The Crystal-coated Gas Mask just might be the next fashion accessory of the future.
A cutting-edge accessory has left Mexican fashion lovers gasping for breath. Designer Gianfranco Reni unveiled a crystal-coated gas mask at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Mexico City, turning an iconic item from the Cold War era into a haute couture accessory for his military-inspired clothing line, titled “My Army.”
“It’s how I would dress my own army, but in a war of ego and vanity,” said Reni. “I used an old gas mask and covered it with tiny crystals, making different forms and lines.”
Though the shimmering piece of headgear might seem more at home on the catwalks than in the trenches, Reni insists the form follows the function. “The crystal-coated gas mask is more a decorative piece, but it’s made with a real gas mask, so it could be used for its original purpose,” said Reni. “But with a touch of glamor.”
Fashionable breathing devices have been around for a while. Fashionistas in Asia, afraid of contracting the SARS virus back in 2003, began buying surgical masks emblazoned with logos from Gucci, Burberry, Versace and Nike, though most were knockoffs.
