Here are Latex24/7 we are always keen to highlight the emergence, and work, of any new and upcoming latex fashion brand so join us as we interview brand owner, and designer, Hannah Williams, of Riarebé about the designers latex journey and how it’s given her life confidence.
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Latex24/7: You’ve had a background in fashion for some time and have spent time studying for a fashion degree at University. Has fashion always been a passion of yours? Tell us about your qualifications and previous experience in the industry
Riarebé: Fashion hasn’t always been a passion of mine. In fact before I went to university I studied art and design and loved painting and illustration, exploring different mediums such as acrylic paint and digital drawing. When I went to university for the first year I felt totally out of place and unsure what fashion meant to me, I had little knowledge of the industry and never felt anything I was creating was authentic to me. In my second year, I discovered latex through social media and a tech teacher who joined who used to work for Westward Bound. The more I researched into latex the more it became an interest of mine. I started working with it for my first ever latex project called ‘Second Skin’ and I loved every single second of making and creating my garments! It felt authentic to me and something I was beyond proud of. I’m not a huge fan of conventional ways of making clothes e.g, sewing, knitting etc. so when I discovered that latex was glued it was just another thing that felt right and fitted with me and my ways of working. Working with latex felt similar to painting, it felt free and non-conformative and a way I was able to express my identity and thought process freely. I have done work experience for Kraken Counter Couture which really helped me learn how to level my making up to a professional standard and see all the ways I could make my work a high quality. This was based in London and also allowed me to see how the industry works.
Latex24/7: When did you first discover latex and where did your interest in latex clothing come from? What was it about the material? What drew you to it? What and when was your first experience?
Riarebé: As stated previously I found latex through social media and through the guidance of uni teachers. Latex is so unique and different from any other material; the way it behaves, the feel, even the smell. It’s all so unique and I felt I was able to fully experience and play around with it to be able to create garments and collections that were authentic to me and something I was proud of creating. My first experience was for my project ‘Second Skin’ and from there my passion for working with latex skyrocketed. Working with latex and being able to create things I was proud of also further allowed me to really connect with fashion and understand its importance. Knowing that I was able to express my ideas through clothing was insane and since then I have loved working in clothes for my brand and uni projects and I’ve felt connected to every part of it!
Latex24/7: As you’ve already mentioned, you created a piece of work entitled “Second Skin”. In this, you talk about gender expectations, social norms and standards and “using latex as a ‘second skin’ to provide undefined confidence’. Tell us a little about this.
Riarebé: Throughout my childhood, I often felt quite misunderstood and as though I never quite knew who I was or what my style was. When I came out I had so many emotions of confusion and uncertainty about who I was expected to be, or what I was supposed to act like. etc. It was only really coming to uni, to a place where there were so many different people on my course and everyone being so creative, it felt like a space where I wasn’t judged or expected to be anything and that I could just be me in my own time and space. Throughout the stage from childhood to university, I faced a lot of bullying regarding looks and my weight, all things that were imposed by societal norms and standards of what’s considered right or wrong. I took this as an opportunity to reflect that social norms are mostly bullshit and wanted to show people that weird is not wrong! That being who you want to be and doing what you want to do is neither right nor wrong and that just because society tells us that we’re ‘not fitting’ within the ‘rules’ of what they deem right or wrong, doesn’t mean that you need to change, but that others need to adapt and alter their viewpoint to be more inclusive and understanding as everyone is individual. So why does it matter what others think? With latex being a controversial fabric that many see as weird or freakish, I thought that creating a project out of latex whilst having a message would be contrasting and allow people to see that latex is so versatile and unique and isn’t a bad thing but simply a fabric that can bring so much confidence and power!
Latex24/7: Where does your inspiration come from? Have you used your previous experience of non-latex designs to aid you?
Riarebé: My inspiration comes from lots of different things, such as artwork, a lot of femme fatale artwork and artists such as Ray Cesar who has been a huge inspiration to my work, as well as looking at buildings and structures that are around us every day. I also tend to have quite a creative thinking brain all of the time so coming up with ideas and designs comes fairly naturally to me. I also design tattoos, this skill has come in super handy when designing my collection but also having those designs as references to inspire my outfits has been a huge help and inspiration.
Latex24/7: Why did you decide to start your own latex fashion brand? What are your aims for the brand?
Riarebé: I’ve always wanted to be self-employed. I’m quite stubborn when it comes to decision-making and ideas, but in the sense that I know what I want and I will do anything to achieve those goals. I have a lot of motivation to make and create things in my style and being able to have a brand that represents me and my ideas is the dream. I also wanted to have a space where I can share my outfits with others and allow them to be a part of my brand and community, and to feel powerful and confident and all the things I struggled to feel in the past. If I can help people feel the best version of themselves then that’s the most important thing to achieve for me. My aims are to hopefully be one-day self-employed and run my own business so I can work for myself and know I’ve achieved it mainly by myself and my hard work. Hopefully if I could have my garments featured on runways that would be the dream. I am huge on life being a place to live and not having to spend it doing things we don’t want to do and I feel having a successful brand would be a good balance between working hard and success as well as having time to make memories and spend it living life to the fullest.
