(Bloomberg Businessweek) -- Scientists use the term “Goldilocks zone” to describe Earth’s distance from the sun, where conditions are just right for habitable life. The best sleep mask would be the same—not too tight or too loose and, if we’re being honest, not boring but also not at all silly looking. London-based Derek Rose, a purveyor of high-end “off-duty clothing” since 1926, has figured out how to make a one-size-fits-all eye covering. The $100 Brindisi 42 mask is gently padded and made entirely from Italian silk; its name comes from the historic port on the Adriatic. Plus, it has an elastic strap that isn’t too constricting.
THE COMPETITION
• Frette, an Italian linen company started in 1860, offers an understated all-white sleep mask ($65) made of 400-thread-count cotton sateen that’s available through a partnership with St. Regis Hotels & Resorts.
• The $298 Restore travel kit from Lunya, a five-year-old women-focused brand out of Los Angeles, comes with a long-sleeve shirt, tank, leggings, socks, and a jumbo-size, cotton-blend sleep mask.
• With a decadent print in gold and black that’s designed like the plinth of an ancient Greek temple, the $275 Versace La Coupe des Dieux silk sleep mask is the one to bring to your audition for the next Christian Grey movie. It’s such a head-turner, the biggest threat to your rest might be other passengers asking you about it.
THE CASE
Why pay top dollar for a sleep mask when they’re included in many airlines’ first-class amenity kits? For one, the Brindisi is so light, it feels as if there’s nothing on your face. And crucially, it stays on through the night. It’s not the largest mask available, but its gentle, firm structure is incredibly smooth and soft, plus it’s surprisingly effective at blocking light, for its size. There are more sedate designs in solid navy and gray, but the coral reef illustration pictured above conveys luxury without being gauche. $100
To contact the author of this story: James Gaddy in New York at jgaddy@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Chris Rovzar at crovzar@bloomberg.net
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