A “Chinese dama” [a retired housewife deeply influence by tradition] who invented a protective head mask for beach-goers, dubbed the “face-kini”, has released her latest version decorated with characters from Peking Opera.
Zhang Shifan, the inventor of face-kini from the seaside city of Qingdao, said the fourth generation of the mask is more colourful and shows a strong Chinese cultural element compared to the previous mono-colour masks.
The new cutting also makes it more comfortable, Qingdaonews.com reported.
Face-kinis, which emerged in coastal cities in Shandong province a few years ago, have become must-have swimming kit for a growing number of beachgoers in China and even overseas.
Zhang expects the opera-themed face-kinis to start rolling of the production line in July, and be exhibited at an international maritime expo in Qingdao this month.