Rubber and PVC fetishism

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 and refers to shiny clothes made of the synthetic plastic PVC, which is sometimes confused with the similarly shiny patent leather. 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. The practical wear of rubber or rubber-bonded materials dates back to the 19th century. 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. By the 1850s, the wearing of rubber clothing became a fad among those who could afford it, finally falling out of fashion for public wear in the 1890s.

The 20th century featured a progression of fetishistic interest from "soft" materials like silk and fur towards "hard"-looking materials like leather and plastic. Rubber and latex play were well-documented by fetishists in the 1920s and 1930s, writing in publications such as London Life. 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. The 1960s and 1970s saw rubber fetishism enter wider public perception, with dedicated magazines like Sutcliffe's AtomAge and the British TV series The Avengers, which featured Diana Rigg wearing rubber and leather clothing.

In the 1980s, Skin Two magazine documented the emergence of the fetish club scene, including extensive coverage of rubber clothing, which subsequently made its way into high fashion. 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), as well as the works of rubber fetish authors such as Helen Henley.

In 1995, Scott Moats and Peter Tolos created the rubber pride flag for people with latex/rubber fetishes. Moats and Tolos explained the colors as follows: 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.

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.

Practices

Latex fetishism can involve dressing up in the material or looking at it while worn by sexual partners. Motivations can include both physical stimulus and emotional experiences like dehumanization. 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, mackintoshes, gas masks, splash or hazmat suits, 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.

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. Several mainstream designers have also made latex clothing.

Events and organizations

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

The rubber scene has paralleled the leather scene in the development of dedicated organizations and clubs for likeminded fetishists seeking community. Rubber fetish event weekends such as Manchester Rubber Weekend and MIR have been held since the 1990s. 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. MIR has hosted a Rubber Club Summit since at least 2010 to connect rubberists interested in taking leadership roles in their local fetish communities.

Latex look-alike materials

Due to its shiny quality, latex is sometimes associated with other materials such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride or "vinyl"), pleather (polyurethane or PU), or patent leather. When smooth in texture and reflective, these materials may also be described as "wetlook".

As with latex, awareness of PVC as a fetish material increased in the 1960s and early 1970s, a rise credited in large part to boots and other garments worn on The Avengers.

In popular culture

The artwork of Allen Jones has been strongly influenced by the imagery of rubber fetishism and BDSM.
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.
The series American Horror Story depicts an antagonist known as "Rubber Man", a character in a latex bondage suit.
The 2010 Japanese film Rubbers stars actress Aino Kishi as an ordinary woman with a rubber fetish.
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.

External links

11 September 2024 at theWayback Machine - latex community wiki hosted by Lust, Love, Latex
- latex and rubber fetish support group
- directory of rubber clubs and international organizations