It’s time to accept the fact that the face mask is here to stay. Long a streetwear staple in the fashion centers of Tokyo and Seoul, as well as dusty desert raves, face masks just might be as essential to your fit as a fly pair of kicks right now. Aside from the CDC’s recommendation for all Americans to wear cloth face-coverings in public life during the COVID-19 pandemic, some states have strict measures in place requiring the use of a face mask to enter the market or pick up food from an eatery. And while it’s clear that we aren’t going to be required to stay home forever, COVID-19 isn’t exactly going away once quarantine ends.
As such, wearing face masks in large public gatherings and retail spaces will probably be the norm going forward until a vaccine is commercially available, unlikely until at least February of 2021. If you’ve already been making a habit of rocking a face mask, you’ll probably aware that it’s hard to make them look good. Learning how to fashion a makeshift mask out of a bandana from a viral TikTok was all well and good that first week of quarantine, but now that the face mask is an essential part of our wardrobes it’s time to put some thought and effort into how you clothe your face.
We’re just going to say it — No, you’re not crazy for wanting your face mask to match your bomber jacket. Yes, it would be dope if your socks played off your mask. You could choose to look at the face mask as a hindrance to your look, or as another accessory to help pull your whole outfit together. It’s really up to you and whether you’re down to make some lemonade from these lemons we all got handed.
To help you stay looking as fresh as possible in the era of the face mask, we’ve collected a list of all the hottest labels making masks right now. If this whole scene isn’t for you, there are a million other ways to make a mask — just promise to wear one when out and about. We’re in this together.
Anti Social Social Club
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_dQHktFgko/
Is there a more fitting brand for the age of social distancing than the Anti Social Social Club? The streetwear label’s take on the face mask keeps things simple with a logo print over your choice of white, black, or pink.
Some iterations swap out the bold italic font for a wavy version of the logo, and both are readily available on Grailed.
Artifact
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-PySN_B-zg/
Pre-COVID-19 Artifact specialized in hand-making premium bags, aprons, and other accessories with a sort of rustic and earthy charm. Now the brand is adapting to the times and adding face masks to their arsenal of hand made products. In your choice of seven earth-toned colorways, each face mask out of Artifact features an internal wire piece for a snug nose adjustment, a built-in pocket for a removable MERV-14 mesh filter, and face ties that allow you to adjust your fit for ultimate comfort.
To shop the 100% cotton twill masks, head to the Artifactbags webstore.
BAPE
BAPE has been in the fashionable face mask game for a while, and while they aren’t offering anything currently, there is a near-endless supply of BAPE face masks to be found across StockX and Grailed. From simple single cloth face masks to more heavy-duty reinforced masks that make you look straight out of Mortal Kombat, BAPE has all your camo or shark-faced patterned face mask needs completely covered. Conspicuously, we haven’t spotted a face mask that sports Baby Milo, which needs to be remedied immediately.
Hit up Grailed or StockX to pick up a BAPE face mask from the aftermarket.
Ball and Buck
Ball and Buck are bringing their outdoorsy aesthetic to the face mask game with their simple cotton camo masks. The brand will match each mask sale by donating a mask to a hospital in need. While Ball and Buck’s mask are not medical grade — none of the masks on this list are, nor do they necessarily need to be — the brand points out that they are suitable for all manner of activities, like sanding, sawing, or as a shield to prolong the usability of a medical-grade mask,
Hit up Ball and Buck’s online store to pick up a mask now.
Daniel Patrick
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_awSpRh0PU/
Featuring two elastic bands on each side, Daniel Patrick’s 100% polyester masks are water-resistant and come in fourteen different unique colorways and patterns that allow for a more personalized choice. The design features a slight slope near the nose for a sleek design that contours the face in a one-size-fits-most look.
Hit the Daniel Patrick webstore to shop the masks.
Equihua
Equihua is currently hand sewing face masks using Virgen de Guadalupe scarf fabric sourced in Merida, Yucatan, and delivering one of the most vibrant and fashionable masks out there. Featuring polyester on the outer fabric and cotton on the inner, each fest mask features an inner pocket that accommodates HEPA-style filters.
The masks are currently sold out — as each is being hand-sewn by a small team — so follow Equihua on Instagram to be alerted once the next batch is ready.
Eric Emanuel
Instead of selling masks, Eric Emanuel has been including free masks featuring his signature logo with all recent online purchases. Half of the original run of masks was donated to healthcare workers on the front lines and as recently as last week the brand has burned through their entire supply. So for now, you’ll have to wait on grabbing a mask, but that wait will be worth it as Eric Emanuel is currently hard at work on a new supply that features busier psychedelic designs.
Follow the Eric Emanuel Instagram account to stay updated on the next drop.
Los Angeles Apparel
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_fWLJgFCBt/
Los Angeles Apparel — owned by former American Apparel head Dov Charney — was one of the first labels to heed New York Governor Cuomo’s call for the fashion industry to aid in the production of masks and now their adjustable 100% cotton masks are commercially available in three-mask packs. Each mask features an adjustable nose strip to contour your face and two-straps that allow you to adjust your fit as needed.
Los Angeles Apparel is offering 26 different patterns, allowing you more variety to match with your current wardrobe.
Head to Los Angeles Apparel to grab your three-pack cotton mask pack now.
Profound
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_A31ANhYNN/
Profound’s take on the face mask sports a simple flat rectangular silhouette and features elegant sepia-toned patterns that match the brand’s streetwear meets fine art aesthetic. Patterns include a floral painting, an earthy paisley carpet design, a simple sharpie doodle reading “We’ve made it this far, kid,” a retro-leaning checkerboard design, and other iterations on the paisley bandana pattern.
Profound will donate some proceeds of each mask purchase toward the International Rescue Committee’s COVID-19 fund for refugee families, as well as donate funds towards procuring N95 marks to help assist healthcare workers in New York and New Jersey.
Shop the looks at Profound’s webstore.
The Hundreds
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Oo02jjyvf/
Los Angeles-based The Hundreds is currently offering two different face mask patterns, one that adopts the liquor-store staple paisley bandana patterning and the other that reps The Hundreds iconic bomb logo. Both masks are a 50/50 cotton and polyester blend, one-size-fits-most, and are entirely constructed in Los Angeles.
At $19 flat, they’re one of the better bargains on this list and with 25% of the profits going to benefit the Street Vendor Emergency Fund, you’ll be doing a small amount of good while leveling up your mask game. That’s a win-win.
Hit The Hundreds webstore to shop masks.
Supreme
Are you surprised to find the streetwear juggernaut on this list? Supreme has dropped a variety of face masks throughout the years, from their sleek Arabic logo neoprene masks, to their bulkier large-logo mask. A luxury streetwear must-have for the hype beasts who aren’t letting COVID-19 stop them from endlessly flexing.