Rubber and PVC fetishism

Lara Worthington wearing a latex catsuit in 2021

Rubber fetishism, or latex fetishism, is the fetishistic attraction to people wearing latex clothing or other natural or synthetic rubber garments, or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves. PVC fetishism is closely related to rubber fetishism, with the former referring to shiny clothes made of the synthetic plastic PVC. PVC is sometimes confused with the similarly shiny patent leather, which is also a fetish material. Latex or rubber fetishists sometimes refer to themselves as "rubberists". Male rubberists tend to call themselves "rubbermen".

Origins

Rubber has long been regarded as a sensuous material because of its unique look, smell and feel.[1] The practical wear of rubber or rubber-bonded materials dates back to the 19th century.[1] In 1824, Charles Macintosh created a design for rubber-coated fabric that was used in the famous Mackintosh coat. Although designed for practical purposes, it found a fetishistic following.[2] The wearing of rubber clothing became a fad among those who could afford it, starting from the 1850s and only ending in the 1890s, when it fell out of fashion for public wear.[3]

The 20th century featured a progression of fetishistic interest from "soft" materials like silk and fur towards "hard"-looking materials like leather and plastic.[4] Cassidy George of the BBC credits British designer John Sutcliffe with the reemergence of latex fashion in the 1950s, as his development of weather resistant clothing for bikers resulted in the creation of the first rubber catsuit.[1] The 1960s and 1970s saw rubber fetishism enter wider public perception, with dedicated magazines like AtomAge and the British TV series The Avengers, which featured Diana Rigg wearing rubber and leather clothing.[5][1]

The 1980s saw the emergence of the fetish club scene, with Skin Two magazine featuring extensive coverage of the rubber clothing scene.[6] Rubber clothing then made its way from the club scene into high fashion.[6]

Numerous underground fetish production houses were started throughout the 1980s and 1990s, publishing magazines such as Shiny, Shiny International, Marquis, «O», Rubberist, and Dressing for Pleasure (which later merged with Rubberist),[7] as well as the works of rubber fetish authors such as Helen Henley.[8]

Prevalence

Rubber fetishism is not uncommon; a 2017 study found rubber fetish to have a roughly 12% prevalence in a sample of Belgian adults, with men expressing interest more commonly than women.[9]

Practices

Men in latex gear marching down Whitehall as part of Pride London 2011.
The rubber pride flag, for people with latex/rubber fetishes, was created in 1995 by Scott Moats and Peter Tolos, who stated regarding it that black represents "our lust for the look and feel for shiny black rubber," red "our blood passion for rubber and rubbermen," and yellow "our drive for intense rubber play and fantasies.[10]

Latex fetishism can involve dressing up in the material or looking at it while worn by sexual partners.[11] Motivations can include both physical stimulus and emotional experiences like dehumanization.[12] Rubber fetishists may also experience fantasies about other wearers of skin-tight garments, such as dominatrixes, divers, or the protective clothing worn by industrial workers.

Garments of interest to rubber and latex enthusiasts may include catsuits, wet suits, gas masks, splash or hazmat suits, mackintoshes, galoshes, Wellington boots, rubber/plastic pants, and diapers, as well as draped rubber items like cloaks. Heavier fetishists often attempt to duplicate "everyday wear" into rubber counterparts of ordinary clothing.

For hygienic reasons, many sex toys such as dildos and butt plugs are made from rubber or similar materials, and this is also a factor in rubber fetishism. Some rubber fetishists are also medical fetishists or have an interest in klismaphilia; medical gloves and catheters are made from latex, as are condoms.

Specialist latex or rubber fetish clothing is produced in a wide range of styles and sizes, including custom and premade items, and available through both online and brick-and-mortar stores.[11] Several mainstream designers have also made latex clothing.

Events and organizations

BDSM and fetish events like the Folsom Street Fair and Wasteland welcome fetishists with a variety of interests, including rubber and latex.[13] Rubberists can also be found at major fetish venues such as Torture Garden and KitKatClub.[11]

The rubber scene has paralleled the leather scene in the development of organizations and clubs for likeminded fetishists seeking community.[14][15] Much like leather title competitions, rubber clubs often hold competitions for local and regional titles, whose winners may go on to compete at larger rubber-focused conventions like MIR.[16][17][18] MIR has hosted a Rubber Club Summit since at least 2010 to connect rubberists interested in taking leadership roles in their local fetish communities.[19]

Latex look-alike materials

British historian Guy Walters wearing black PVC leggings

PVC/vinyl and metal are two other shiny materials used for clothing, from regular street wear (raincoats) to PVC hazmat suits and other forms of industrial protective clothing. The terms "PVC", "vinyl" and "PU" tend to be used interchangeably by retailers for clothing (PVC clothing as a form of plastic clothing) made from shiny plastic-coated fabrics. These fabrics usually consist of a backing woven from polyester fibers with a surface coating of shiny plastic. The plastic layer itself is typically a blend of PVC and polyurethane (PU), with 100% PVC producing a stiff fabric with a glossy shine and 100% PU producing a stretchy fabric with a silky shine. The plastic layer is often textured to look like leather ("leatherlook", "pleather"), as opposed to smooth ("wetlook", "patent").

