A Face Mask that is High on Fashion
How do we encourage mass adoption of an unwanted necessity asks designer Joe Doucet as he designs a mask that has fashion appeal.
Covid-19 is understandably going to have a long-term effect on how we re-engage with daily activities and the wider world. Until a vaccination is confirmed to be effective and rolled out through a global, mass immunization programme, we all will have to integrate forms of social distancing and PPE into our daily routines. Studies have shown that face shields or visors are much more effective than surgical style face masks, but in their current, basic format they are uncomfortable and awkward.
To try and create a face shield that people would actually want to wear rather than simply put up with, Joe Doucet has designed a shield with integrated sunglass lenses and arms that make them more practical and feel less alien and intrusive on the wearer than a typical face shield would. It is hoped that improving the basic face shield design will encourage far greater uptake of its usage and help everyone adjust to the “new normal” that awaits us.
A designer, entrepreneur, inventor and creative director, Joe Doucet is one of the most sought-after creative talents whose work deftly hybridises function and visual appeal while conveying layers of meaning and message. Doucet believes that design and, more importantly, a designer’s thought process can play a larger role in innovation and problem solving, as well as aesthetics. He currently holds numerous patents for his designs and inventions.
