Ýrúrarí Jóhannsdóttir Icelandic designer 6
© Ýrúrarí Jóhannsdóttir

Icelandic designer creates spooky masks to encourage social distancing

Icelandic designer Ýrúrarí Jóhannsdóttir, aka yrurari, has added a twist onto the new-normal wardrobe item – the mask. “The idea is that the masks would be ‘scary’ because of the rule of keeping the distance,” Jóhannsdóttir told AFP.

  • Ýrúrarí Jóhannsdóttir Icelandic designer 6
  • Ýrúrarí Jóhannsdóttir Icelandic designer 6

The bizarre masks were inspired by the TV shows and movies and while they won’t protect you from the actual virus, as the Icelandic designer has said herself, they should make people keep their distance. Whether it’s a huge mouth with grotesque braces or a huge tongue splitting into three and wrapping around the face – these masks are to turn heads of passers by, or even spook them. The most elaborate masks require up to ten hours to complete.

While Ýrúrarí has no intention to mass-produce them, textile museums in the United States and the Netherlands have already expressed interest in adding these masks to their collections as a reminder of these unusual times. In the meantime, you can find more of Ýrúrarí on her Instagram.