Condoms and the Fashion World

Condoms of all shapes and sizes were on display
at a Beijing fashion show held at the
4th China Reproductive Health New Technologies and Products Expo.

Yes, you read that right sissygurl: condoms on display at a fashion show.
How yummy!

The show was organized by China's largest condom manufacturer, Guilin Latex Factory, to promote the use of condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The show featured wedding gowns, evening dresses, outrageous bikinis, hats and even lollipops made from condoms - inflated or otherwise.

China originally stigmatized AIDS as a disease of the decadent, capitalist West -- a problem of gays, sex workers and drug users and had claimed that none of these problems existed in communist China. Thankfully, the Chinese government has come to their senses and admitted that the AIDS epidemic has spread to their country. Unfortunately, talking about sex is still stigmatized in China so there is a basic lack of sex education and awareness.

In an attempt to raise awareness of AIDS, a talented Brazilian artist named Adriana Bertini came up with the idea of this condom infused event.

What is Bertini’s message? "Condoms must be basic like a pair of jeans and so necessary like a great love."

The condoms used to make the clothing are unused, test rejected condoms that would otherwise be thrown into the trash or incinerated. Using these rejects in clothing demonstrates how solutions can be environmentally friendly.

Not only did Bertini make dresses from the condoms but also made over 200 sculptures, 80 pictures and 160 figurines.