Mask Making In Progress

At Wren we believe that creativity happens with experiences are connected. Nothing like a nationwide lockdown to force you to experience some rather strange things.

One of them is simply going to the shops and seeing all the different masks being worn.

It made me wonder if we could make a mask out of paper. I googled for some origami mask patterns and found none. This meant it was up to me and I took up this challenge with determination.

Raady with some prepared sheets of paper and my phone to serve as the mirror (and me as the mannequin), I began.

*A real pain was that the face recognition on my phone did not register me without a mouth or nose and kept needing me to verify myself. Some of the samples and selfies resulted in some good humour. I wonder how Apple will address this issue considering the world is going to be wearing masks for some time going forward?

Magic happened on the 3rd day. I turned what was developing into the Deco Mask, upside down (see moment o magic below). The folded chin created a deer-shaped nose and the pleated cheek bone folds pulled the paper upwards to wrap around my face. Within a hour the Classic Mask pattern was finalised. Sometimes the simplest design is the best. But sometimes what appears simple is a result of a long journey of product development.

Motivated by the success of one mask I wanted to finalise the other which was certainly more daring. Retaining the folds and inverting the chin fold, the mask that has Art Deco inspiration in every angle, was complete.

4 days later, 13 finished prototypes and my phone storage full of selfies, I am incredibly happy with the result. I would never have created two new products – Wren’s first fashion product and personal protection product -ready for market in just 4 days without the desperate need. How about that!?! Proves paper really can be anything!