Pollution masks have steadily and unavoidably entered everyday life in China. They are one of the first lines of defense against the choking smog that
Pollution masks have steadily and unavoidably entered everyday life in China. They are one of the first lines of defense against the choking smog that regularly blankets major cities and are seen as a necessity by millions of city-dwellers. As acceptance grows, masks are moving from function to high-fashion. Style-savvy types match it with their outfits and Chinese designers from Paris to Shanghai have incorporated Swarovski-studded pieces or post-apocalyptic looks into their runway shows.
Beijing designer, Wang Zhijun was the first to transform a pair of Kanye West-designed Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2s into a pollution mask. His outlandish vision to turn the surgical-style masks into an art project to raise awareness about China’s pollution problems has been hailed by many. By repurposing high-end sneakers, the kind that have sneaker heads foaming at their mouths, into designer face masks, he’s hoping to make a personal statement about the impact of pollution, raise environmental consciousness as well as start a conversation among his peers.
“I didn’t even wear them. I took them out of the box and just cut them up to sew the mask,” Wang recalls.
“Many western websites dedicated to fashion and footwear reported on the Yeezy mask. My other masks got a lot of attention, too. People started emailing me to ask where they could buy them,” Wang says.
“But I’m not making them for a profit. Their purpose is to raise awareness about pollution in China. They are a creative project, my own campaign to tackle the issue.”
The 34-year-old had previously worked as a graphic designer at Puma and Saatchi&Saatchi and having created his own custom-made pair of Nikes inspired by the Chinese New Year horoscope, decided to turn his passion for tinkering with sneakers into something more practical.
Health professionals haven’t tested them, but the designer believes they are fully functional.
“I ran a half marathon in one of them, and noticed discoloration afterwards. They work,” he says.
Since catching global attention, the designer mostly uses them for promotional photo shoots.
“It’s about keeping the focus on the pollution problem, not about running a business or looking trendy.”
