super stylish face masks which are coordinated with her dresses, proving that the fashion industry is adapting to the virus.
This new trend is of course highly appreciated by top influencers. For example, here we have the Italian influencer, Chiara Ferragni, who is showing face masks made by Los Angeles-based artist Etai Drori, who used Louis Vuitton towels and monogram canvas to create very original cloth masks.
However, there are much cheaper trendy face
masks and this is the case of handmade ones. Actually, in the USA, there is a
very famous e-commerce named “Etsy” specialized in handcrafted products, which
has seen the value of its shares triple in a few months, thanks to the huge
volumes of masks with a unique design.
Esty, which used to create vintage clothes, has
used the same craftsmanship to make original face masks. In fact, it proposes
handmade and vintage masks that have immediately caught the attention of
customers who wanted once again to be chic.
Moreover,
another market segment that suggests the face mask as an elegant and
sophisticated accessory is the one for weddings. May was the traditional month
for weddings but with covid-19 weddings had to be postponed or cancelled.
Thus, in addition to the dress, the fashion industry thinks about the mask,
too. The fashion brand “My Boutonnière”, specialized in manufacturing ties,
flowers and scarves from forgotten objects that take new life, has created for
the first time a mask for the bride in white or colored silk flowers, a very
chic and elegant accessory.
In conclusion, we can clearly say that the
fashion industry has made the pandemic a real market opportunity because it
managed to transform an annoying accessory into a truly fashionable accessory.
Furthermore, the mask is today an object that has managed to diversify and meet
a varied target that reaches ranges from luxury, vintage, to special occasions.
Nourhenne BOUZAIENE
SOURCES:
v Where to Buy Face Masks
That Are Stylish Online | Vogue, n.d. Available at:
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/stylish-face-masks-to-shop-now. [Accessed:
29-Oct-2020].
v France vs COVID-19
Series: When Face Masks are the New Fashion, Choose Paris Region - Setting
international companies up for success, n.d. Available at:
https://chooseparisregion.org/news/france-vs-covid-19-series-when-face-masks-are-the-new-fashion.
[Accessed: 22-Oct-2020].
v Fashion industry turns to
face masks, n.d. Available at:
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1908235/fashion-industry-turns-to-face-masks.
[Accessed: 22-Oct-2020].
v Fashion Face Mask Market
Size | Industry Report, 2020-2027, n.d. Available at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/fashion-face-mask-market.
[Accessed: 22-Oct-2020].
v
Face mask, the hottest new fashion accessory - Luxus Plus, n.d.
Available at:
https://luxus-plus.com/en/face-mask-the-hottest-new-fashion-accessory/. [Accessed: 22-Oct-2020].
v À la Fashion week de Paris, les masques sont sur tous les visages,
CNEWS, n.d. Available at:
https://www.cnews.fr/france/2020-10-07/la-fashion-week-de-paris-les-masques-sont-sur-tous-les-visages-1005608.
[Accessed:
29-Oct-2020].
v “7 Bride Face Masks That
Make Social Distancing More Stylish,” Emmaline Bride, 2020.
v
Infographic: Etsy Shares Soar as Sellers Pivot to Face Masks, Statista
Infographics, n.d. Available at:
https://www.statista.com/chart/21508/etsy-share-price/. [Accessed: 29-Oct-2020].
Dear Nourhenne,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this captivating article about the face mask industry. I think it is important to talk about it because we are currently living in a world where masks are part of our daily life . I think it's amazing that the fashion industry has adapted so quickly to the health crisis. Do you think that customising masks is a way to bring joy to our lives? Do you think that fashion will also reach the medical staff ? Apparently, Nike has already created customised sneakers for nurses. So there may be brand masks for the medical staff ? I also think that do-it-yourself masks are eco friendly, but they may not be effective if they are not well made. I also wonder whether this is only a passing fad or whether this trend will persist in the future as can be seen in the Asian fashion world.
Kim.F
Thank you for your interest in my article! Well, I think clearly that fashion industry will reach the medical staff. Firstly because I don't know if you are aware of Armani who immediately went to great lengths to produce new masks at the beginning of the epidemic and where all countries were clearly unable to get them within a few months. For this reason I'm sure that the fashion industry has found the mask market a real opportunity both to help the population and the medical field at first but above all to increase its turnover.
DeleteHi Nourhenne,
ReplyDeleteyour article is very interesting, I think influencers are always reinventing themselves and introducing new things so wearing luxury masks is a way for them to stay stylish and stand out.
So, do you think that luxury masks are a way for influencers to be fashionable even with a mask?
Sylejmani Naile
Thank you ! Your question is very interesting and my answer is: " Of course!"
DeleteI am convinced that luxury masks are a new way of living this pandemic. In fact, no one ever thought that an object that we need in some way to protect ourselves could have become a fashionable accessory. And that's why I think that the power of influencers is very strong! Just think of the sales volume that luxury companies make by selling designed masks. People always want to stand out and the industry has well understood this, creating such a need among the population.
Nourhenne
When someone writes an paragraph he/she keeps the thought of a user in his/her brain that how a user can be aware of it. Thus that's why this paragraph is perfect. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous masks we've ever seen. Very classy and fashionable.
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