Abstract
The global Covid 19 pandemic introduced a new item in everyday dress-the facemask. During 2020, fashion elements crept in the design of this primarily functional item. This research aims to analyse fashion trends in facemasks in the early stages of the Covid 19 pandemic. Photos with facemasks on social media were used, as traditional fashion photography underrepresents facemask wearing. The research showed that fashion influencers on Instagram-the media of choice of the fashion industry, showed facemasks primarily as a PPE. The uncertainty on how long non-pharmaceutical solutions in the fight against Covid 19 will be in place raises the question if fashion should be ignored. When persuading people to wear facemasks could fashion be the carrot to the stick of legislation?
Highlights
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global Covid 19 pandemic and brought with it a novel item in every day clothing - the facemask
Face masks belong to a subgroup of medical textiles termed personal protective equipment (PPE), in the form of surgical masks used for various medical procedures and filtering face-piece respirators (FFRs) recommended for use during aerosol-generating procedures on patients [2]
It can be seen throughout the fashion conscious community of Instagram, where fashion influencers mainly chose to be depicted without facemasks
Summary
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global Covid 19 pandemic and brought with it a novel item in every day clothing - the facemask. The fashion aspects of facemasks worn during the early stages of COVID 19 become an interesting topic. Face masks belong to a subgroup of medical textiles termed personal protective equipment (PPE), in the form of surgical masks used for various medical procedures and filtering face-piece respirators (FFRs) recommended for use during aerosol-generating procedures on patients [2]. From the early stages of the pandemic, the use of facemasks, primarily for medical personnel and subsequently for the general public was advocated. All these factors promoted an “all hands to the deck” attitude in the production of homemade sewn textile masks for the general public. Textile masks were worn worldwide, even though they provide less [4]. The general pathway included firstly mandatory use of any type of masks in closed and crowded spaces, such as supermarkets or public transport; progressing in some countries to mandatory use of any type of masks in all public spaces; and lastly since January 2021 some countries started defining the types of masks to be used in order to provide protection
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