African designers take on COVID-19 in style

A boy in Abidjan is wearing a matching hat and mask created by Ivorian fashion designer Arthur Bella N'guessan.

Arthur Bella N'guessan also creates custom masks that match his customers' clothes. His current daily output of masks stands at more than 1,000 a day and he gives many of them away for free.

Protecting yourself and others Lagos style: Nigerian fashion influencer Angel Obasi showcases her red and white face mask with matching clothes.

In many African countries, wearing a face mask in public has been mandated by the government to fight the spread of COVID-19. Designers and tailors all over the continent have been stepping up to meet the demand.

For designers like Sophie Zinga, photographed here at her workshop in Dakar, the task is clear: "As a fashion designer I think we are going to have to integrate each outfit with fashion masks."

In the Nigerian capital Abuja the rules are simple: the brighter, the better. This woman is showcasing the pink face mask she is wearing with her hijab.

A mannequin in the workshop of Ivorian designer Arthur Bella N'guessan sporting matching mask and clothing.

For young fashion buffs at University of Lagos like Uche Helen, wearing custom-made masks is a way to stand out.

High-end fashion made in Africa: This mask, worn by Nigerian fashion stylist Sefiya Diejomoah, is studded with sparkling diamante jewels. "When you come out in a stylish mask, it doesn't seem as though we're fighting a war," Diejomoah says.

For many fashion designers in Africa, creating protective gear such as mask has been a way to keep business going despite the economic downturn.