Facekinis are quite popular with women in China.
New Delhi: As summers set in China, popular beaches in Qingdao are lined up with women sporting 'facekinis', a unique swimwear to protect face from the harsh sun.
A report by shanghai.ist suggests that women have been warming up to this fashion trend and feel that 'facekini' - a stretchy mask with holes pierced in the area of the eyes, mouth and nostril - helps in protecting their fair skin from sun and other irritants on the water's surface.
Over the years, the peculiar beachwear has undergone a number of stylish new versions by Chinese designer Zhang Shifan, who first made worldwide headlines for creating a 'facekini', a design inspired by endangered animals and Peking opera.
A woman poses with a facekini on the beach.
'Facekinis' have garnered mixed reactions of social media sites:
Last year, Mr Zhang introduced a seventh-generation 'facekini', which was inspired by a design of traditional blue-and-white porcelain and embroidery.
'Facekinis' are available online and are priced between $18-$20. There's a lot of buzz about this trend in the US but the 'face swimwear' is yet to pick up there. China, however, has embraced this trend and sporting it in style.