Look around and the message is clear that there’s no getting away from the mask! So, how about opting for a snazzy spin on the 2020s staple, as you step out adhering to the pandemic code?
In an era where most men and women have given up wearing headgear and have opted to “Casual everyday” approach; the sartorial options to embellish the looks and shape the identities of people have significantly reduced. Thus, the masks provide fashion brands with new opportunities. Seizing this opportunity, The Banyan Tee perfectly captured the essence of designer masks that stand out with an equal focus on its protective capabilities.
"It's a new normal," says the co-founder of TBT - Nimish Shrivastava. He feels that masks are a new essential and their journey from operation theatres to open market has written a new chapter of living in the times of corona. He also added that “The market is brimming with masks boasting of quirky prints, bedazzling embellishments, elegant embroideries, hand-painted designs and what not. We always execute things as per customers' state of mind. And by observing our previous data, we have played up with themes like Music fandom, TV Show Fandom, Graphic, Floral, Geometric, Superheroes etc. “
When face masks were mandated in a bid to battle the novel coronavirus outbreak, hardly anyone would have imagined that they would end up getting a fashionable makeover. To be honest, no one also knew that this pandemic would hover over our lives and we would eventually be forced to wear masks for so long. The protective gear was supposed to help us fight the battle. But it has now doubled up as a fashion accessory.
The Banyan Tee not only sells its uber-cool and creative masks through its website and major ecommerce portals but they have also seen a spike in the demand of customized masks by individuals and companies.
When masks migrate into the realm of fashion, however, they become something else. As with all accessories (as with shoes, bags and scarves), they become symbols of not just health or social concern, but of identity; says Anubha Saxena, co-founder of The Banyan Tee.
TBT has adopted a “buy one, give one” model, in which for every mask that is bought, they will give one free to a worker in the front line or donate it to anyone who needs it.
TBT aims at making masks which are visually appealing to make the product look less mundane. If masks could be worn as an accessory (with the appropriate properties for the fabric and construction of the mask for protection) to complement the outfits, mask wearing could become more engaging. With this thought and a gap observed in the market, TBT is continuously trying to initiate the change in the way the people view the mask – “something that hides but also communicates.”
You can explore their expressive collection at www.thebanyantee.com/masks.