Burberry and Louis Vuitton – Mask Off
French fashion house Louis Vuitton and British fashion brand Burberry have designed COVID safe masks and shields. Burberry’s offering is made from fabric treated with “antimicrobial technology”. The cotton face masks are available in blue or beige versions of Burberry’s vintage plaid pattern. Designed to cover the mouth and nose, in compliance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations, the gently curved mask rises up over the nose bridge and swoops down around the cheeks.
Double-stitched elements add definition to the face covering, which attaches around the ears with black elastic loops.
Burberry said the cotton fabric of the mask and the matching pouch it comes with has been treated with “antimicrobial technology”. Antimicrobial surfaces are impregnated with an element that inhibits the growth of bacteria and mould, typically metallic ions such as silver or copper.
Burberry will donate 20 per cent of the profits from its face masks to the Burberry Foundation COVID-19 Community Fund, a charity that donates Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to food banks and healthcare charities.
The fashion brand also claimed that its masks are sustainable as they are made from what Burberry described as “revalued” fabric, suggesting they could be made from fabric that could have otherwise gone to waste.
Burberry Face Mask
Louis Vuitton’s coronavirus face shield features its signature LV monogram, which can also be flipped up and used as a sun visor. The piece of personal protective equipment (PPE), called the LV Shield, comprises a visor made from a plastic-like material with fabric trim and an elasticated strap designed to fit snugly around the wearer’s head.
Golden studs engraved with the company name enable the wearer to tilt the visor upwards, turning it from a face shield into a peaked cap. As the visor is made from a photochromatic material, which is sensitive to light, it darkens in response to direct sunlight, changing from clear to tinted to protect the wearer from mild sun glare making it both chic and smart.
The LV Shield will be available to purchase from 30 October 2020 in selected Louis Vuitton stores worldwide. While the brand hasn’t yet given the protective visor a definitive price, an estimated cost could be around $1,500.