As with latex, these materials became more noted as fetish material in the 1960s and early 1970s. During that era, boots and garments made of PVC and vinyl were made and worn in public areas to some degrees. The British TV programme The Avengers showcased this.[20][21]

Fashion designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin and André Courrèges have used PVC in their collections.[22] Since 2010, PVC has been the target of fashion for both the male and female public.[23] In recent years clothes made in PVC have been prevalent in young people's fashions, particularly in jackets, skirts and trousers.

  • The artwork of Allen Jones has been strongly influenced by the imagery of rubber fetishism and BDSM.[24]
  • In Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2007), a British drama television series, Gemma Chan wore a variety of latex costumes for her role as the dominatrix Charlotte.[25][26]
  • The series American Horror Story depicts an antagonist known as "Rubber Man", a character in a latex bondage suit.[27]
  • The 2010 Japanese film Rubbers stars actress Aino Kishi as an ordinary woman with a rubber fetish.[28][29]
  • The BDSM romance film Pillion (2025) features the work of costume designer Grace Snell, who sought to accurately depict fetish fashions, including natural-colored latex.[30]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d George, Cassidy (8 January 2020). "From fetish to fashion: The rise of latex". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  2. ^ "200 years of latex clothing, from secret fetish to high fashion". Quartz. 22 November 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  3. ^ Charpy, Manuel (21 April 2015). "Craze and Shame: Rubber Clothing during the Nineteenth Century in Paris, London, and New York City". Fashion Theory. 16 (4): 433–460. doi:10.2752/175174112X13427906403769. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  4. ^ Robert V. Bienvenu II, The development of sadomasochism as a cultural style in the twentieth-century United States. 317 p.: ill.; 28 cm. Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Department of Sociology, 1998.
  5. ^ "ATOMAGE MAGAZINE: FROM FETISH UNDERGROUND TO FASHION LEGACY". Underground. 6 October 2025. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  6. ^ a b Dazed (27 September 2017). "McQueen's muse on the mag that captured London's kink scene". Dazed. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  7. ^ "3 Legendary Fetish Magazines: Skin Two, Marquis, SECRET". 23 August 2017. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  8. ^ Henley, Helen (2000). Enter with trumpets. Clemmons, NC: Renaissance E Books. ISBN 1929670311.
  9. ^ Lien, Holvoet; Wim, Huys; Violette, Coppens; Jantien, Seeuws; Kris, Goethals; Manuel, Morrens (1 September 2017). "Fifty Shades of Belgian Gray: The Prevalence of BDSM-Related Fantasies and Activities in the General Population". The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 14 (9). doi:10.1016/j.j (inactive 4 April 2026). ISSN 1743-6095. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of April 2026 (link)
  10. ^ "A Guide to Different Pride Flags and What Each Represents". Marie Claire. 1 April 2022.
  11. ^ a b c Kane, Miranda (24 January 2018). "Rubberists: A beginner's guide to the fetish for wearing rubber". Metro. DMG Media. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  12. ^ Preston, Gyuwon So (14 July 2023). "My Fetish for a Second Skin". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  13. ^ Danzig, Aaron. "The Guide to San Francisco's Folsom Street Fair". San Francisco. San Francisco Travel Association. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  14. ^ Stephenson-Connolly, Pamela (18 November 2010). "My husband's into rubber and now he's joined a fetish club". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  15. ^ "Rubber Fetish Clubs: Global Club Directory". Rubber Federation. Rubber Federation. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  16. ^ Windy City Staff (27 October 2023). "MIR's Intergalactic Rubber celebration soars to a suburb not too far away". Windy City Times. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  17. ^ "Rubber lovers: Latex enthusiasts gear up for another Chicago fetish weekend". TimeOut Chicago. 4 February 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  18. ^ Lieberman, Hallie (25 May 2023). "'Fuck the Rules:' Rubberists are Starting Their Own Revolution". Vice. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  19. ^ "Rubber Club Summit". MIR International Rubber Weekend. MIR. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  20. ^ Chapman, James (2006). Inside the tardis : the worlds of Dr Who; a cultural history. London: I. B. Tauris. p. 57. ISBN 9781845111625.
  21. ^ Adams, Guy Sangster. "Television Review: The Avengers – The Complete Series 4". The Cultural Pick. Archived from the original on 24 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  22. ^ Wickstead, Emilia (22 February 2015). "Fetish wear is all the rage at London fashion week – in pictures". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  23. ^ Turra, Alessandra (22 June 2015). "Z Zegna Men's RTW Spring 2016". Women's Wear Daily. Fairchild Publishing. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  24. ^ "Allen Jones". WRP Fine Art. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  25. ^ Pometsey, Olive (21 June 2018). "Gemma Chan is One of the Most Versatile Actress on Screens Now". Elle.
  26. ^ Wightman, Catriona (31 January 2011). "Gemma Chan ('Secret Diary Of A Call Girl')". Digital Spy. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  27. ^ Jensen, Jeff (24 November 2011). "American Horror Story recap: Violation". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  28. ^ "Rubbers". IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  29. ^ "Rubbers ou onna". Sketches of Cinema. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  30. ^ "In BDSM biker romance Pillion, clothes become a medium for 'fantasy and fetish'". Wallpaper*. 30 November 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
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