PANDORA DELUXE, London
Mags Chapman, owner
PANDORA DELUXE’S Mags and Michael (pic: TM)
The Brexit effect on our business? In the short term, we have not seen any notable changes that can be traced back to the referendum result, but it’s still early days. Depending on how/if ever the Brexit outcome is implemented, this could mean a boon for exports due to a weaker pound. Conversely, the slowed growth/recession likely to happen in conjunction with this would probably mean raised taxes for businesses such as ours, and weaker consumer spending in the UK, potentially worldwide. But the latex fashion industry has in the past proven quite resilient to economic downturn, so we’re on the whole upbeat about our future in a post-Brexit world.
How will it affect the wider fetish world? The main concern would be freedom of travel. We have a very vibrant, cross-pollinating European fetish clubbing and fair scene that could suffer from any newly introduced visa requirements for UK attendees at club nights in Amsterdam, Berlin or any of the other continental capitals, and vice-versa. But any such changes, if they would indeed happen at all, are at least two to three years in the future, so its really too early to tell.
ROBIN ARCHER DESIGN, London
Robin Archer, owner
ROBIN ARCHER (ex-House of Harlot) (pic: TM)
The Brexit effect on my business? Well, right now, post-House of Harlot, I am fortunate enough to be still on ‘gardening leave’, and waiting for a pattern to emerge showing me what I should, could and want to be doing. I’m taking it slow for the summer and not rushing in to start something new, the wrong way. I have another book to finish which has been on hold since my preoccupations with closing HoH Limited. My main plan is to act as a Designer, not a manufacturer, and to source production on the fly, when required. I also want to devote my time to creative projects, and not be required to sell products to make rent, taxes and overheads. How Brexit influences that remains to be seen. I am already working on projects with several of my custom-design customers from before, though none of them are Europe-based.
As for other British latex businesses, with so many talented producers in the UK, they will have the benefit of a devalued pound I suppose, but then there will be a question mark over the viability of their businesses as well. Confidence in suppliers has already become an issue for customers. With latex coming from the Far East, EU trading rules will not affect it duly, but prices will indubitably rise on what is already an expensive material. Our ability to buy, whether materials or labour, is what will have the most profound long-term effect.
How will it affect the wider fetish world? I never thought it was influenced by politics and borders. Like-minded people enjoying like-minded things know no bounds, unless those are the bounds of bondage and masks. People will still find ways to travel to events, working as performers and showpeople, fantasists and designers, wherever that may be. Perhaps a removal from the European association will push our British designers to look elsewhere for clientèle. But it will be a challenging time for what is predominantly an artisan-driven industry. I am glad I am not running a business in that way now.
I repeat, I think that customer confidence is the key. With the potential contraction of the British economy, the home market will be extremely difficult, with customers anxious about their ability to justify the expense. I think we had already experienced that in the run-up to the referendum. But a British economy flying solo, in a few years, who knows? I don’t. There are so many conflicting opinions from the so-called experts — the same experts who got it all so wrong pre-referendum.
My personal views on Brexit? I think it’s a disaster for the country in many ways. It has illustrated the spineless, self-serving, directionless character of contemporary politics and politicians, and the resultant massively divided thought processes and feelings of the nation as a whole. An ‘us and them’ society.
I like Europe and I like Europeans. I voted Remain. But I also felt that the EU probably made it very difficult for small businesses to thrive.
WESTWARD BOUND, Plymouth
Steve Beech, MD
WESTWARD BOUND MD Steve Beech
The Brexit effect on our business? Short term gain as the pound falls and value goes up for non-UK customers. It’s been a very busy week for us too.
Projecting forward, who knows? It is a total leap in the dark. But it’s reasonable to presume higher costs of raw materials, energy and the rest.
When you are the second most powerful economy out of 28 with a customer base of 518 million, why would you elect to remove yourself to outside the city gates and lose access to the market? Not a smart move. Add to this the loss of any strength in your negotiating position. The UK has bent itself over a barrel. Taking the deal that comes your way might appeal as a fantasy to a few people I know. But it’s not a responsible way to govern a country.
How will it affect the wider fetish world? The wider implications of authoritarian state control are a clamp down on all aspects of human life; freedom of expression is the enemy of any authoritarian state. It is unfortunate that the conservative party do not have any high calibre candidates to fill the vacuum of their own making. Pure individual, power-hungry, dodgy politics at its worse; it is like watching House of Cards on steroids.
‘Projecting forward, who knows? It is a total leap in the dark. But we can presume higher costs of raw materials and the rest’ – Steve Beech, Westward Bound
For the economy of the UK, it will mean a shedding of jobs as inward investment ceases.
An added concern is the use of clear racism within elements of the Leave campaign and the ugly side of nationalism that rides with it. All very backwards and socially ugly, not how a modern and forward thinking society should behave.
I love being part of a forward-thinking Europe with its roots not in its vile colonial past but within the enlightenment. Education, acceptance, and freedom of expression are all part of this mix, and the fetish scene fits well within it.
The whole referendum was a faction fight within the Conservative party and they should be ashamed for having placed it within the public arena. Such issues belong within the realm of informed discourse, not pub politics.
Nobody was really voting Out, they were simply voting In to a vacuum. There is no such thing as a No vote unless you have a valid place to go. Call me old-fashioned but I like to know where I am going, even if it is not perfect.
I appreciate that the No vote was a protest against the status quo of modern neoliberalist capitalism. The system stinks. But I simply do not think the UK committing economic and legislative suicide is the best way forward.
