A year had passed since the Coronavirus pandemic reached Europe.
Following those first days of fear and disbelief, it occurred to us that if we wanted to return to work, we would have to find a way to protect ourselves and those close to us.
While scientists were striving to find ways to fight the virus, we were looking for a way to live with it in everyday life, at least in the short term.
Natural curiosity led us to look back at the pandemic of a century earlier, and to discover how the masks of that time were worn with such elegance and simplicity.
A century later, our research and our love for natural fabrics offered a possible solution.
We needed fabrics with a dense weave, light and breathable, but not too absorbent — materials that could exchange moisture rather than retain it, and withstand frequent washing at high temperatures.
So we rediscovered and adopted those same natural fabrics: cotton, and especially linen.
Linen is one of the oldest fabrics in the world. Fresh against the skin and naturally hypoallergenic, it becomes softer with washing. It is also highly durable, easy to care for and more biodegradable than cotton.
For the first few weeks we struggled to obtain the materials.
France, however, has a long tradition of growing and processing flax, and the quality of French linen is exceptional.
This is how our two masks were conceived: S-MASK type C and S-MASK type L, both made in France.
Double-ply and deliberately free of elastic, the masks are held in place by four long linen laces. Elastic would have compromised their durability, quality and practicality.
On the laces we printed SUPERLEGGERO — STAY SAFE / STAY CHIC.
We wash them at 60 degrees, without fabric softener, and iron them with plenty of steam. When we have to visit very crowded places, such as the Paris Metro, we wear a surgical mask underneath our S-MASK.
In more than a year, we haven’t thrown away a single mask.
The mask became an unexpected everyday accessory — something functional, necessary, but also capable of retaining a sense of elegance.
This was our answer to that particular moment: a small project born from curiosity, research and a love of natural materials.
Let’s protect ourselves and protect others.
Let’s wear an S-MASK. Stay safe, stay chic!