Animal print, beads or plain, masks become about style
SALEM, Ore. — They can be colorful or come in basic black, make a political statement or just a funny one.
Masks made of cotton and other washable materials have become big sellers, and an emerging fashion item, as face coverings have been increasingly mandated to reduce the spread of the coronavirus around the world.
Sales are expected to get another boost after Britain and France announced last week that they will require masks in public indoor spaces. That could help France’s textile and luxury goods companies unload a surplus of masks that numbered 20 million in June.
In addition, at least 25 U.S. states are requiring masks in many indoor situations. Oregon on Wednesday even began requiring masks outdoors if people can’t stay 6 feet apart.
In a sign that masks are becoming a fashion trend, Vogue magazine recently listed 100 “aesthetically pleasing” selections. The fashion magazine’s recommendations include a mask with beaded accents from Susan Alexandra. The cost: $70. Masks made from vintage quilt tops, by Farewell Frances, go for $25.
After U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi began wearing masks that matched her outfits, people watching her on news channels noticed they had a Donna Lewis label on them. The boutique in Alexandria, Va., became besieged by purchase orders and soon ran out of the labels.
The boutique now has a huge backlog of orders, coowner Chris Lewis said.
“I’m shipping them all over the world now,” Ms. Lewis said. “Orders are so furious, I can’t keep up.”
Perhaps showing some fashion sense, when President Donald Trump wore a mask publicly for the first time recently, he chose a navy blue one that bore the presidential seal and matched the color of his suit.
Thanks to mask sales, Etsy, the online crafts marketplace, has seen revenue jump. In April alone, Etsy sold 12 million masks, generating $133 million in sales.
“If face masks were a stand-alone category, it would have been the secondbiggest category on Etsy in the month of April,” CEO Josh Silverman said.
Second-quarter revenue, to be announced in August, will likely show mask sales are red-hot.
Black masks are in highest demand, followed by white and floral patterns, Etsy’s Lily Cohen said. “Black lives matter” masks are also available with an image of a raised fist.
“We are seeing lots of unique variations on masks, including personalization with names and monograms ... styles with animal faces or lips,” she said.
There’s also the comical, like the one that says, “Resting mask face.”
In Colombia, dozens of fashion companies have pivoted to producing masks, including ones with images of toucans, jaguars and other tropical designs that normally go on expensive swimsuits. South Africans often sport masks made of colorful African fabrics.
But for many consumers, white will do. When Uniqlo, a major Japanese clothing retailer, put its white “cool and dry” masks with breathable fabric on sale in June, shoppers lined up at stores and crashed its website. Supplies sold out in hours.