During the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, London-based costume and jewelry designer Anne Sophie Cochevelou and photographer Anthony Lycett decided to collaborate a project focusing on artisan face masks given their importance at this particular time. Together the two have turned the protective accessory into wearable art.

Anne Sophie Cochevelou Artisan Face Masks

Using faux gems, decorative accessories and pop culture toys to create them, the French-born, Central Saint Martins alum has created a series of unusual artisan face masks that she sells at her online store. The handmade masks have been getting lots of press in both fashion and art magazines and you can see why.

Picture perfect Instagram-fodder, the designer has been posing in several of her creations for a series of self-styled, self portraits shot by London portrait photographer Anthony Lycett. These beautiful portraits capture the whimsy, craftsmanship and beauty of the hand-made face masks.

“As costume designer, I have never worked on masks before and I am finding new creative potential from this little surface directly applied on the skin. As they conceal our mouth and emphasise (sic) our eyes in a very performative way, they change the whole dynamic of our facial expressions. Placed on the mouth and directly under the eyes “the window of the soul’’ they bring new narratives to the face. Another layer of meaning through another layer of fabric.”- Anne Sophie Cochevelou

Shop the artisan Face Masks here