Coming together in a common love of leather and leather lore, the UK KRueL Leather Family formed in 1999. Dubbed ‘the leather family’ by peers during public demonstrations by others in the wider BDSM community, the name became necessary in order to differentiate from other leather families worldwide. Probably the first non gay-male leather family here in the UK. The name a touch of humour derived from use of the three original initials of the heads of the family; DK Leather – the head of the family – Rachel (LeatherDykeUk) and Lu (LeatherEagle). Essentially the core triad (together over twenty years) are like a board of directors, with DK as the chair. Over the years some have come and gone, others came and stayed, currently they number 17 plus 2 associate family members. Membership is either by virtue of those taken in by collars/ownership, or by loyalty and a fierce shared family ethos, where my leathers have been awarded. Some have other relationships, others don’t. It’s a family.
Veritas, Respectus, Honorque in Corio is the family motto; Truth, Respect, Honour in Leather
Familiar faces on the wider UK BDSM scene since the 1990s giving workshops, demos, talks etc., at many events. Notorious and much beloved, happy to laugh at themselves. From the craziness of the Annual Whip Boxing Championship at the BBB (12 years) to running the original national London event Kinkfest, SMPride 2001 march, to many, many notorious workshops for vast numbers of UK fet events. London Alternative Market (LAM), SWAMP, Birmingham Bizarre Bazaar (BBB), Brighton Fetish Weekend (BFS), Kinkfest Birmingham, Kinklusive, Maison de Sade (MDS), SkinTwo, Polyday, Lash for Lasses, Velvet Eden, Cellbound, Duty Bound, Sin School, Cirque du Chaos… and many, many more clubs and munches. In fact we held our own exceedingly popular monthly ‘CMunch’ (a mini fet fair/munch/demo) for circa 100 attendees each month, over 5 years in our home town; until we lost our venue!
Community Awards
- LAMie Lifetime Achievement Award – DK Leather 2011
- LAMie Lifetime Achievement Award – the UK KRueL Leather Family 2017
- Velvet Eden BDSMies over 3 years:
- Out and out perviest
- Best sensual play award
- Best workshop giver
Current Formal Leather Family Members
DK Leather, LeatherDykeUK, LeatherEagle, Rowan-part-p, Leather_epona, Leathergirlheart, LeatherHiraeth, -LeatherArtisan (-Fables-),Nadiajane, DaddiLee, Madkat & Satanica_Fire, MasterBlaidd & Blaiddswench
Associate Family Members
- MasterMichael_S &
- slave_angie
LeatherHiraeth’s Journey with Us
Alistair petitioned to earn his formal leathers – as a leather Sir – with the family back in February 2013 (accepted March). He earned his belt in March 2015, his black hanky in October 2016… and finally his full leathers in April of 2018. It was a fabulous journey, gruelling and beautiful, during which he found – to both of our surprise – a deep and meaningful M/s relationship with DK Leather, which meant he also took a collar in June 2018. Sir LeatherHiraeth, slave to DK.
More recently, Alistair earned the title of International Mr Bootblack 2022 at IML in May 2022, bringing the international title to the UK for the first time. He previously won European Bootblack 2020 at Darklands in Antwerp, in March of 2020. We are immensely proud and supportive of his title years.
DKLeather on Fetlife (you can find the rest of us on that profile)