Accessory Of The Year: Mask

Masks are finally being accepted beyond its role as a garment of medical necessity. Since the onset of the pandemic, masks sales have sky rocketed. From N95, KN95, N100, or be it the normal surgical masks, they have all been in high demand and easily been made part of our everyday basic needs. If we look at East Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, or china and their fashion industries, the masks have been trending there for quite a few years.  Before covid-19 made it utmost important to wear a mask, East Asian celebrities and people were already wearing and styling them. However, it’s a novel concept in other countries.

Seeing the sales of mask sparking, fashion designers and brand understood in a very short time that this is a new market opportunity and they need to exploit it. Brands are mass producing it to fulfill the high demand for masks. Burberry was the first big luxury fashion brand to launch face masks which retails at about $112. A black owned designer brand Off-White’s $95 mask was called the biggest menswear accessory online. Whereas, the ‘X R Pur’ Masks by Marine Serre, a French designer sold out instantly. Etsy an e-commerce website sold 12m face masks in one month alone.

Celebrities weren’t far behind, pop star lady gaga attended the static VMA awards with an array of different stylish, eccentric masks. The actor Tilda Swinton pulled out an “ornate gold design” face mask at the Venice Film Festival.

The masks today have become a part of our life so it isn’t odd that they are being used to set a style statement by the public and celebrities alike. Individually stylish masks can work as a mood booster in this pandemic and no one can deny that we all need a little boost.