
BAZAAR LATEX, top L-R: Dead Lotus Couture, Engineers of Desire, House of Harlot, Lacing Lilith. Bottom: Lady Lucie, Pandora Deluxe, Ritual London, Zorenko London
Le Boutique Bazaar: a pop-up fair for fashionable kinksters
A carefully curated collection of clothing and accessory designers offering a wide selection of erotic, haute fashion, unusual and/or avant garde goods, all under one trendy roof? It sounds too good to be true, but it’s coming to London this month!
London is in for a treat on Saturday September 13. That’s when fetish/alternative fashion market Le Boutique Bazaar launches at McQueen, an American bar/restaurant/club in trendy Shoreditch.
The pop-up-style event promises a carefully curated collection of clothing and accessory designers who will bring a wide selection of erotic, haute fashion, unusual and/or avant garde goods to this glamorous new venue.
London already has two monthly fetish markets, London Alternative Market (LAM) and London Fetish Fair (LFF), on the first and second Sundays of each month respectively.
Both events have a certain old-school charm and obvious appeal to the BDSM community. But they have never been the places to find more than the odd representative from either the big established names of fetish fashion or the scene’s younger, cutting-edge creatives.
In fact, since the Barbican Xpo ceased trading after two promising years in 2007 and 08, there hasn’t been anywhere in London offering access under one roof to even a modest cross-section of the vast array of fetish fashion and alt fashion talent that the capital boasts.
But that should all change at noon on Saturday 13, when the doors of McQueen open. Three sales floors will offer some three dozen fashion labels spanning latex, lingerie, corsetry, millinery and other wearables that are bound to titillate the tastebuds of fetishistas and fashionistas alike.
Designers will be selling items for immediate purchase on the day, but will also be taking deposits for pre-order, allowing potential customers a chance to meet them, see samples in the flesh and discuss their requirements, making purchasing that special item even easier.
And it is no coincidence that the timing of the first event provides a great opportunity to order something unique in time for Halloween, Christmas or New Year parties!
Many of the designers who’ve been seen on the TG catwalk – including our September cover choice Lacing Lilith – are supporting the opening event
The assembled brands have been curated by Charlotte TG of Torture Garden in collaboration with Alexandra Houston Marriott, latex enthusiast and proprietress of Wasted Chic, whose established pop-up sales at McQueen have provided the business blueprint for Le Boutique Bazaar.
Being officially co-hosted by Torture Garden of course gives the event instant cred with the fetish fashion crowd, and many of the designers who’ve been seen on the TG catwalk — including our September cover choice Lacing Lilith — are supporting the opening event.
A full vendor list can be found in the sidebar on the right.
It’s too early at the moment to say for certain how frequently Le Boutique Bazaar will convene thereafter — the organisers understandably want to see how the first one goes before committing.
But according to Charlotte, the most likely frequency will be approximately quarterly, with a view to giving shoppers about six weeks before major Torture Garden events to order something new to wear at those events.
“I’m basically trying to curate a hub for stylish designers to be in one place,” she explains. “I think a lot of TG people would like to buy more original outfits, but don’t really know where to start.
Le Boutique Bazaar
Anne Sophie Cochevelou
Ashanti Lou
Ayesha H
Chester Cordite
Dead Lotus Couture Latex
Dollies little Follies
Engineers of Desire
Enriko Davidovs
Filthy Dirty
FRED
House of Harlot
I like it Ruff
Itsy Bitsy Vintage Lingerie
Jed Phoenix of London
Kin-Key Interiors
Lacing Lilith
Lady Lucie Latex
Madame Cozier Millinery
Mantis London
Miss Katie
Pandora Deluxe Latex
Pearl Boudoir
Professor Malestromme
Purple Poison Jewellery
Reo Jewels
Ritual London
Rosita Bonita
Stripped Beautiful
TG Clothing
The Model Traitor
Titmore and Asspley crystal burlesque wear
Tirade 13
Valeria Marquisa Millinery
Zorenko London
Le Boutique Bazaar opens on September 13 from noon until 6pm at McQueen, 55 Tabernacle Street, London EC2A 4AA.
Admission on the day is £10, but if you join the LBB event page beforehand, the cost reduces to £7.
“So many designers complain that everyone just orders the colour combination featured in their catalogue, and I totally get why.
“But if you are going to spend a lot of money on an outfit, make sure that you’re the only one wearing it! Choose a trim in your favourite colour, and get it made two inches longer/shorter so it’s perfect for you…”
She believes a lot of people are nervous about contacting designers directly, and worry about measuring themselves. “So this way you can try samples, say what you like and don’t like, and get something perfect and really unique for your own style.”
She adds that she’s been “very pleasantly surprised” by people’s reaction when she’s told them she’s curating Le Boutique Bazaar.
“It’s very nice to hear that people like your style. The internet is a very bitchy place, so hearing nice things has been a welcome change! People are quite supportive when they realise that although its ‘TG’, it’s my baby.
“And Alex has always worn fabulous outfits and loves alt fashion in a slightly obsessive way. We really aren’t trying to tread on the toes of existing markets.
“LFF and LAM are great community events, and do what they do very well, but having run the door for TG for the last 14 years, I deal on a monthly basis with people that may be too intimidated by a more ‘fet-styled’ market, but really need some guidance.
In addition to its browsing and shopping opportunities, Le Boutique Bazaar will have an appropriate soundtrack provided by Charlotte herself, Lydia Darling, Hitman Hearne and Tony Trauma from TG, plus Wasted Chic DJs Belle & Bex and Chloe Fontaine.
And if that isn’t enough, there’ll be cheap cocktails on offer too. See you there.
I deal monthly on the TG door with people who may be too intimidated by a more fet-styled market, but really need some guidance
– Charlotte TG
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
Tags: Clothing, Exhibitions, Latex, Retail