Krystina Kitsis

Ectomorph is the leading fashion house for garments in latex or polyurethane stretch. It set out to merge the boundaries of fetish and high fashion, an objective in which it has been spectacularly successful. The inspiration and design experience of its founder, Krystina Kitsis, ensures that Ectomorph continues to produce quality garments, the execution of which is unmatched by any other company.xxxx

All latex garments are sewn and glued to reinforce the seams and ensure durability. The cut is designed to flatter all body sizes. Ectomorph does not discriminate. The standard range is sized from XS to XXL, but the made-to-measure service, for an extra 20%, means that all shapes and sizes can be catered for. Transvestites, too, can confidently opt for any of our female garments.

Latex garments are available in the dazzling range of colours, black, red, royal blue, purple, turquoise, pewter, metallic blue, metallic purple, metallic red, bronze and dark green. In addition many Ectomorph styles are available in the finest quality polyurethane-coated fabric. It has a wonderful shine, stretches in all directions on a lycra lining that gives it substantial weight and make it very easy to wear. At present, polyurethane is available in black and red only.

Ectomorph started in 1985 as an experiment, spurred by the excitement generated by a new club in Soho, 'Skin Two' where I felt there was a need for fresh ideas in fetish clothing. I thought it would be interesting to take fetish into fashion. Subcultures, like Punk had already flirted with fetish paraphernalia and I wanted to take it further. I was fresh out of college, having studied cultural history at the Royal College of Art and written a thesis on the connection between sexuality and fashion that took me into the area of fetish and the way it had evolved. I was determined to write myself into the history of fetishism by transforming its image through fashion, though I retained many of fetish's intrinsic elements, those of silhouette and detail, whilst applying a modern approach.

Using the principles of structuring clothes that I had learned at the St Martin's School of Art, I treated rubber essentially I would any other fabric and created structured garments that were sewn and glued, so enabling the parameters of what was hitherto available to be extended. Determined to see my collection in the pages of Vogue, I telephoned the fashion editor who swiftly halted my desired rise to fame by informing me that this was, "Not the kind of thing that young gels should be wearing." It took the foresight of Elle magazine to make history and feature a long rubber sheath dress (Style 130) that was to become an Ectomorph icon that remains a firm favourite with many customers. Vogue then rose to the challenge, showing the same dress and subsequently returning time and again.

Ectomorph has not looked back since. The first collection was made in white rubber, firstly because I felt that white would be more acceptable to the fashion market, not so threatening perhaps, and secondly because it has a wonderful scent and feel to it, completely different from black rubber. However, I soon discovered that it was black that people wanted and so, along with Trevor Watson, an inspirational photographer, Ectomorph produced its first catalogue in black and white. Regrettably, stocks of this collector's item are exhausted.

It was always my intention to produce a rubber collection that could be worn out of a fetish context in a 'normal' setting. I drew my inspiration from fashion trends and just the feeling rubber inspires when placed against the body. My peplum jacket (Style 092) and fishtail skirt (Style 078) became staples of the fetish closet, appearing on many postcards and posters and in the pages of well-know magazines.

Since that date my work has frequently featured in prestige magazines, Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Loaded, Playboy, Skin Two, Sky Magazine, 19, to name but a few. Ectomorph garments figure in videos by Siouxie & The Banshees and The Cors. I have worked on advertisements for David Bailey. Twenty years on I am still producing new fetish styles for an expanding market that has differentiated into a number of subcultures. Black firmly remains the favourite colour. Men are finally rising to the challenge and demanding more 'outrageous' garments other than a rubber shirt and a pair of jeans. So, our mission continues, we will endeavour to continue producing new and exciting garments for everyone to wear.