Latin American Face Masks: The Emergence of a New Form of Expression
Before the coronavirus pandemic, face masks were rarely used by Latin Americans outside hospitals. However, since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing face masks had become a compulsory requirement for a lot of Latin American nations, those who are going outside for shopping and other activities outdoors. These face masks had become a colorful part of the daily routine of Latinos amid the coronavirus pandemic, says an article.
Face Mask Designs
The designs of the face masks vary, and it reflects the cultures of the locals wearing them. In Mexico, a lot of face masks are designed with Lucha libre themes. In Argentina, face masks are designed with the logos of soccer teams. In Peru, they are being designed with characters from Batman. In Columbia, many showcase an array of colorful swimsuit designs. Additionally, many activists use face masks to make political statements.
Strong Visual Impact
According to one of the owners of Dador, a Cuban fashion company, Lauren Fajardo, face masks carry a strong visual impact. It had become a way for people to express themselves. People do not need to speak to let everyone know what they want to say through the use of a face mask, says Fajardo.
Running Out of Face Masks
Since the start of the spread of the coronavirus in Latin America, a lot of pharmacies had sold out all their stocks of face masks. This had led to the skyrocket of face masks prices. This had resulted in a lot of medical practitioners to work without them. However, since the widespread lockdowns that had led to the postponement of many business operations, local producers immediately took action to help with the increasing demand for face masks.
Making Face Masks
Women from Havana who worked at home sewing various types of clothing and other product had made use of their extra fabrics to create free face masks for their community. With this little act, they are helping the community prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Samba schools in Rio de Janeiro postponed the creation of colorful Carnival costumes. Instead, they are getting their creative works focused on making colorful face masks.
The President of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei, had appeared on TV while wearing a face mask with a design showing the name of the country. His administration had funded for the creation of 4 million face masks. The face masks were handed down to Guatemalans free of charge.
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John Sanchez, a designer from Peru, suspended his normal operations on printing T-shirts and mugs due to the COVID-19 crisis. Instead, he allotted his equipment at printing designs at face masks. His face masks carried various designs, such as the logos of the national police force of the country and patriotic slogans.
In Columbia, at least 40 fashion businesses are creating masks such as multiple swimwear companies whose bikinis are typically sold for $100 in retail stores in the United States of America. The face masks they create are printed with colorful designs of hummingbirds, toucans, and other tropical-themed designs used in making swimsuits.