Design historian Serena Newmark, whom I first met when she showed some beautiful Hybrid Masks on Twitter (#luckhausmask) and lateron introduced my pattern to the workshop »Clothing the Pandemic« by ICOM [International Committee for Museums and Collections of Costume, Fashion and Textile] as part of a lecture on the exchange of information between makers, has now written a great article about me and my Hybrid Mask for the ICOM blog!

»As the novel coronavirus spread (…), a German artist and designer named Iris Luckhaus decided to serve the cause of public health by designing an exceptionally well-fitting face mask. (…) Luckhaus originally trained as a clothing designer at the Universität der Künste in Berlin under Dame Vivienne Westwood. [She] has been intrigued by (…) historical garments and has dedicated her time to understanding how to solve potential pattern problems (…) Luckhaus put her training to work by designing a (…) mask that would be both comfortable and functional.

“I started to dive back into pattern cutting, and enjoyed having yet another interesting pattern problem to solve, one I’ve never even considered before: How do we dress the human face? To me, good design is always functional, in a way that every tiny detail has to have a reason – and altogether, these details should make perfect sense as a whole.”

Luckhaus decided to create a new type of mask that combined the most effective design elements of the mask styles already available. Most importantly, she was determined to design a mask that kept her glasses fog free and fit snuggly against her face with no gaps, as any open space between mask and face can reduce the effectiveness.

“I decided to try and combine the better fitting features of the mask types I had tested, as a kind of hybrid, and invented some more details of my own. My Hybrid Mask has (a) an upturned backwards pleat which fits so snug that even for people with glasses, nose wires are an optional choice, (b) pleats in front that allow for unconstricted breathing and speaking, while the mask reliably stays in place, (c) a trapezoid shape which fits the anatomy of the human face and therefore avoids the usual bulging, and (d) side channels that help the mask fit gapless yet spacious on very different face shapes. The mask is quick and easy to sew, to iron, and to carry along!”

While profit seeking professionals may purchase a license to make and sell her mask, Luckhaus provides free patterns and assistance to mask makers sewing for their friends and family as well as those volunteering for their communities.«

You can read the full text here: https://facemasks.hypotheses.org/57 :)

Design historian Serena Newmark, whom I first met when she showed some beautiful Hybrid Masks on Twitter (#luckhausmask) and lateron introduced my pattern to the workshop »Clothing the Pandemic« by ICOM [International Committee for Museums and Collections of Costume, Fashion and Textile] as part of a lecture on the exchange of information between makers, has now written a great article about me and my Hybrid Mask for the ICOM blog!

»As the novel coronavirus spread (…), a German artist and designer named Iris Luckhaus decided to serve the cause of public health by designing an exceptionally well-fitting face mask. (…) Luckhaus originally trained as a clothing designer at the Universität der Künste in Berlin under Dame Vivienne Westwood. [She] has been intrigued by (…) historical garments and has dedicated her time to understanding how to solve potential pattern problems (…) Luckhaus put her training to work by designing a (…) mask that would be both comfortable and functional.

“I started to dive back into pattern cutting, and enjoyed having yet another interesting pattern problem to solve, one I’ve never even considered before: How do we dress the human face? To me, good design is always functional, in a way that every tiny detail has to have a reason – and altogether, these details should make perfect sense as a whole.”

Luckhaus decided to create a new type of mask that combined the most effective design elements of the mask styles already available. Most importantly, she was determined to design a mask that kept her glasses fog free and fit snuggly against her face with no gaps, as any open space between mask and face can reduce the effectiveness.

“I decided to try and combine the better fitting features of the mask types I had tested, as a kind of hybrid, and invented some more details of my own. My Hybrid Mask has (a) an upturned backwards pleat which fits so snug that even for people with glasses, nose wires are an optional choice, (b) pleats in front that allow for unconstricted breathing and speaking, while the mask reliably stays in place, (c) a trapezoid shape which fits the anatomy of the human face and therefore avoids the usual bulging, and (d) side channels that help the mask fit gapless yet spacious on very different face shapes. The mask is quick and easy to sew, to iron, and to carry along!”

While profit seeking professionals may purchase a license to make and sell her mask, Luckhaus provides free patterns and assistance to mask makers sewing for their friends and family as well as those volunteering for their communities.«

You can read the full text here: https://facemasks.hypotheses.org/57 :)