Five projects that use latex in weird and wonderful ways
Since Harikrishnan's inflatable trousers blew up on the internet last week after first being featured on Dezeen, we've rounded up five latex projects – spanning fashion, accessories and installations – that use the material in surprising ways.
Memphis collection by Valeska Jasso Collado
For her graduate collection from the University of Westminster, designer Valeska Jasso Collado drew from the graphic forms and colourful, speckled palette of the Memphis Group.
To recreate its characteristic geometric style, she layered oversized foam sheets with latex that was folded into angular shapes and offset by contrasting panelling.
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Design studio KNOL Ontwerp cast latex sheets on top of architectural elements including walls and doors to create negatives of abandoned buildings for this installation in Amsterdam.
The material bears the marks of the space where it was cast, complete with any dirt or grime, to create a portable imprint that people can hold on to and carry with them as a reminder of a place's emotional significance.
Operio collection by Dead Lotus Couture
In the eyes of Nange Magro, the founder of London label Dead Lotus Couture, natural latex belongs in the same category as leather or silk as a premium natural material.
She created the Operio collection with the mission of integrating it into people's everyday wardrobes, using it to fashion everything from trench coats and bustiers to capes and flared trousers.
Range 1 – Early Sculptural Forms by Molly Younger
Australian designer Molly Younger used a mixture of paint and natural latex to create a collection of flesh-like bags, which are both waterproof and washable.
Younger created the items by applying sculptural production techniques to build up the material layer by layer within moulds made of plaster or, in one case, a piece of bubble wrap.
Let's Put Him in a Vase by Harikrishnan
Latex fashion is known to fit like a second skin, but London College of Fashion graduate Harikrishnan wanted to create the exact opposite effect with his oversized, ballooning trousers, which are inflated using a valve at the bottom.
As the material can cost up to £20 a metre, he sourced waste offcuts from UK latex manufacturer Supatex to create the playful, colourful designs.
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