Bedroom to Catwalk: Let’s Talk Latex

Imagine everything from a fetishist's dream; kinky boots, seconds skins made out of latex and leather, corsets, gloves, body piercings. Without a doubt, you can find all of these on the catwalk today. Yet despite designers using the fashion industry as a means of "normalising" such risqué materials and aesthetics which previously would have not been seen outside of the bedroom, the use and wearing of latex has still remained a central arousal amongst fetishists.

By: Monica Sgouros

Although relatively new to fashion, latex and rubber has been around a lot longer than some may think. In 1823, Charles Macintosh patented a new material that was water resistant, malleable and wearable (although it had the tendency to melt when too hot), and so the Mac jacket was born and is still today an icon of British fashion. However, in spite of the Mac’s core purpose of functionality, it did not take long for its aesthetic qualities to pave the way for the coat’s place amongst the likes of furs and silks and other fetish materials.

It is notable that the occurrence of World War 2 also played its role in the promotion of protective clothing within the confines of a fetishist’s underworld. Gas masks and thick, rubber gloves had become a pivotal accessory in the kinky domain of fetish wear.

It appears though, that the real defining moment for latex as a socially accepted material was the cultural phenomenon of Catwoman, in the 1960s. Her shiny, figure-hugging catsuit ensued a sexual awakening amongst a society that had once shunned the fetish lifestyle. Latex and the likes were now regarded as materials that possessed sexual qualities by not only those whom had had a prior predilection for the fabric, but now also by an entire generation of people. The rise of latex paved the way for designers such as Vivienne Westwood to bring forth the fetish aesthetic into the fashion world.

Several celebrities have also been known to not shy away from the bold look, Lady Gaga in particular has championed the wearing of Latex; even when she met the Queen she wore a latex dress designed by Atsuko Kudo.

London brand, Atsuko Kudo Latex has had their bespoke designs showcased by not only Lady Gaga, but also Beyonce and Kim Kardashian. And more widely known, designer labels such as Givenchy, YSL and Jean Paul Gaultier have used latex, rubber, leather and other materials associated with fetish wear in their catwalk collections. The idea of someone dressed in latex has shifted from a fetish context to a high-fashion context, while retaining its high sex-appeal.

So the question is… Are you ready to dare to be bold in the high-gloss, skin-tight, ultra-sexual material that is latex?

Aktar, A. (2015). Why latex is moving from the red room to the red carpet. New York Post. [online] Available at: http://nypost.com/2015/03/04/why-latex-is-moving-from-the-red-room-to-the-red-carpet/ [Accessed 18 Feb. 2017].

Avins, J. (2014). A brief, shiny history of ladies (and lads) in latex. [online] Quartz. Available at: https://qz.com/299633/200-years-of-latex-clothing-from-secret-fetish-to-high-fashion/ [Accessed 18 Feb. 2017].