Face mask: from health protection to fashion accessory

The face mask is the most striking sign of the Covid 19 crisis. We have known them for a long time from the smog-infested metropolises of Asia - but not only as a protective, but also chic and dystopian fashion accessory. Face masks are used again and again on the catwalks of the world - often to achieve a shock effect. Is the fashion product now arriving in Europe? And what do I have to consider regarding the protection and use of the different masks?

Face masks that cover the mouth and nose are currently in great demand. In many pharmacies and online shops, medical surgical masks are completely sold out. FFP3 masks, which are particularly designed to filter particulate matter from the air, are also lacking in hardware stores. But health experts warn: Even wearing the FFP3 variant does not ensure complete protection against infection. And during this debate, a third product variant becomes a coveted and ever more expensive item: the designer mouthguard.

Even during the Spanish flu in 1918/19, many masks were worn in Europe. Nevertheless, wearing a mask is a bizarre picture today in Europe or in the West at all, whereas in Asia it is part of everyday life in many metropolises when you are again a smog alarm. The Chinese capital Beijing, in particular, is repeatedly overwhelmed by a huge smog fog. That is why tourists are always recommended to wear breathing masks when traveling to China.

Asians mainly wear face masks against smog

However, China is not the only Asian country where people have integrated the respirator into their everyday lives. The Japanese wear it, for example, as protection against a cold or flu, but use it as a kind of fashion product. It is not uncommon for some locals to walk around in Japan with silk masks, eye-catching prints or cotton to match their outfits. We in the West have so far rather wrinkled our noses about it.


The fashion world has already discovered the face mask in the near past. High fashion designers repeatedly tried to bring the problem onto the runway - and designed face masks to match the collection. The streetwear models from Off-White are particularly popular. These have been completely sold out for a long time. On portals like StockX, they are currently traded for 150 to 300 euros. Many well-known celebrities and influencers are currently presenting their mask to match the fashion. Like the model Jessica Hart in the luxurious Louis Vuitton look.