A fashionable mask: branded value proposition during the coronavirus pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic has changed not only the social, economic, political spheres of nations, but also fashion industry, having to cancel fashion shows. Fashion brands started offering value proposition changed under new conditions to give the value to their customers with changing needs. A lot of fashion brands follow their pandemic sustainable business strategy to help medical staff with masks, gowns, and sanitizers for free, to donate to medical organizations, coronavirus research in Universities' laboratories that also increases their economic value added (EVA). A mask takes mostly two functions – utilitarian and emotional, i.e. new technological and fashionable part of the mask production/consumption. There are creative ideas in mask making by technological brands like a self-cleaning mask, collaborations of high-tech companies and fashion industry representatives, fashion brands creating fashionable masks by using double sustainable business strategy, popculture brands creating masks with their branded themes, fashion brands creating cloth masks made of the latest trends, artists creating unique masks using artisan techniques, a technological and fashionable mix like face-recognition masks, and also politicians setting up mask trends. The fashion brand analysis shows that the value proposition is based on value increase in EVA during the coronavirus pandemic, because they understand the necessity of sustainable business strategy to gain the longer-term customer loyalty.