Due to the recent outbreak of H1N1 aka swine flu, surgical masks may have gone from being pieces of medical paraphernalia worn by health professionals and Michael Jackson to bona fide fashion accessories that we may soon see paraded up and down all major catwalks.
Yoriko Yoshida is an illustrator who has taken it upon himself to turn swine flu surgical masks into accessories that resemble carnival masks. His designs are colorful, playful and clever.
Hopefully, the swine flu pandemic will die out soon but I can really see some people wearing colorful masks such as the ones in the gallery as some sort of fashion statement--flu virus or not.
Carnavalesque Swine Flu Masks
Yoriko Yoshida's Chic Surgical Masks
Trend Themes
1. Fashionable Surgical Masks - The trend of turning surgical masks into fashionable accessories presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the healthcare and fashion industries.
2. Colorful Medical Paraphernalia - The trend of using colorful and playful designs for medical paraphernalia opens up disruptive innovation opportunities in the healthcare and fashion industries.
3. Celebrity-inspired Medical Accessories - The trend of celebrities and public figures wearing unique and creative medical accessories like swine flu masks creates disruptive innovation opportunities in the healthcare and fashion industries.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare Industry - The healthcare industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities by incorporating fashionable and playful designs into medical accessories like surgical masks.
2. Fashion Industry - The fashion industry can embrace disruptive innovation opportunities by incorporating medical accessories like swine flu masks into their designs and collections.
3. Art and Design Industry - The art and design industry can tap into disruptive innovation opportunities by creating unique and creative designs for medical paraphernalia like surgical masks.