Latex24/7: What does Riarebé mean and what is the ethos of the brand?
Riarebé: The name Riarebé itself doesn’t stand for anything however my brand aims to be inclusive and unique whilst empowering individuals to be confident enough to do and wear what they want, to allow people to express themselves judgement free and to create a space where people can simply have fun with clothes.
Latex24/7: What do you think it is which makes RiaRebé unique and different to other designers?
Riarebé: Designers all have very different outlooks and are all unique and fascinating in their own way, but I want to see more latex designers and brands, and more visibility for latex clothing. It’s such a fun and different experience that many miss out on due to worries of judgment and being another brand/designer able to make latex more visible is something that would mean the world to me. As stated previously my brand is about confident and empowering individuals. I have a real desire for making people feel comfortable in themselves and if I can be even a small part of the reason that people feel good then I’ve successfully achieved my dream.
Latex24/7: Your designs use panels of semi-transparent latex in your designs. Was this a conscious design and if so, is there relevance?
Riarebé: Yes! This was a conscious decision. In my collections I like to see them as windows, allowing not only my design to have depth and layers but metaphorically showing that, as people we have layers and there are parts of us we show and parts that we don’t, but knowing they’re there and being aware of them can help us understand how to be a better person and understand each other.
Latex24/7: What is the best reaction you have ever received from someone who has worn your garments?
Riarebé: When one of my models wore one of my outfits from my SIREN collection and told me that she was worried and unsure before wearing it, and also doing the photoshoot because she had never worn anything like it before and she wasn’t sure how to feel, who then told me after the photoshoot that “my outfit had given her such a confidence boost”, she felt sexy and elegant and like herself again and she hadn’t felt herself in a very long time! I could see how much this had helped her come out of her comfort zone and how much it had made her feel beautiful and it was so great to see how something I had made had impacted someone’s life this positively in such a short amount of time!
Latex24/7: Latex clothing means different things to different people, ranging from the empowering to the outlandish. What does latex fashion mean to you?
Riarebé: Latex means both to me! It is such a sensual fabric that is great for using in the kink community and really allows people to express themselves but I also see latex as a material that can be beautiful, elegant and so inclusive for everyone. It’s not like any other material out there and it really can make you see yourself different and give power and confidence for people to explore their styles and personality. I love working with latex and each time I have worn it I can say for sure that I have felt the best about my body and myself than I have my entire life. I just love how different it is and how contrasting it can be.
Latex24/7: What do you enjoy most about working with latex? What are the biggest challenges when working with the material? What has been your greatest learning experience since designing your first piece? What is it that drives you to continue to create new designs and collections?
Riarebé: Latex is quite a hard fabric to work with, with it being stretch-based and a unique feel and texture it can get a little fiddly. But I just love working with it and knowing the endless possibilities of it, that it pushes me to want to experiment more and push my work and brand even further than where I am. Latex has taught me a lot about fashion, without a doubt, and now I’ve found my passion and purpose as a designer due to working with latex, it will forever be the thing that helped me find myself. The fact that working and creating with latex has allowed me to learn so much and better myself as a designer and person is what drives me to continue to push my work, new designs and collections
Latex24/7: How versatile is latex and how easy is it to create the designs of your dreams? Do you feel it is easier or more complex to do this than with traditional materials?
Riarebé: I would say both. Latex for me has been so much easier than traditional ways of garment construction and it has taught me the things about garments you wouldn’t consider if you were sewing. However, it’s also been a hard experience learning by myself and having lots of successes and failures. I guess it depends on the person and your passion as a designer and what makes you feel motivated to push your designs and skills. Latex for me was that motivation and now I’ve got the hang of it it’s easier than before but it always holds more opportunities to be difficult and push my skills further.
Latex24/7: What would you say to anyone interested in wearing the material? What would be your best piece of advice for anyone who is thinking of trying latex but hasn’t done so yet? What do you feel are the biggest barriers for people who haven’t worn latex fashion before? What stops them from taking the plunge?
Riarebé: It’s such an amazing fabric to wear and you just cannot describe the feeling of it unless you’ve worn it! But everyone I know, including myself, has never had anything bad to say about it, it’s so versatile and has benefits for everyone no matter shape or size. It’s very inclusive and definitely brings out confidence in people which is the most important thing in life. I feel a lot of people shy away from wearing latex due to society saying it’s weird and freakish but a lot of the time the people making these comments and kicking up a fuss either want to do it themselves or simply will kick a fuss up about anything and everything! It’s your life so if you want to wear some latex, Wear some Latex!! Have fun and don’t worry about anything else! Kinks aren’t weird, sex isn’t rude and latex isn’t wrong!
Latex24/7: What‘s next for Riarebé?
Riarebé: I’m going to continue off from where I’m up to with it in uni and continue to push new designs and collections and hopefully pursue Riarebé to a place where it can be successful and a community for people to feel safe within!
Be sure to find out more by heading over to Riarebe.com and be sure to give the brand a follow over on their Instagram profile.
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