Mask Envy
This LED Mask Can Light Up Any Room
Daftboy designer Timothy Cochran created this fabulous piece
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This story is part of our new series “Mask Envy,” where we showcase San Franciscans’ creativity and take a look at some of the coolest masks spotted around the city. Have a look you want to submit? Email info@thebolditalic.com.
There’s a lot you can do to make a mask stand out — patterns, paint, embellishments — but to make a true standout among the strongest standouts, you gotta make it shine.
That’s what Timothy Cochran, founder and designer of Bay Area-based company Daftboy, decided to do with this fiber-optic mask. The fiber-optic fabric and battery are fully contained within the mask, so you can light up the room wherever you are. More recently, Daftboy released an LED “smart mask” that allows you to input custom words and designs across the fabric.
We asked Cochran more about Daftboy and his showstopping masks.
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The Bold Italic: Tell us about yourself! Are you from the Bay Area?
Timothy Cochran: Hey, I’m Timothy Cochran, the daftest of daft boys. I’m not originally from the Bay Area. Actually, I got my start on a Navajo reservation where I grew up, then somehow made my way to Minnesota, and eventually landed myself in NYC in fashion and retail back when faux mohawks and fedoras were hot. (So hot.)
I’ve helped launch, manage, and promote dozens of brands, including Bare Escentuals, TIMGear, ModelCo, and more. I can’t even mention them all. I’ve mostly worked behind the scenes snagging coveted spots in some of the biggest fashion shows, not the least of which was the L.A. and New York fashion weeks. I’ve partnered with designers like Richie Rich, designing looks for brand promotion in addition to directing regional operations for multiple big retailers. I’ve jumped around a lot behind the scenes for other designers in all sorts of support and lead roles (kinda like Sia), and somehow I landed in San Francisco, where I’ve put down roots and started my own accessories brand, Daftboy.
