Man behind the mask ...
HULL GRADUATE DESIGNS STAGECOACH’S OFFICIAL CORONAVIRUS FACE COVERING
A UNIVERSITY of Hull graduate has designed the official face mask for UK bus operator Stagecoach.
Matthew Cheung had his design selected after Stagecoach held a national competition to help boost the CVS of budding designers.
The 23-year-old, who is originally from Hong Kong, was chosen as the winner after he put his own spin on the Stagecoach logo to make a design that accounts for the bends and creases in masks.
The design features all the key Stagecoach colours, but with a cartoon-like effect, which makes it almost unrecognisable from the brand logo.
The reusable fabric masks have been offered free to students across the UK, with the initial allocation immediately snapped up.
Matthew said: “I’m always looking for ways to boost my own CV and the chance to be named as the official designer of Stagecoach’s face masks was an opportunity I couldn’t ignore.
“I wanted to build a print that worked if the mask was either opened out or not, while still making it ownable to Stagecoach.
“I took their own colours and created a swirly design, which was bright, colourful and different to anything else out there.
“I didn’t actually think I would ever win, but it’s great to be able to add this to my portfolio.”
With the Covid-19 crisis leading to many work placements and internships being cancelled, Stagecoach stepped in to offer student and graduate level designers the chance to add to their portfolios as they begin their search for full-time work.
Catherine Acton-brazier, Regional Director North for Stagecoach, said: “Although Covid-19 has caused previously unimaginable disruption for people up and down the UK, students have been hit particularly hard.
“They have suffered with the loss of work placement programmes over the summer, while lectures and lessons have often been held via webinar or cancelled altogether.
“As a result, we wanted to do our bit at Stagecoach to give tomorrow’s graphic designers a boost for their own CV, and it was from a very competitive entrants list that Matthew was selected as the winner.
“From all of the team here we’d like to say a big well done to him and thanks also to every applicant who clearly put in a lot of effort to enter this competition.”
Face coverings are now a mandatory requirement when travelling on all public transport across the UK, unless exempt.
Ms Acton-brazier said: “Wearing face coverings is something as a society we are becoming more used to and people are becoming more creative in the design of their face coverings.”