YUMMY GUMMY LATEX, Hitchin
Rebecca Allsop, owner
The Brexit effect on my business? The thing for me with this is that, since the company whose knowledge I came from was knocked out by the last recession, I am understandable nervous about the next recession predicting to hit. Personally I want to buy a house now house prices may go down, but if my income and the cost of living go down and up respectively then I won’t be able to live. I can only hope that overseas sales increase on my website. I will be doing the best I can to encourage website purchasing by introducing online exclusive collections and limited editions. If I go quiet I will try and model more, but if the British public have no money then there will be less of that kind of work going around as well. I really hope they don’t invoke Article 50 as we’re crashing already before it’s even happened. I’ve not checked the price of my latex, which I buy from a UK supplier by the 25kg. I can only assume it will go up but I hope it won’t be by more than a few pounds.
I also worry about trading overseas, specifically in Germany. I’ve not looked at next year’s German fetish markets [in Essen and Berlin] because we don’t know what hoops we might have to jump through or if the markets will even be running after all this mess.
How will it affect the wider fetish world? The last time there was a recession, everyone cut back on their fetish and it knocked a whole load of businesses out. I see exactly the same thing happening again. Everyone talks about when Erotica filled an Olympia hall and now that’s gone, and even without recession we’re losing big longstanding companies like House of Harlot. I don’t want to have to give up Yummy Gummy before I’ve really got going, and I saw this as my forever job. But this could be the thing that ruins me and forces me to get a ‘real job’ again.
There will be some people that will still buy their kink toys and clothes, but ‘some’ doesn’t keep a company going. If the majority don’t keep up their spending then a lot of businesses are going to die out. It’s going to be a time of change and I hope I and my suppliers and manufacturers can ride the wave with me and come out at the other end, perhaps battered and bruised but still in business.
My personal views on Brexit? I just hope ‘they’ see sense and just tell the leavers that it’s not possible, and to do so is suicide for our country and then the whole of the EU.
A second referendum would probably lean in favour of staying now that all the lies have come true and the reality of it has hit.
4D RUBBER/SUPATEX, Heanor
Joe Lewis, marketing
4D/SUPATEX marketing man Joe Lewis
The Brexit effect on our business? The short answer to this question is that we don’t currently know, like most businesses in the UK, until the terms of exit are thrashed out in more detail. What I would say is that there is little to worry about with regards to cost pricing of our latex sheeting due to the way the company is naturally structured with raw material suppliers. As a business exporting around the world, there is a short term benefit with the lower pound making our products more competitive.
Looking forward, it is critical for us to have access to all markets and continuing unhindered trade with the EU is very important to us. We also need stability and certainty. The main practical points that concern us relate to CE marking (for medical) and also concerns with what will be involved with the export and logistics. If and when the UK and EU divorce has been settled, will exporting into EU countries become more onerous and expensive with new duties, taxes , paperwork etc?
From a business perspective, the single market is the most important element to this whole debate. Leaving the single market could have dramatic consequences for the prospects for our economy. It may also lead to many UK companies having to review the way they operate. However, we still remain confident in the global reputation of British brands. There is huge respect for the ‘Made in Britain’ badge, especially in premium, niche companies like Supatex and Four D Rubber. The quality of our products is paramount and this is what will keep customers coming back to us regardless of political uncertainty.
Like many people in the international business community, we have arrangements that have worked well for a long time and so there was no need for change. However, the decision has been taken and we must now work with it and find the best way through it. Supatex and Four D Rubber are strong enough to weather the uncertainty and we remain completely committed to providing the leading latex fashion material to our customers around the world.
This industry has shown itself to be remarkably robust regardless of the economic ups and downs and we have no reason to expect this to change. We have lots of exciting plans in the pipeline to develop our products and offerings and it is more important than ever that we see these through. Our new website has been very well received and is really helping to grow our international presence and make it easier for customers everywhere to work with us.
We reckon Westward Bound’s Britannia set of Union Flag-themed latex garments, modelled by Germany’s Ophelia Overdose and photographed by Erik von Gutenberg and Moritz Maibaum, provide perfect complementary illustrations for our Brexit Effect article.
Our thanks to Steve Beech at Westward Bound for providing such a generous selection of images.
(Additional image credit: banner image digital artwork by Miss Overdose and The Fetishistas)
The Britannia set, originally created in honour of the London Olympics in 2012, consists of the following latex items, all of which are depicted in our article and currently available from Westward Bound:
Britannia Dress, £225 (shown on our July cover, in the main Brexit article banner and on article page 2)
Britannia Fascinator, £54 (featured on our July cover and in all Brexit article images)
Britannia Collar, £44.50 (featured in Brexit article page 1 and page 3 images)
Britannia Bra, £97 (featured in Brexit article page 1 and page 3 images)
Britannia Briefs, £69 (featured in Brexit article page 1 and page 3 images)
Britannia Suspender Belt, £92 (featured in Brexit article page 1 and page 3 images)
Britannia Stockings, £109 (featured in Brexit article page 1 and page 3 images)
Britannia Mitts, £22 (featured in Brexit article page 1 and page 3 images)
For more information and to order any of these items, visit:
westwardbound.com/search/britannia
COOL BRIT: Westward Bound’s Britannia range was created to mark 2012’s London Olympics (Photos: Moritz Maibaum; model: Ophelia Overdose)
Tags: Business Matters, Community, Designers, Discounts and Sales, Latex, Legal issues, Retail
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