The LV Shield is relevant to our interests (photo: courtesy)

Fancy wearing a chic Louis Vuitton-monogrammed face shield while you're out and about? The French luxury maison will be releasing its first protective gear amid the Covid-19 pandemic

Additional reporting by Andrea Saadan

This story was updated on September 21, 2020.

Whoever said that fashion is frivolous has clearly not yet seen the latest Louis Vuitton Cruise 2021 collection, which includes this relevant and practical face shield that, in the age of Covid-19 and climate destruction, is a veritable life-saving device—protecting the wearer from spittle, shared air and UV rays, and thereby preventing sickness, long-term potential cardiovascular damage, and wrinkles. It will be available online and at Singapore's Louis Vuitton boutiques from November 6.

(Related: Drop Two of Virgil Abloh and Nigo's LV² Louis Vuitton Squared Collection Launches on August 28 in Singapore)

Earlier this year, the French maison committed to providing protective gear to healthcare workers by repurposing several of its ateliers across France to produce non-surgical face masks and hospital gowns. Thousands of gowns in the ready-to-wear atelier located on Paris’ rue du Pont Neuf, home to Louis Vuitton's headquarters, were also produced. These gowns were donated to frontline workers in six Parisian hospitals of the “Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris”. LVMH also produced hand sanitisers at some of its perfume and cosmetics sites in France, and were later distributed to French health authorities, in particular, the 39 public hospitals in Paris.

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Even better, there's more to the Louis Vuitton face shield than meets the eye.  

Not only is it gilded with studs and emblazoned with the iconic brand monogram, the visor itself is photochromatic—which means it acts as a giant transition lens, switching from clear to dark when exposed to direct sunlight, thereby protecting the wearer from direct sun exposure without inhibiting visibility. 

The hinged studs also allow the wearer to tilt the visor backwards, mimicking retro-style visors from Florida in the '80s, and resembling the visor of a baseball cap. 

The Louis Vuitton face shield will be available from October 30 at Louis Vuitton boutiques worldwide. 

With Burberry also releasing its very first reusable face mask just last month, more luxury brands may soon follow suit in producing chic and stylish face coverings.

In Singapore, face shields are allowed only for specific exempt groups or settings. Unlike face masks, the design of face shields leaves a gap between the face shield and the face. Thus, it is still a requirement by the Government for all in Singapore to put on a face mask, one that completely covers the nose and mouth, when out in public so as to prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

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