As the pandemic rages on, these Goan designers have come out with festive face masks to ensure that folks spread cheer instead of germs
ANNA FERNANDES | NT BUZZ
Christmas is just around the corner and we are still in the midst of the pandemic. But with face-masks becoming a wardrobe stable, you can now use them to flaunt your love for the season and spread some much-deserved cheer – while being safe. We have made a list – and checked it twice – of a few Goan designers who have launched Christmas-themed face masks to spread cheer.
Among these is Zenobia Karen Dsouza who under her brand Massimo & Karen has rolled out a merry lineup of face masks. A brand synonymous with the vibrancy and spirit of youth, Massimo & Karen also offers a wide range of products such as scarves, bandanas, body wraps, tropical wear and more.
“Every year we release a special edition of Christmas-themed scarves to do our bit in adding a little bit of Christmas cheer. So, this year, keeping in mind the ongoing pandemic, I thought why not add to our collection the most essential accessory there is – masks,” she says adding that these masks are produced using the same fabric used in the production of their scarves: a rich cotton-viscose mix fabric, that is light and breathable, yet fashionably effective.
“We’ve got a mix of different and classic prints such as Santa Claus, snowmen, reindeers, puppies on a sleigh, and kittens on Christmas,” she says, adding that they also offer to customise masks to fit people of every age group.
The masks are retailed at `79 per piece. The brand also accepts bulk orders with discounts and offers the option of in-person delivery in South Goa or delivery by courier domestically and globally. And speaking about the response they’ve received to the Christmas collection, Dsouza gushes: “We’ve sold out twice! So, I’d say we’ve had an exceptional response! And we’re trying our best to keep up with the demands from our ever-growing client base. It’s just another week to Christmas, so we’re doing everything we can so no one misses out on them.”
For the 24-year-old, it’s all about the thrill. “It genuinely brings us joy to be able to do what we do here at Massimo & Karen and that’s spreading happiness through the little things.”
Another young designer Senalda Meliora Lopes has also come out with festive face masks along with scrunchies. Starting off by making masks for her whole family at the beginning of the lockdown, Lopes was compelled to begin accepting orders as word got out. Adding handmade satin scrunchies to her repertoire, she created Sewn by Senalda in June. Today the 19-year-old resident of Betalbatim has completed over 300 orders, both local and international.
“It’s my favourite time of the year, but given the current situation I didn’t feel Christmassy at all,” admits Lopes. She therefore decided to channel her creativity and create Christmas-themed masks and scrunchies to get herself and others into the Christmas spirit.
While her scrunchies are priced between `30 and `100; her masks retail at `40 to `70 each depending on the number of layers and design. She adds that she has a wide range of masks including solid masks, printed masks, embroidered masks, and more; customisations are also available.
“I make sure to get quirky prints from different sources to keep my masks different from the mainstream printed masks. I have had some prints that have sold out the very day I launched them, and the love and support I get from my customers on seeing these prints is what keeps me going,” she adds. The brand also offers deliveries of items at a minimum delivery charge.
Meanwhile, fashion designer Ninoshka Alvares-Delaney and team started creating festive face coverings much earlier, before Diwali season under her eponymous label Ninoshka. “They did very well and we sensed a lacuna in the market. Hence, we went ahead with Christmas-themed masks,” she says.
The label has three varieties of Christmas-themed masks, namely, cotton handloom masks dyed in natural colours with a hand-embroidered motif such as a snowflake or Santa Claus on them; masks with Christmas prints such as Santa Claus, poinsettias and Christmas trees; and cotton printed masks in Christmas colours for people who would like to continue using these masks well after the Christmas season.
Conceptualised in 2016, her label focuses on sustainable fashion with all products made from natural and organic material and offers both womenswear and menswear. The brand also has a wide selection of fashion accessories like necklaces, patchwork and thread work bags, scarves and stoles, cushion covers and more. And for the Christmas season, the brand has also launched Christmas stockings and fabric ornaments.
“Our face masks range between `150 and `500, the most expensive being our 3D face masks. These four-layered masks are made out of handloom cotton fabric, dyed in natural dyes and are by far the most comfortable. They allow the wearer to breathe and talk comfortably and prevent fogging up of glasses,’ she says.
And although these festive face masks have only just been launched, she says, they have received a very good response. “Our masks are unique and of good quality, comfort, fit and finish. Many people are looking at face masks as a gifting option this year and we provide gift packs and customisation,” she says, adding that the gift packs come in little fabric pouches.
The masks come in both adult and kid sizes. And besides being attractive, their masks are also extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time. “We have achieved this fit after much research, sampling and valuable feedback from customers,” she says. The masks also offer maximum protection as they are triple layered and are equipped with an electrostatic non-woven polypropylene filter, same as the N95 masks. The brand also provides free delivery.
“Masks are as much a necessity as they are a fashion statement,” says fashion designer, Nausheen Sayed. Last month, Sayed created Diwali-themed face masks, and this month just in time for Christmas, she has added a collection of yuletide-themed face masks to her offerings.
Under her label ‘Nausheen Fashion Designer Goa’ that she founded on Instagram during the lockdown, the fashion technology graduate offers custom fit womenswear, clothing for girls, and sewing creations that includes bags, scrunchies, hair accessories, hampers, and masks.
At the start of lockdown, she reveals that being a designer she couldn’t stand the monotonous colours of masks that initially appeared in the market. “So, I decided to come up with something quirky. I started hand painting masks for myself and then for my mom, and then I posted pictures of the same on Instagram and it got a really good response,” she says adding that that’s how it all began. “Today there are many people coming up with masks of all designs and they are doing a very good job,” she adds.
Describing her Christmas-themed masks as “cute”, she reveals that these creations include prints of Christmas trees, holly, etc on satin masks and adds: “We don’t compromise of quality or creativity.” Besides these, she boasts of a wide collection of face coverings that include standard cotton masks to printed masks on rayon fabric, formal masks using brocade, satin, and lace, custom-printed, custom-fitted, sequinned, hand-painted, and more. The rates of these masks start at `50 and go up to `300.
The number of deliveries she has made both locally as well as nationally in this short span since conceptualising her business stand as a testament to the quality of her products. And if you’re quick, you too may receive a Christmas-themed mask at your doorstep just in time for Christmas.
