2018 already seems to be a great year for latex fashion, with a handful of designers really embracing latex as serious fashion fabric. It feels such a long time till the next Fashion Weeks start in September, so I thought it would be fun to look back at the latex fashion I have seen on the runway so far this year…
To start with we cannot forget the fetish party extravaganza that was Jeremy Scott’s Millan Moschino show! Scott payed homage to BDSM and queer culture in his stand-out show. It was really great to see a fashion house incorporate fetish into fashion. I think we can all agree that it was a pretty awesome show.
On the other side of the latex spectrum, there has been a rise in what some designers are calling ‘latex couture’ – which is just a fancy name for latex fashion really. Paris couture fashion week back in January, was the first time I noticed the term ‘latex couture’ being used. British designer, Claire Waight Keller made her couture debut for Givenchy. Overall the collection was far more approachable then your classic couture collection (obviously minus the price tag). The 40 piece collection revolved around evening wear, with beautiful ombre-dyed skirts and sliver beaded dresses. But there was something in there for every woman, with four ‘male’ looks available to order too. The latex pieces where seamlessly incorporated into the collection, with most agreeing that they were a great addition to the show. The use of latex definitely challenged the classic idea of couture femininity – my favourite piece had to be the bright blue latex trench coat!
However, it is not actually the first time Givenchy have experimented with latex. Back in 2016, Givenchy collaborated with Atsuko Kudo to create that all so famous Beyoncé dress for the Met Gala. At the time it really divided opinions and got people talking. Even if you didn’t like the dress, as latex lovers we can definitely appreciate the craftsmanship that went into creating the dress. Every pearl was attached by hand using a secret technique, while the actual latex fitted Beyoncé’s curves perfectly.
More recently, the fashion house Nina Ricci incorporated latex into their Paris fall 2018 show. The collection was a continuation of last season’s military-themed show. Latex made two appearances, the first being a sleek metallic sliver trench coat. While the second was a beautiful full length latex copper cape. As with the Givenchy show, I think the latex really added something to the collection and was a great contrast to the more classic fabrics used.
I’m keeping my eyes peeled for more latex on the runway and really hope we see more and more fashion houses embracing latex. If you see any out there please to hesitate to tag us and let us know!