Modern Tech For The Modern World is how the XUPERMASK describes itself. Will.i.am, the music producer, songwriter, singer, entrepreneur, and now face mask creator, has conjured a product that can be worn in a practical sense too. With the help of costume designer Jose Fernandez, The XUPERMASK is the solution to the everyday struggles of face masks.
The mask is aimed to reshape how we interact with one another when wearing a mask and how the mask interacts with the wearer. The XUPERMASK elevates the face mask to a place where sneakers live on shelves as sought-after necessities.
Will.i.am teamed up with Honeywell, an industrial manufacturing and engineering company, on the face mask design. Jose Fernandez, who has designed costumes for Batman, X-Men, Spiderman and Black Panther, has costumed Will and has band Black Eyed Peas back in 2011 for Super Bowl XLV. Honeywell, Will, and Jose found a suitable medium between tech and wearability, fashion and function.
The XUPERMASK has some features that even your latest smartwatch can be jealous of. This tech device, a fashion statement, comes with a complimentary XUPERKIT, with gear that adds convenience to the design. The kit contains:
- A carrying case.
- A three-month supply of HEPA filters.
- A USB-C charging cable.
- An extra mask made from fabric.
Other features of the XUPERMASK include LED lights, 3-speed fans, Bluetooth 5.0, magnetic earbud docking station, noise-cancelling headphones, and a noise-reducing microphone. The elastic strap buckle come in two colourways, adding fashion to its function.
Will.i.am feels like this is the direction society is moving toward. He imagines a world that embraces the experienced changes of modern living with the evolution of man. “When the pandemic broke out. It quickly became clear that masks were going to be a new must-wear item, like shoes or a jacket when it’s cold outside,” Will says. “It’s about common-sense-public safety.”
Due to circumstances, we need to wear masks like we’ve been wearing shoes all our lives. Will states, “We’ve long past looked at shoes as protective gear, but they’re just cultural items that we go out and buy”.
If the call for fashion hasn’t been answered with the XUPERMASK, it will be hard to compete for style points and achieve practicality among the face mask-wearing issues. “Rather than looking “medical,” regular people wanted to keep safe and also try to look a bit styling, a nod to being fashionable and functional,” says Will.i.am.
He sums it up as “From a functionality standpoint, masks have their issues. Your eyeglasses fog up. Masks are hot and stuffy. Talking on your phone is muffled. Your earpods get dislodged or tangled up. And what do you do to avoid contamination when you must take it off to eat or drink while out in public?” The XUPERMASK retails for $400 and is available online now.