Latex on show: Latest celebrity appearances in fetish looks

LATEX ON SHOW: LATEST CELEBRITY APPEARANCES IN FETISH LOOKS

Latex has made some notable celebrity-worn appearances in the last few weeks — not least at the Cannes Film Festival — and was also among the fetish-inspired looks modelled by actress Anya Taylor-Joy (above, and below left) for her in-depth cover interview with Olivia Ovenden for British GQ magazine (published May 22).

Although black leather (including a biker jacket by Alexander Wang and chunky thighboots by Dion Lee) was the dominant fabric for the GQ looks inspired by her titular role in this year’s Mad Max prequel Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, latex also got a look-in courtesy of high waist briefs by Atsuko Kudo and a bra by Elissa Poppy. But to be honest, even without the nod to latex, this GQ article is well worth the attention of anyone with fetish sensibilities.

Top image: Anya Taylor-Joy In Alexander Wang biker jacket, Dolce & Gabbana gloves and Dion Lee thigh boots (photo: Jack Bridgland for GQ)

Anya Taylor-Joy (left) in latex high waist briefs by Atsuko Kudo. Jacket, gloves and boots as top image (photo: Jack Bridgland for GQ). Right: Singer Normani in translucent green Avellano latex bodysuit

And that’s even if you only look at the article’s photographs by Jack Bridgland. A couple of these feature Anya in a black Maitresse-style wig teamed either with a red leather greatcoat by Ludovic de Saint Sernin or with black leather jacket plus laced-front trousers by Dilara Fındıkoğlu and serious platform shoes by Marc Jacobs.

So we make no excuses for including this mega-talented screen goddess as the headliner in this roundup of recent celebrity fetishwear appearances. The GQ outfits nicely suit her self-confessed “reputation for fighting for feminine rage” — something she talks about quite a bit in the interview — read it in full here.

Moving on from high-end leather to Avellano latex and from actress to musician, we encounter Atlanta-born singer Normani (above right), who’s been recording as a solo artist since her departure from top-selling girl group Fifth Harmony in 2018.

Latex on show: Normani wears Avellano bodysuit in Astrakan Effect textured latex

No stranger to latex, Normani can currently be seen on social media posing in a translucent green Avellano bodysuit to promote her single 1:59 (released in April) and her forthcoming album Dopamine (release date June 14). We also a found a great shot of Normani wearing another Avellano bodysuit, this one in the designer’s recently launched Astrakan Effect textured latex (above). The photo shows the effect very clearly; the coat she’s wearing is also made from the same Astrakan Effect fabric.

Latex on show at Cannes Film Festival 2024: Avellano and gowns rule!

The annual Cannes Film Festival proved itself to be quite a magnet for latex-loving celebs last year, not least because of their enthusiastic embrace of the relatively new Avellano label. Based in Paris, designer Arthur Avellano has utilised treatments such as chlorination to offer latex garments that are not just fashion-forward but also easy to wear, making them ideal for fashionistas who want the look without the lubing, as it were.

Cannes do: Model Clara Berry (left) in Avellano backless evening gown in Snakeskin latex. Right: Dixie D’Amelio in Avellano olive green latex gown

While there was perhaps not so much latex at this year’s event (May 14–25), what we’ve seen that was worn there was undeniably classy, with floor-sweeping latex gowns undoubtedly the look du jour. Of the four that attracted most media coverage, three were by Avellano and one was by Atsuko Kudo, who many would consider to be the pioneer of this particular elegant feminine latex look.

First up (above left) from our Cannes quartet is model and Instagram star Clara Berry, wearing a backless evening gown from Avellano’s AW2024 collection. The ‘net’ pattern you can see identifies the fabric as the designer’s Snakeskin textured latex. What you can’t see in this shot is that the skirt flares out from mid thigh and ends in a substantial train at the rear.

You can, however, see a very similar effect in the olive green gown (above right) that US singer Dixie D’Amelio chose from the same collection, which has a similar cut except for its bra-style top. This dress is also an example of Avellano’s taste for muted latex colours.

Drag queen performer Keiona (left) in Avellano white Astrakan Effect latex gown. Right: German model/TV presenter Rebecca Mir in Atsuko Kudo ruby red latex Tulip gown with train

Prize for the longest latex train at Cannes goes to our third Avellano creation, the white gown worn (above left) by drag queen performer and Drag Race France winner Keiona, which again uses the designer’s Astrakan Effect latex, although sadly it’s hard to see the pattern in this shot.

Thus it was left to German model and TV presenter Rebecca Mir to add some UK-originated latex style to the festival’s red carpet and other Cannes locations. She wore Atsuko Kudo’s Tulip Gown with Train in ruby red — another example of how latex in a muted shade can add even more elegance to an already elegant style.

Sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner in latex by Alaïa and Poster Girl

Kendall Jenner in latex dress by Alaïa (photo: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott for Vogue Summer edition)

Sticking with the seaside, we find Vogue’s choice for its Summer edition cover, Kendall Jenner, sharing her philosophy of life in an in-depth interview by Rob Haskell, accompanied by (mostly) beach-based photography by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, shot at One&Only Mandarina, Mexico. This was not the kind of article in which we expected to find any latex on show, so it was a pleasant surprise to scroll right to the end and find her relaxing by the pool in an Alaïa latex dress (above) that perfectly complemented her tan.

Then whaddya know? Kendall only pops up again — alongside sister Kylie — for a promo shoot in which Kylie is wearing London bodycon fashion brand Poster Girl’s Whistle Midi Dress in red latex. This particular dress is very simple, but the Poster Girl range also includes some cute/decorative designs that are relatively unusual to find in latex. The downside, if you’re used to the kind of prices regular latex labels charge, is that the cost of these garments reflects the higher price environment of the high fashion scene Poster Girl caters for.

Below: Kylie Jenner in Poster Girl Whistle midi dress in red latex, with sister Kendall