Business. Fashion.
China's hottest new look.
How to make sense of the face-kini.
Fads come and go.
Capes, codpieces and ruffs were all once standard garb in Europe before falling out of favour.
Occasionally, new articles of clothing fall into favour too, as in China today,
where designers sun protection face coverings, known as facekinis,
are popularising a look previously favoured by bank robbers.
Facekinis form part of a thriving industry in China,
offering accessories to protect against ultraviolet or UV rays.
Unlike the surgical masks of the COVID-19 pandemic,
sun masks are made from a washable synthetic fabric.
Some cover only the lower face, others extend to the forehead, neck and chest.
They range in price from a few dollars to nearly $50.
All told, sales of UV wear in China reached around 80 billion yuan, that's $11 billion last year.
Sales of face keenies, which are targeted at women,
rose by around 50% in the year to July, according to Da Xue Consulting, a research firm.
Those of UV sleeves, more popular among men, doubled.
Until recently,
facekinis were mainly reserved for beaches and often worn by older women seeking to avoid a tan