Described by the media as China’s most terrifying swimwear trend, Face-Kinis are available in all shapes, sizes and bizarre patterns
In 2004, the Face-Kini appeared on the beaches of the coast city of Qingdao in China, a popular tourist destination for many Chinese seeking to escape the summer heat. Covering the entire face except the eyes, nose and mouth, the face-kini is often worn by retired local women who frequently swim in the city's oceans, and who look to protect their delicate porcelain skin from the sun.
The inventor, former accountant Zhang Shifan, never imagined she would sell 30,000 of them. Sometimes they are worn with long-sleeved swimsuits, a full body wetsuit, and gloves up to the elbow. The masks are very popular in the city of Qingdao where they also protect beach-goers from jellyfish stings, insect bites and regular algae blooms in the Yellow Sea.
In China, pale skin has historically been prized as a symbol of beauty and a privileged upbringing. For thousands of years, "slender waists and snow-white skin" have been considered a staple of Chinese beauty. Delicate and feminine, ‘creamy skin’ became among the Ten Commandments of Classical beauty in ancient China, also widespread in other Asian countries. With the popularity of the Face-Kini, it seems that image of beauty has endured over time. Women - middle-class women especially - don’t want to expose their faces to the sun as dark skin suggests negative associations, peasantry, farming the fields and outdoor labour.
Described by the media as "China’s most terrifying swimwear trend", Face-Kinis are available in all shapes in sizes with bizarre patterns. "In the past, I really wanted to do everything I could to avoid scaring people," said Zhang. Thus, the inventor created a whole range of different colors and decided to borrow the colourful face-paint designs of traditional Peking Opera, "so little children might not be so scared."
Over the last decade, the synthetic mask has helped cautious beach lovers to maintain a pearly-white complexion. The masks are made from a durable swimsuit material of stretch lycra and nylon, and sell for $2-4, however many women make their own mask by hand, using old underwear and swimsuits. With summer coming, forget chairs, umbrellas, coolers, and tents. Here is your new swim toy.
Photo Credit: Fred Dufour/AFP
