Mask On, Freaking Mask On

Never in a million years would I have thought that the next big fashion would be mask wearing. This is a practice that was established long ago in Asia because of the dense population size and the presence of pollution. Due to COVID-19, many countries have adopted wearing masks, especially when out in public. In North Carolina, we are required to wear a mask in public places when social distancing is not possible. It looks like we are going to be wearing masks for quite a while, which gives you all the more reason to find a brand or design you like. Masks are not necessarily a fashion accessory, but they do take up a fair amount of your face, so why not find one that suits your liking. Many designers have taken it upon themselves to add masks to their fashion line in hopes of attracting a larger audience. 

Hillary Taymuor is the founder of a sustainable fashion brand named Collina Strada. She had made a bright and colorful mask for herself during lockdown and on her walks to work, she was turning heads. Why not bring these designs to the general public? Well that is exactly what she did. Taymour partnered with one single person who is hand making these unique masks right at home. She began producing non-medical face masks in early March. A creative approach was taken to adhere to the Center for Disease Control protocols as well as allowing consumers to not lose sight of their personal take on fashion.

Many believe that these masks are wildly overpriced at $100, but many fail to see the story behind the price. Taymour is not producing these masks in a big factory with tons of workers. One lady is hand sewing them at home. With every purchase of a Collina Strada mask, you are donating 5 masks to healthcare workers. 

Hillary Taymour stated, “It could even be someone making a mask and posting it and saying they were inspired by Collina Strada—it’s not about them being a customer or not, but maybe I taught them how to make a mask and they’re doing it at home. It just feels good to be able to help people in that way, even just a little bit. And maybe they’ll get into it more, and make some masks for their neighbors or something. That’s all we can really do right now—help each other, and be there for each other, no matter how big or small your community is.”