LATEX 101: MAY COVER STORY

A year earlier, my newly-launched online magazine had become the Expo’s media partner following the disconnection of both of us from Skin Two. 

Alongside promoting the Expo with editorial coverage, The Fetishistas also produced the Expo fashion shows — where, in 2008, Latex 101 made its catwalk debut.

Since then, our paths have crossed regularly, mainly at big European fetish events like the German Fetish Fair or Fetish Evolution. 

And I have watched as the clothing brand has grown in size, scope and sophistication — while never losing the friendly approachability that marked its early days. 

The label’s two founders — Richard and Stewart — are a gay couple from the north of England who started out, as Richard bluntly puts it, with “no fashion background but a huge interest in latex”.

The pair had decided in 2007 that there wasn’t enough latex menswear on the market that was colourful and interesting, and they fancied having a go at putting that right.

A decade on, their success is unquestionable, and Latex 101 has put its stamp firmly on the men’s rubber fashion scene. 

Today it boasts a large, well-priced, well-made clothing and accessories range that benefits enormously from its owners’ fan-like enthusiasm and willingness to invest in new materials and technology.

SOME LATEX 101 MILESTONES

For the first few years of its existence, the business grew steadily without stepping too far outside the partners’ comfort zone of fairly basic men’s latex in a few colour options. 

But when, around five years ago, Yummy Gummy launched its bespoke latex sheeting with multiple colourways including marbled and splatter effects, Latex 101 saw the possibility of adding a whole new level of pizzazz to its men’s styles.

What it now collectively calls its ‘marbled’ styles were an instant hit and are today a major trademark of the brand. 

At around the same time as the lads took a punt on an order from Yummy Gummy, they also decided to invest in a laser cutter with a big two metre bed.  

Bought initially with the aim of automating garment production, the laser cutter has subsequently been adapted to more creative uses.

The firm begun using it to etch patterns onto latex sheeting. This has resultied in Latex 101 today being as celebrated for its textured latex (it is the industry’s biggest producer) as for its vibrant ‘marbled’ styles.

With his background in IT, Richard was also intrigued by the possibility of using a 3D body scanner with the laser cutter to produce the ultimate fit and comfort in made-to-measure large garments like catsuits. 

After an intense and costly year of development, the company’s 3D Future Fit system was launched at the German Fetish Fair in Berlin two years ago. 

It was an immediate hit with customers. But, Richard admits, the back-end processing is currently still too time-consuming to be commercially viable, and further investment is needed to bring it properly to market.

However, another recent Latex 101 development definitely not beset by technological problems is the firm’s introduction of a women’s latex clothing range in the UK to complement its existing women’s accessory lines.

Rather than design the clothes themselves — something the partners consider to be outside their comfort zone — they approached major Netherlands-based fetish wholesaler and retailer Peter Domenie about selling his women’s latex range in the UK.

Domenie’s women’s latex is sold throughout continental Europe, but his brand is little known in the UK — other than to those who visit the big European fetish fairs where, like Latex 101, he regularly exhibits. 

A deal was struck with the Dutch company that has enabled Latex 101 to become the exclusive UK outlet for a stylish women’s latex line, while staying true to its image as first and foremost a men’s label. 

BEHIND THE HEADLINES:
IN THE BEGINNING

How did this pair of “nice boys from the north” progress from being back-bedroom hobbyists making shorts and tops that they sold on eBay to running the business that is Latex 101 today?

Richard (who does most of the talking) reminds me that, when the pair decided to “have a go” in 2007, the latex menswear scene in the UK was pretty small-scale.

“It consisted of three London designers — Expectations, Regulation and D-Vote (who was very new) — plus Invincible who’d been around for probably about ten years. 

“Then there were the big names in the straight market — Westward Bound, Libidex, Honour — but none were focusing on men.”

I suggest that the latter three sensibly concentrated on the women’s market because women buy more stuff, while men are not very adventurous.

“No they’re not,” Richard agrees. “But we made a purposeful, conscious effort to get men more interested.”

Richard bought a copy of Sian-Kate Mooney’s famous how-to book Making Latex Clothes (now out of print), then the pair went shopping for materials.