Louis Vuitton unveils face shield that doubles as a cap

French fashion house Louis Vuitton has designed a coronavirus face shield featuring its signature LV monogram, which can also be flipped up and used as a sun visor.

The piece of personal protective equipment (PPE), called the LV Shield, comprises a visor made from a plastic-like material with fabric trim and an elasticated strap designed to fit snugly around the wearer's head.

Golden studs engraved with the company name enable the wearer to tilt the visor upwards, turning it from a face shield into a peaked cap.

As the visor is made from a photochromatic material, which is sensitive to light, it darkens in response to direct sunlight, changing from clear to tinted to protect the wearer from mild sun glare.

Both the trim and the head strap are printed with the company's signature LV monogram in its classic brown and gold colourway.

"The LV Shield makes for an eye-catching headpiece, both stylish and protective," said the company.

"[It] seamlessly transitions from dawn to dusk, adding a discreet yet sophisticated touch to one's personal protection."

The LV Shield will be available to purchase from 30 October 2020 in selected Louis Vuitton stores worldwide.

While the brand hasn't yet given the protective visor a definitive price, an estimated cost could be around £700 – judging by the only other visor-style product in its range, the Strawgram Visor, which costs £705.

Its ordinary caps, on the other hand, cost anything between £460 and £705.

As face masks and shields increasingly become part of our everyday wear during the coronavirus pandemic, more and more fashion brands are releasing their own versions of the PPE.

Burberry, for instance, recently rolled out a range of cotton face masks printed with blue or beige versions of its vintage plaid pattern.

Another brand aiming to make face shields high-fashion is New York designer Joe Doucet, who created a face shield that could be worn like a pair of sunglasses.

Sportswear company Adidas also released its own reusable face mask made from a breathable recycled material, as did fellow sportswear brand ASICS, which created a face cover for runners with integrated air vents.

Others have opted for more unique face cover designs, such as Plastique Fantastique – an art collective that created an open-source, retro-futuristic face shield shaped like a fish bowl.