The name Eustratia was passed down to me from my Greek grandmother and it means the good or right way, in regards to the path one takes.

I wanted to learn how to make latex garments because their construction wasn’t obvious. I was used to the appearance of fabric clothes and how they were created (the aforementioned grandmother was a seamstress).

But latex clothes were beautiful and mysterious and I couldn’t wait to learn their secrets.

Fetish fashion is interesting to me because the focus is on how the items make the wearer feel. I also enjoy the symbolism. I feel like there is more to explore and the finished article is more valuable to the recipient.

So much of mainstream fashion is meaningless and easily discarded. This really isn’t something I want for my creations.

By the time I started university in Manchester, I knew that I would most likely be starting my own brand and business. I wanted to be as well-equipped to do that as possible so I spent some time searching for the most suitable course.

I enrolled in Fashion Design and Technology instead of the straight-up fashion course which would have played to my more traditional strengths of moodboards and illustrations.

I made this decision despite barely being able to use a computer at the time, and knowing I would probably have a hard four years ahead.

The four years included an internship placement year, which I was apprehensive about at the time but which ended up being a fantastic experience.

I sourced my own placement and had the opportunity to work as part of the team at Cyberdog Camden, a brand whose ethos and design aesthetic I had admired for a few years. (I returned a few years later to design a latex collection for them!)

A lot of things about university and the quality of learning were not as I imagined, and I consider myself self-taught in many aspects of my business.

But I am grateful for my conceptual development skills, and the pattern cutting and construction techniques we practised have definitely given me an edge.

I find it easy to create new patterns and alter them for custom orders, which is an invaluable skill when working alone.

I decided to start my own label in Manchester because it seemed to me that the latex on the market at the time was limited in style. I wanted to create latex with all the inspiration and influences available in the vast world of fashion.

The point of latex fashion is to have a fantasy element and I could think of so many new ways to do that.

First latex designs, 2009

I started making latex clothing in 2009. I designed and made my inaugural collection, Dryad, in 2010 and officially launched Eustratia as a business in January 2011.

Shortly after this followed my first ever feature — in none other than The Fetishistas — and I staged my debut fashion show at Torture Garden in April, on my 25^th birthday.

I celebrated my  birthday backstage at Mass in Brixton, eating cake with my models. Although not all aspects of the show went as smoothly as I had planned, I had a fantastic line-up of models and a unique show featuring elements of ballet and belly dance to a specially composed soundtrack, as well as storytelling.

The latter went on to become a signature element in Eustratia shows to come.

Although I was a regular TG model at the time, I wasn’t sure if I should be part of my own show, or if I should model for my own brand at all. As it happened, a couple of people pulled out at the last minute and I did end up being in the show.

This also set a precedent for future events: I was always my own backup. If I could get enough models or if someone pulled out, I knew I could model my own designs.

With time, I actually came to rely on myself being able to take on that role. It was helpful because I knew the concepts and what the finished outcome looked like in my head. But it was also good for team building.

It’s a lot easier to get a group of people to take slightly off-the-wall direction if you’re also taking part. I never asked my models to do something I wouldn’t do and I think that helped me form stronger relationships with them.

As time went on, it also gave me a valuable insight into my own products. I have worn every single item on my website, so it’s easy for me to advise customers which Eustratia design would be best suited to their purpose.

My initial goal was to show at Fashion Week in London and elsewhere, and bring latex further into the fashion world, so for the first three years I released a collection every season.

I focused on different key elements for each one, and it was during this period that I tried out the largest variety of new techniques and discovered what would later become the signature features of the Eustratia brand.

Dryad Collection, 2010

Dryad photo: Jason Harry

For my inaugural latex collection Dryad, developed as part of my final collection for university, I focused on my signature latex-lace fabric and triple pleated ruffs, another favourite that has stood the test of time.

I had already spent time deciding on the precise technique I wanted to use for the latex-lace the year before and actually, when I first developed it, I was researching a way to add a pattern onto latex that wouldn’t rub off.

I made it with a translucent latex base and was actually planning to use it with the latex layer on top so the lace pattern was visible through it.

I changed my mind when I looked at the underside more closely and realised the added texture fitted in with my concept of mixing more tactile materials with the sleek, smooth latex.

As a brand, Eustratia has a dark and a light side. Dryad — a wood nymph in Greek mythology — was a balanced collection, featuring light and dark looks in equal parts.