QUEEN OF THE DESERT: Ausrie Fel steps out in studded latex maxi-dress (photo: Ausrie Fel)
Ausrie Fel sees her market as “often a mix of goth and metal fans” as her latex is very much inspired by those cultures and the music she listens to when she’s creating.
“I like to mix and play with different fabrics and incorporate those into latex as much as I can. And I plan to do so even more in the future.
“It is also making an outfit more wearable, and I’m all about the comfort nowadays.
“For example, latex-and-fishnet dress or pants. You can wear those to a gig and you won’t sweat like crazy while still looking glamorous at the same time.”
A lot of small latex labels have to rely heavily on the goodwill of models and photographers in order to get pictures they can use to promote their designs.
Ausrie Fel is one of relatively few who can handle everything in-house very proficiently. But does she do that mainly because it’s quicker/easier/cheaper, or is there also a strong desire to retain artistic control?
“It just gives me the power to deliver the vision exactly as I imagine. I’ve indeed worked with a lot of different photographers and models in the past and it often didn’t work out exactly as I wanted.
“It’s just easier for me to do it all by myself. Or to work with the ones I trust the most, those who understand my world.
“Tim Williams, a dear friend of mine, is one of the few photographers I constantly work with and trust a lot. Shelly d’Inferno is one of the most wonderful models out there and I could not recommend her enough.”
Returning to the subject of Ausrie’s current location in Peterborough, I ask her if she has found it much of an impediment to attending fetish events in London
My question assumes that she probably likes going to AntiChrist or Torture Garden for example, so her answer quite surprises me.
“I don’t often participate in fetish events, maybe AntiChrist once a year, so I couldn’t tell. I travel a lot to London, but mostly to meet friends or go to metal gigs.
“I don’t find participating in markets [such as LAM or LBB] to be a necessity since I’d have to create a lot of stock of similar items in different sizes, and I don’t find that sort of thing particularly enjoyable and inspiring.
“Not to mention the experience is usually quite limited to that specific event, while selling online opens the doors to a worldwide audience.”
“I was invited to all those events and it was a good motivation to create collections as well as to meet some people who follow my work and had come to the event to watch my show.
“I did a market at one of those events and it was a very tiring experience and didn’t work for me. However, the catwalk videos of my fashion shows are always a big hit online afterwards — people like to see those!”
While all three of the above events were fetish weekends, Ausrie doesn’t necessarily see fetish events as the best places for her to have a presence.
“For future shows, I’d rather present my stuff at more alternative/metal sorts of event. But I have thought of attending the German Fetish Ball Weekend and the new Avantgardista Weekend, and who knows, maybe I will someday.
“But for now, I just focus on what my gut feeling is regarding the future, and it is to expand to new horizons.”
Many would say, of course, that latex itself has expanded to new horizons, becoming desirable public attire for celebrities and allowing some labels such as Atsuko Kudo and Tableaux Vivants to find acceptance as high fashion brands.
So how does Ausrie Fel view the current relationship of latex to mainstream fashion?
“I hate to speculate on such topics normally. But since the culture is evolving, and we have so many designers popping up with intriguing designs and mixing latex with other fabrics, it is catching mainstream attention more and more.
“A lot of customers I get are the ones who have never tried a latex outfit before. And it’s always exciting to make something for them.”
Even, perhaps, if they don’t realise that, on top of everything else, it’s cruelty free.
AUSRIE FEL: PHOTOGRAPHER LINKS
Antoni Sans
Ausrie Fel
Black Sheep Group
D-Punk
Heimdallr Photo
Philip Faith
Shelly d’Inferno
Tim Williams
BELOW: Click a preview then click any thumbnail to start slideshow of Ausrie Fel Tops & Bottoms pix
Tags: Clothing, Designers, Latex, Models
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