“That is perfectly natural. Whenever we see something new, we always admire it and then quickly think what can we do that is different.
“We spend a very large amount of time and effort on development, research and innovation. This process is very important and has a lot of meaning because I believe the customer will be able to notice the difference in the end.
“For us this year will be concerned with presenting the Restricted Love collection to the wider world. It was presented at Lingerie London towards the end of last year as part of the charity event.
“But we are only just now finding time to put the pieces into general production so that we have all sizes and colour options available for those exciting new styles.
“It’s taken a long time to go from presentation to this stage — especially as it has been so crazy since then.”
‘We spend a very large amount of time on development, research and innovation. This is very important because the customer will notice the difference’ – Atsuko
Adds Simon: “We have also worked quite extensively on some punk influenced styles and we’ve provided some designs which are in the collections being sold as part of the Punk: Chaos to Couture exhibition at the Met Museum in New York. They feature a lot of stud and strap work!
“There’s something which may be appearing soon in Japan and we have some plans for the punky stuff in the UK.”
“We’ve also opened an AK Simple Shop on our website for those who want to shop at Atsuko Kudo without having to consider the incredible amount of couture options we offer [see Simple Shop Punk Selection gallery]. It’s good for browsing on mobiles and tablets too!”
‘Our new AK Simple Shop is for those who want to shop without having to consider the incredible amount of couture options we offer’
Given that Atsuko pioneered a number of the decorative ideas that have now become stock styles in many latex ranges — for example lace and leopard prints, floral/ rosebud trims and decorated gloves — how does she feel about these ideas ‘filtering down’ to other designers?
“In some ways it’s flattering that there have been so many ‘Atsuko Kudo-style’ designs (and whole labels!) over the past few years,” she admits, “but in other ways it does make us wonder why more effort isn’t spent on originality.
“On several occasions clients have asked us about a garment they’ve seen and just assumed was by AK, only to find it was actually ‘designed’ by someone else.
“What is shocking isn’t that other designers will do this, but that they want to waste their time doing something which has already been done. I don’t understand that.
“But in the end the best thing is to just move on, as the future is more interesting than the past.”
Beyond just perhaps ‘inspiring’ other designers to come up with similar looks, to what extent has the label been affected by blatant copying/outright piracy?
“From what I can see, AK mainly gets copied by western labels rather than far eastern ones,” the designer reckons.
Her partner adds: “We’ve had a few examples of this but fortunately many people understand that Atsuko Kudo is a very identifiable brand and is only made here in London.
“Therefore if you find AK for sale anywhere other than the official Atsuko Kudo website or one of our other official outlets, then either it’s a copy or maybe it’s one of the ‘tribute band’ versions of Atsuko Kudo.
“In any case true fetishistas probably know where to find us, and if they didn’t before, hopefully they will now!”
“Viewed as a timeline it’s very revealing how things have developed,” thinks Simon. “Key moments would include Eva Mendes shot by Steven Meisel for Vogue Italia, Gaga at Glastonbury, Gaga with the Queen, and Linda Evangelista in a couture AK gimp hood in homage to John Sutcliffe!
“Then there’s our first runway show in New York, the first London show last year, Selfridges, SHOWstudio, the V&A etc. But also very often the key moments are very small scale, almost private moments…
“Yes,” says Atsuko, picking up this thread, “for example, the tears of a large lady at the joy of us fitting her into her outfit. She couldn’t find anything that would fit and make her feel sexy so she was so happy when we did this.
“Those moments really stay with you,” Simon confirms. “There are many funny moments too. Doms always have great stories of course, but they’re not for retelling here!”
Given that the label seems to receive so many proposals for creative collaborations in the mainstream, how do the couple evaluate which projects to go with? Has their fetish background ever been a problem and has there been anything big that they’ve turned down?
“We choose every project from the heart,” says Atsuko. “If we think it’s going to look and feel amazing then we’ll probably do it!
“And we have found that as a general rule, those whose work we admire and who we have been fortunate to work with have turned out to be very lovely when that opportunity has come along.”
Adds Simon: We are also very fortunate that we seem to be embraced by a good few interesting creatives. Fashion creatives especially have really wanted to work with the brand in so many ways and we are very happy about that. It brings energy and excitement and breaks down barriers.
“I don’t think anyone these days is worried about a fetish background — quite the opposite! The only project we have passed on was when one very big superstar (who of course we cannot name) gave us the opportunity to dress her for her tour — at our expense!
“In other words, for the exposure. We refused this ‘opportunity’. We charge the same rates on everything for every customer no matter who they are because it costs us the same to do it.”
‘Five years ago it would have been difficult to imagine Atsuko Kudo in Selfridges or in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee photo exhibition at Windsor Castle’ – Simon
Looking to the future, where do the pair see AK’s business in five years’ time, and where do they think the overall latex industry will be? Specifically, what impact might the rise of Chinese latex manufacturers have had by then?
“Personally I’m not too good at crystal ball gazing really!” says Simon. “Five years ago it would have been difficult to imagine AK in Selfridges or in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee photo exhibition at Windsor Castle!
“For us, the main thing is to stay creative. We really don’t concern ourselves with issues such as cheaper Chinese imports, because we try to offer a very personal and creative service with the best possible designs in luxury latex. And we are here in London, which is definitely the capital city of latex!”
Finally, five years down the line, how important will the fetish, as opposed to fashion, market be to the Atsuko Kudo brand? The designer herself is in no doubt:
“Fetish and fashion will always stay strongly linked — maybe even more so than now. And hopefully we will stay working on all parts of our latex world. We hope to see you in Atsuko Kudo soon!”
First published June 6, 2013.
