LeMasqueNYC: Origin Story
August 18, 2020
Tenacity. Adaptation. Resourcefulness. Focus.
Any typical Friday the 13th , big or small, serious or in fun, is freighted with superstition and wariness. So it was on Friday, March 13 that our country, and industry – live events – came to a quiet halt. The Coronavirus was upon us and we were entering “lock down.”
Covid 19 was spreading like wildfire and its novel aspect struck fear of the unknown in everyone. Unprecedented times…unless you’re 102 years old.
The Originators were coasting along, feeling great about the recent completion of
their dynamic new website and a new product demo in Nashville – an animated
25’diameter computer-controlled, kinetic blossoming flower. The future was bright
and promising…until it suddenly wasn’t.
Faced with no work and uncertain prospects for the future, the ever-resourceful
Originators instead saw opportunity. The creative energy typically infused in their
work did not suddenly disappear just because the industry did. And with too many
days of haunting sirens as the only sound on the urban landscape they were spurred
into action.
The Originators team decided to re-tool and create a new company – LeMasque, a
company dedicated to freshly designed, fashion-forward fabric face coverings. They
began by showing some love and attention to the woebegone fabric face mask which
they saw as just one more fabric structure in need of a re-design. They decided not
to rush to market with any old generic pattern. Let the glut of on-line, DIY patterns
and bottom-feeders satisfy the panic-buyer. LeMasque’s eye was on the bigger
picture when the CDC declared fabric face coverings to be truly effective in slowing
the spread of the virus. Face masks would be here to stay.
So, the new focus was on making fashion-forward face masks designed to get
consumers to robustly embrace this new normal. They would be making a mask that would not only be highly effective but incredibly comfortable and easy to wear – a face mask as object of desire, the de rigueur, out-the-door accessory like our phone, house keys, wallet and sunglasses.
Simply irresistible!
As people who devoted a lifetime to fabric structures, the big kind, this pandemic project took the team, literally,
from feet to inches.
They designed numerous patterns, improving its ergonomics till they devised a unique construction method with optimal fabrics which was ultimately achieved after numerous prototypes.
Introducing LeMasque and its first generation – Slim which features a super-
compact, patented Dual-fold™ pattern that sets it apart.
The team not only appreciated the diversion of making numerous iterations till a
prototype was finally approved, but they loved the opportunity to actually design and manufacture a socially useful product.
Stay safe and sound,
– Marc Posnock
Some words to live by…
The effectiveness of a fabric face covering requires
everyone to commit to wearing one.
Trite but true, we’re all in this together.
I protect you / you protect me
Show respect. Step up. Stop the Spread.
Debra and Marc @ 646-470-1744
info@originatorsdesign.com // www.originatorsdesign.com