Atsuko Kudo
Japanese-born and London-based, Atsuko Kudo is the visionary designer transforming latex into high fashion. Since launching her label in 2001, Kudo has redefined perceptions of latex in both fashion and pop culture. Her meticulous craftsmanship—featuring intricate filigree, folding, and exclusive print techniques—has set a new standard for working with the material. Her brand is now a cult fashion house known for its authenticity, eccentricity, and unapologetic sensuality.
Kudo has cultivated a global reputation as the go-to latex couturier for some of the world’s most iconic and empowered women. A defining early milestone came in 2008, when Eva Mendes wore Atsuko Kudo for a Steven Meisel editorial in Italian Vogue. In 2009, Lady Gaga famously wore Kudo’s red Elizabethan-inspired latex gown to meet Queen Elizabeth II. And in 2010, Kudo made history by staging the first full-scale latex fashion runway show at Cipriani’s in New York.
Her designs have featured in some of the most talked-about pop culture moments of the last two decades. Kudo has dressed numerous stars at pivotal moments: Linda Evangelista for W Magazine’s legendary “Super Linda” shoot; Madonna and Katy Perry for V Magazine; and Kim Kardashian, who wore several viral looks from 2014 onwards. Kudo also created Ariana Grande’s iconic ‘Dangerous Woman’ bunny look and designed outfits for Beyoncé’s Formation world tour and her 2024 Cowboy Carter press run.
Kudo’s influence extends into cinema and high fashion. She dressed Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman for The Batman (2022) and designed looks for the title sequence of Don’t Worry Darling. She’s collaborated with fashion houses including Balmain (co-label), Vivienne Westwood, Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Alaïa,and Givenchy. In 2022, she co-created Gigi Hadid’s Met Gala look for Versace.
Kudo has also made a powerful editorial impact, creating custom latex looks for Billie Eilish’s groundbreaking British Vogue cover in 2021 and for Kate Moss in the debut issue of Perfect Magazine. Her designs have appeared on red carpets globally, including the Oscars, the Brit Awards, and the British Fashion Awards.
In 2024, Raye wore a Swarovski-embellished custom gown by Kudo to the Brit Awards, where she won a record-breaking six awards. That same year, Christina Ricci wore the new Tulip cup design to the Critics Choice Awards, marking the debut of Kudo’s Dressing for Pleasure collection—also featured in SHOWstudio’s Best in Show.
In summer 2025, Kudo created standout latex looks for Kylie Minogue’s Tension World Tour and designed dresses for the poster images of photographer Gabriel Moses’ landmark Selma exhibition in London.
Described by Another Magazine as “the holy grail of latex,” Atsuko Kudo continues to push boundaries—elevating latex from fetish to fashion and making the world, in her own words, “a shinier place.”