They have become a new way to express yourself. From a necessity to an accessory, face masks have become a must-have item, and it seems that it will last longer than expected.
On March 23 2020, Kingston University announced the closure of its doors due to the pandemic. Some students went back to their countries to be with their loved ones, others stayed at home and some decided to create their own businesses. In fact, two KU students have created their own face mask businesses to gain extra income during the lockdown as they weren’t able to work.
Photo: Ashley Bautista
PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) has definitely become a way for people to express their own style and identity. But it has also been a reminder of the importance of wearing them.
“Face masks have definitely become a fashion statement of 2020. I feel like this is because the government has forced us to wear face masks, so if we’re going to stay safe, we might as well stay safe in style,” said Chimere Bell, a recent KU graduate who has created her own business called Cee Cee Beauty UK and included her face masks at the beginning of lockdown.
Referring to the face masks, 20-years-old Alice Torres, who also started her own face mask business during the pandemic has said: “They have a much lower cost per use, they cause no waste, and they are thus eco-friendlier and more personal to each user. I say we should leave the surgical masks to the medical professionals who need them.”
“I think that if this trend can get more people to wear masks and keep everyone safe, then that’s amazing,” said Torres.
Bell said: “Personally, I like to stand out from the crowd, so, why not wear a face mask that is also fashionable.” It seems that plenty of mask wearers agree with the concept as they are matching them with their outfits for an Instagrammable post.
The newest fashion statement comes with different shapes, colours, patterns, and sizes. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, face masks have become part of the ‘new normal’.
Megan Kelly 
Plamedi Mbungu 
Anize Keers