By Erin Anderson
The swine flu outbreak created fear and caused panic. Now the H1N1 virus is inspiring fashion and charitable giving in the form of surgical masks.*
Graphic designer Irina Blok of San Francisco recently created a line of masks after being laid off from her job. She had some extra time on her hands and decided to use her skills to help raise money for Children International’s child sponsorship agency in Mexico, the country where an outbreak of swine flu occurred recently.
“I thought what can I do as a designer to save the world,” Irina says half-jokingly. “I used the power of design to take something very sterile and unintriguing like a surgical mask and turn it into something that brings a smile and is a little humorous.”
The masks – available with designs, including a pig snout, a skeleton, a beard and one with the word “oink!” – have garnered more interest than Irina bargained for. After a mention in a blog, word quickly spread, and Irina was fielding calls from newspaper and television outlets.
“I realized from the blog post that they become viral, more viral than the flu itself,” Irina quipped.
She attributes the interest to the uniqueness of the product and the need for levity during a time when the swine flu was creating fear.
“Overall, it caught that whole media frenzy about the swine flu, and it became something fun to talk about other than the statistics,” Irina points out.
The masks are $10 each plus shipping and handling, and proceeds will benefit international children's charity Children International. To purchase a mask, visit www.iloveblocks.com/swine.html. Photo by Adam Eisendrath.
*As Irina states on her website, please note that these masks are for decorative purposes only and not for the prevention of disease.
The swine flu outbreak created fear and caused panic. Now the H1N1 virus is inspiring fashion and charitable giving in the form of surgical masks.*
Graphic designer Irina Blok of San Francisco recently created a line of masks after being laid off from her job. She had some extra time on her hands and decided to use her skills to help raise money for Children International’s child sponsorship agency in Mexico, the country where an outbreak of swine flu occurred recently.
“I thought what can I do as a designer to save the world,” Irina says half-jokingly. “I used the power of design to take something very sterile and unintriguing like a surgical mask and turn it into something that brings a smile and is a little humorous.”
Irina Blok (right) designed a line of fashion masks after an outbreak of the swine flu.
The masks – available with designs, including a pig snout, a skeleton, a beard and one with the word “oink!” – have garnered more interest than Irina bargained for. After a mention in a blog, word quickly spread, and Irina was fielding calls from newspaper and television outlets.
“I realized from the blog post that they become viral, more viral than the flu itself,” Irina quipped.
She attributes the interest to the uniqueness of the product and the need for levity during a time when the swine flu was creating fear.
“Overall, it caught that whole media frenzy about the swine flu, and it became something fun to talk about other than the statistics,” Irina points out.
The masks are $10 each plus shipping and handling, and proceeds will benefit international children's charity Children International. To purchase a mask, visit www.iloveblocks.com/swine.html.
*As Irina states on her website, please note that these masks are for decorative purposes only and not for the prevention of disease.
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