You Probably Didn't Expect the Former Editor of Vogue Paris to Pick Up This Fashion Trend

The former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris has picked up an unusual Chinese fashion trend that made headlines in 2012: the "face-kini."

"They cost around $2.50 and are the stuff of nightmares," the Global Post's Allison Jackson wrote, describing the accessory. "They're especially popular among middle-aged Chinese women seeking to protect their skin from sun damage."

Images of people wearing face-kinis have amused many on social media:

But Carine Roitfeld, the former editor of Vogue Paris, seemingly saw the face-kini as an opportunity, and utilized it in a recent photo shoot for the CR Fashion Book.

She pictured a number of models wearing modified face-kinis, posing in high-fashion swimsuits in luxury locations.

"There’s no question that American and European beauty is often equated with a youthful, healthy glow—the kind you might get from enough holidays spent at the nearest beach..." an explanation in the CR Fashion Book read. "While our summer beauty routines are devoted to bronzing, self-tanning, and tan-extending, in Asia, beauty-seekers are more likely to center theirs around lightening and brightening. A tan does not signify a chic trip to Capri, but it could mean hours of hard labor spent out in the harsh sun."

"Our last swimwear story of the season blends all of the glamour of a Helmut Newton-esque pool party with the idea that a deep tan is the enemy," the article continues. "As it is said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. These beautiful eyes are peering from behind a mask—still enjoying summer, but avoiding a summer glow at all costs."

(H/T: Global Post)