Croatian designer's 'cheerful' virus masks

A woman wears a protective face mask designed by Croatian designer Zoran Aragovic in Zagreb, 3 March 2020. AFP

Inspired by the global scare over the novel coronavirus, a Croatian fashion designer has launched his own "cheerful" collection of virus masks.

They offer no protection against the disease which continues to spread around the world but that has not put off buyers.

Croatian designer Zoran Aragovic posing next to protective face masks in Zagreb, 3 March 2020. AFP

"The idea for a designer mask was spontaneous," Zoran Aragovic, owner of the BiteMyStyle brand, told AFP.

"Every morning while having coffee we were commenting on the coronavirus and lack of masks.

"I was joking that I would make a colourful, cheerful mask, like my fashion creations, and put it on my Instagram," said the 39-year-old from Zagreb.

A woman presenting a protective face mask designed by Zoran Aragovic, Zagreb, 3 March 2020. AFP

But Aragovic's cotton mask, inspired like his clothes by Disney characters, pop art and comic books, immediately sparked an interest across the country.

Dozens of the masks, which cost around nine euros ($10), have been sold since he started production some two weeks ago and people continue to order them, the designer said.

Zoran Aragovic working on a protective face mask bearing designed by himself. AFP

Aragovic, who believes that the best way to fight against fear of the virus is with positive items such as clothes, stressed that "these are not medical masks but cheerful fashion accessories".

Croatia has registered nine cases of the virus which has killed over 3,200 people across the world.

More than 94,000 have been infected in 81 countries and territories, according to AFP's latest toll based on official sources at 1200 GMT Wednesday.