The Face Mask Boom: the dramatic increase in price for designer face masks

In the current state of crisis, numerous designer stores have closed down as a response to the negative effects of the global pandemic. The worldwide quarantine forced such streetwear brands as Supreme, Bape, and others to slow down their rate of production. While experiencing this some of the brands focused on improving sales by using an influencer marketing agency amongst other marketing channels.

In another aspect, designer brand companies are now starting to help governments by supplying hospitals and citizens with medical masks in order to tackle the extreme situation. Face masks have experienced a huge rise in both demand and price over the last few months. With the enormous rise in price for medical masks, which can now cost you up to $200, there was also a dramatic increase in the price for designer face masks. In this article, with the help of data from StockX, LegitGrails’ team will explore the enormous jump in price for these vital items!

The Off-White face mask, which at the beginning of February would only cost you $61, by the 19th of March, that more than tripled in price. The same face mask would now cost you $219 if you were to buy it on StockX. It should be noted that the official Off-White website does not list any Off-White face masks so the only option would be to buy it from third-party platforms and designer resellers. 

The BAPE Face Mask hit its highest price ever due to this pandemic. The price of the BAPE mask was $126 on the 1st of February, and by the end of March, it was priced at around $200.

Perhaps the least volatile item in terms of price is the Supreme Neoprene Face Mask priced at around $300. After Monday 23rd March, the price began to rise and just over the course of 5 days it reached $375! It is also expected that as more people will buy the Supreme Neoprene Face Mask, the supply of these masks will drop, increasing the price even further in the near future.

The forward-looking people who got above-listed masks before the global pandemic happened are now able to resell them and greatly benefit from the increase in demand. It is not a secret that designer brands take advantage of people willing to pay huge amounts to get a chance to stay stylish even during the outbreak of COVID-19. On the other hand, opportunities are being created for the manufacturers and sellers of fake items, who see the rise in demand as a chance to make money off this global pandemic. This is why it can be expected that a lot of fake items will flood the market. Thus, making it difficult to ensure that the face mask you are buying is authentic. 

As the majority of streetwear brands such as Supreme and Off-White do not list these items on the market, it creates even more uncertainty for consumers. There is a high chance that the designer face masks listed on third-party reseller platforms are counterfeit. We advise you to be extra careful and always make sure that the face mask or any other designer item you are planning to buy is authentic. Feel free to contact our experts when buying a designer face mask. Make sure you stay safe, healthy and of course, stick to authentic designer items!