This version published June 22, 2015
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This is how Atsuko Kudo’s company describes the inspirations behind her Restricted Love collection, pictured here by Christopher James at Lingerie London in aid of the Seven Bar Foundation:
When love clearly exists but is not fulfilled because other emotions or circumstances restrict its full blossom, we are left with the deepest melancholy.
Unanswered questions of what might have been, drifting eternally through the memory. The joy of a love which was so tangible is tempered by the sorrow of a conclusion never reached. It is bitter-sweet.
Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood For Love encapsulates this feeling with its sensuous depiction of such an affair.
The film is set in the Hong Kong of the early 1960s but also has deeper resonances of fashions, customs, music and romance which delve further back in time to the Shanghai of the 1930s and beyond.
Suppressed emotions inhabit the shadows of these times and places.
Also, she has forever been inspired by the dark glamour of the decades of the mid-20th century — from Hollywood’s fascination with ‘noir’ and European couture through to Dior’s transformative elegance in the post-war years.
The Restricted Love collection is defined by the suppression and expression of emotions through the extraordinary use of latex, once again, as the only fabric Atsuko chooses for her work.
In Restricted Love, high Cheong Sam collars are viewed as neck corsets, bodies are armoured and corsetted, high boots are strictly laced and the lingerie is textured and layered.
Most often the latex is cut classically tight to the skin and of course is therefore restrictive.
These fetishistic elements are rendered in colours which reflect orientalism from previous times, but we are placed absolutely in the present with clothes designed explicitly to enhance the mood of this moment.
Walking and living through bitter-sweet memories, existing in sensuality, sexuality, self-expression, liberation, pain and joy — we are constantly reminded of how it feels when love is restricted.
And therefore how it may feel when love is released.
FETISHISTAS JUNE 2013 COVER
AND CURRENT ARTICLE BANNER
Our June 2013 cover image above (also used for the banner above this republished version) was photographed by Andrew Lamb at Lingerie London in aid of the Seven Bar Foundation. It features model Sarah B in Atsuko Kudo Candy Cup corset, High Waist briefs and matching accessories, all in antique gold lace.
LINGERIE LONDON
Hot on the heels of breakout successes Lingerie New York and Lingerie Miami, the Seven Bar Foundation made its first international foray on October 24, 2012 with the unprecedented Lingerie London in association with Total Management.
At this charity event, hosted by comedian Patrick Kielty and actress Dawn Porter, Atsuko Kudo unveiled her electrifying Restricted Love collection designed specifically for the event, with 17 stunning new latex outfits and accessories walking the London runway for the first time.
The event also featured the first Agent Provocateur London fashion show in five years.
Lingerie London achieved exposure in over 160 publications including Grazia UK, the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, the London Evening Standard, WWD, Marie Claire, OK!, Glamour, and the Huffington Post.
SEVEN BAR FOUNDATION
Philanthropic organisation The Seven Bar Foundation identifies as ‘the brand for the empowerment of women’. As a social enterprise, it fuels microfinance institutions by driving profits with purpose with cause-marketing brand partners.
To reach a critical mass with its ladder symbolic message, the Foundation hosts the top couture and luxury lingerie shows in the world — Lingerie New York, London, Miami, etc. With the Foundation’s alliances it enables women in need to start or grow their own small businesses, breaking the cycle of poverty for their children via microfinance.
The Foundation believes that microfinance is an effective tool to combat poverty and empower women because it fosters self-reliance and encourages sustainable development.
As loans are repaid to its microfinance partners, the funds are then reissued to other entrepreneurs. Investments in the Seven Bar Foundation are destined to help countless women over the long-term, constantly growing in size and increasing impact with every woman that the funds reach.
Many readers of this article will either have already visited the Atsuko Kudo store (above) on London’s Holloway Road, or will be planning to do so on a future visit to London. There are certainly advantages for personal shoppers, as Simon Hoare explained:
“Our Holloway Road premises include the shop, our design studio and offices. We’re very self-contained! The strength of that is that when people visit us, everything is to hand, including design staff, swatches, imagery and of course latex clothing.
“We carry a very extensive range of every type of garment — from head to toe. Just so long as it’s latex you require, the chances are we will have an example of almost every style in stock.
“Also, everyone is aware of AK ladieswear but one secret you can only find by visiting the AK shop is that we also have AK menswear — including many very nice accessories.”
Generally Atsuko Kudo doesn’t do wholesale, although it has placed capsule collections with a few carefully selected outlets. In recent times, its most prominent retail collaboration by far has been the AK pop-up shop in Selfridges. How did that come about and what has the experience been like?
“This was a little too hectic,” Simon confessed, “so we started a couple of weeks afterwards with the initial idea of running through to Valentine’s Day — which would have been about three months. But we are still in there now, another three months down the line!
“It’s been a huge learning curve. The people who work at Selfridges have been really good; we have worked closely with them on training the floor staff, on how to dress latex (yes really!) and on what we have thought would work well for both brands.
“We think that, largely, it has worked — and in a way that in itself is an achievement!
“We are in fact now stocked in a few different physical and online spaces worldwide: Coco de Mer, Selfridges, SHOWstudio, Luisa via Roma, La Petite Coquette and Moda Operandi. Each has its own way of presenting AK capsule collections.”
The Atsuko Kudo shop is located at
64 Holloway Road, London N7 8JL
(5 mins walk Highbury & Islington tube)
+44 (0)20 7697 9072 or (0)20 7700 4631
info@atsukokudo.com
Open: 10.30am–7pm Monday–Saturday
Atsuko Kudo main site
Restricted Love collection
Atsuko Kudo Simple Shop
Tags: Clothing, Designers, Fashion Shows, Latex
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