Lifting the Veil: The History of Face Masks through Music

''Don't forget your mask!'' a parting phrase that has become too familiar for many of us. In the age of the pandemic, face masks are ubiquitous and an integral part of our sartorial ritual—we wear them to check our mails, to run errands or simply, (for the most audacious among us) to jog. Whatever you do, stepping outside requires this extra preventive measure which limits the transmission of COVID-19. But what is now considered as an everyday essential and the uniform of the model citizen was once a garment of rebellion and fantasy, a fashion staple that conveys status but also preserves anonymity. Influenced by subcultures and music, the face mask, and its unconventional remixes, played a prominent role in redefining contemporary pop culture of the last century.

As a massive Margiela devotee, Kanye West was spotted on stage with this opulent headpiece during his first solo tour in 2013. Featured in AW12, this intricate jeweled mask is certainly a cut above the rest. Made in-house at Margiela’s Paris atelier, each mask takes up to 18 hours to assemble through hand-embroidery.