RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Face masks have become a must to protect one’s own health and that of others amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. So much so that it is now hard to imagine what it would be like to leave home without it. And if masks are in everyone’s closet, then naturally those who are interested in the fashion universe will regard them as yet another trendy item.
According to journalist Lilian Pacce, 58, consultant and fashion curator, masks are the new t-shirts and a great display for style and messages. “In addition to protection, they can be a way for you to express yourself,” she says, declaring the item will be essential for at least another year. “Fashion has been involved from the start, in the sense of really cooperating. And I think it’s nice that a lot of people started to produce them and it became a business.”
Several design options, colors, and prints are here to prove that being stylish is possible even in pandemic times. The excess in colors and accessories is a trademark of artist Elisa Stecca, 54, who works in the jewelry segment and says she is passionate about fashion. Now, she tries to have fun by incorporating masks and looks.
“It makes this new habit a little easier. In my opinion, it’s nice to have several options. It’s one more item for you to think about, because masks are also a way to pass messages, with sentences, drawings, and prints,” says Stecca.
“There are two ways to wear masks in a stylish way. Either you go for a more ‘clean’ line or for a maximalist one. In my opinion, more is always more,” adds the artist, laughing.
Stecca decided to invest in the mask market and idealized a personalized collection of hand-embroidered masks with a friend, “Ask the Mask”. She explains that the special fabric and haute couture is the product’s differential. “I see this duality, between having a very functional mask, technological, industrial, and this handcrafted one.”
As with any other item, the ideal mask is the one that suits the style of those who wear it. “You have the option of becoming invisible with a neutral mask or to make a very individual statement,” says Stecca.
Duriing her three months making masks, craftswoman Fabiana Madeira, 47, says she has noticed a change in customer preference. “The most discreet ones are in high demand for the moment, but it all depends on the client,” she says. She believes that the gradual restart of activities and on-site work has made people -even those who are not very attached to fashion- pay special attention to masks.
“People are preferring something that matches their clothes, with their daily routine,” says Madeira. For five years she has had a brand of handmade accessories, Bellaluna. She began making masks for her husband and children and ultimately rediscovered her passion for sewing.
“When I realized it I was flooded with requests from friends, family, and acquaintances,” says the artisan, who currently transits between Ribeirão Preto, in the interior of São Paulo, and Barra do Una, on the northern coast of the state near the border with Rio de Janeiro. Madeira has invested in the so-called “3D mask”, made of cotton fabric, the most requested model by her clients.
“It is more comfortable. It has a wider shape, with two seams in the center, which makes the fabric stand a little farther from the nose and mouth. Those who wear it usually says that they can breathe better,” says Madeira, who also produces matching masks for mother and daughter, with identical prints, and says that the idea has been successful. “Mothers can also keep up with their little ones, without having to wear pet prints or drawings.”
Bank clerk Vanessa Fosenca, 37, bought the 3D model to wear with her four-year-old daughter, Manuela, and approved the item. “It was the only model that my daughter was able to place and remove by herself due to the adjustable elastic bands.”
Men’s Fashion
It’s a mistake to think that men have no interest in style. Fabiana Madeira explains that orders for male masks always come with reservations. “They ask for more discreet styles and dark colors, like black and navy blue. Those are quite popular,” she says.
For the entrepreneur and marketing teacher, Higor Felipe Batista, 33, in addition to being practical, the discreet items are easier to match with clothing. “To blend clothes with masks is not a problem for me. Masks have the primary function of protecting health, which is their real goal. But why not combine protection and style? One thing does not necessarily invalidate the other,” says Batista, who has always liked to dress well since he was a child.
“My mother used to say that although I was very young, still a child, I was extremely demanding [laughs]. She says I refused to wear what I didn’t like. I don’t consider style a triviality, superficiality, as many people say”, says the São Paulo entrepreneur, who always tries to express his good taste even when wearing a mask.
Source: Folhapress