Shin Murayama’s freaky face masks will blow your mind

There's something happening with masks and fashion. Gucci's balaclavas went from the runway to gaining favor with Rihanna, so it's only a matter of time until only keeping limiting visibility to only your eyes will be used for social and sartorial capital. Covering your face feels like a symptom of the times — in an age with seemingly innocuous facial recognition software and not-so-innocuous surveillance, our faces can be seen as collateral that should be protected.

Whether it's real world protection or a straight-up accessory, a conversation about contemporary masks without mention of Shin Murayama is a missed opportunity. The Japanese designer has been on the finely crafted mask-wave for a full decade, announcing his initial mask series when he moved to the United States back in 2008. Since then, the now Brooklyn resident has released impressive collections of deconstructed masks — ones made from hats, masks that give off a Friday the 13th-meets-Parsons-student feel, works that reuse bandanas or baseball gloves — as well as collaborations with HUF and ALYX under his belt. Murayama's recently linked up with A$AP Rocky, creating a mask made from crash test logos and safety belt features for the rapper's upcoming album Testing.

See a few of Murayama's masks below, and follow them on Instagram to keep up with their latest creations.

Thumbnail via Shin Murayama's Instagram.