什么是“脸基尼”?脸基尼正式走红中国

A French ban on the burkini -- a swimsuit that covers the whole body except for the face, hands and feet -- has prompted fierce debate, but women in one part of China are wondering what all the fuss is about.

上月，法国海滩禁止女性穿“布基尼”的消息引发了激烈争论。所谓“布基尼”，就是只露出脸和手脚的全身包裹式泳衣。而中国某地的女性却对此禁令全然不解。

The "facekini" has been popular attire on beaches in eastern China for several years, especially in the city of Qingdao, a seaside city of 9 million.

海滩服饰“脸基尼”已盛行中国东部地区多年，尤其是在拥有900万人口的海滨城市青岛。

The skin-tight elasticated fabric masks cover a swimmer's entire head and neck. Holes are cut for eyes, nostrils, mouth and, in some cases, pony tails. Most facekinis cover up the rest of the torso as well.

这种面罩能包住游泳者整个头部和脖颈，布料紧贴肌肤且有弹力。可以露出眼睛、鼻孔和嘴巴，有时甚至为马尾辫预留了开口。连体“脸基尼”也会裹住身体其他部分。

"I've been using a facekini for nearly ten years," says Wang Huimei, 58, a Qingdao local who goes to the beach almost everyday in summer.

58岁的青岛居民王慧梅(音)说：“我穿‘脸基尼’有近十年了。”夏天时，她几乎每天都去海滩。

"It's way better than sunscreen lotion that wears off whenever I get inside the water. Plus, the water in this area tends to be cold, it's comfortable to wear and it keeps me warm."

“比起遇水就会化开的防晒霜，‘脸基尼’防晒效果好多了。我们这儿的水也挺凉，穿着它舒服又保暖。”

Zhang Shifan says she's the inventor of the facekini and has sold them on Taobao since 2007. She also has a brick-and-mortar store.

张式范女士称自己是“脸基尼”的发明者。自2007年起，她就在淘宝网销售“脸基尼”。她还拥有一家实体店。

The garment was originally designed to protect people from jelly fish bites.

起初，这种泳衣是为了防止海蜇的蛰伤。

"Suntan protection was a secondary feature but now it's the major appeal to my customers," she adds.

张式范补充道：“防晒本是它的第二个特性，但现在成了顾客购买的主因。”