Live Latex-Clad Mannequins Unveiled In New Downtown Store By Betty Adams Kennebec Journal - Augusta ME April 08, 2007 http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/3790378.html AUGUSTA -- Life imitated art Saturday as four women posed as mannequins in a storefront window. They all wore latex minidresses of vibrant blue, yellow, orange and pink with matching or contrasting 5- to 6-inch stiletto heels.  And they smiled and waved occasionally at passing motorists, a disconcerting experience for pedestrians who assumed at first glance that the models were still-lifes.  The live modeling began at 10 a.m. as part of the grand reopening of ArchEnemys at 182 Water St. A fashion show inside the store was set to begin at 8 p.m. Saturday.  Owner Nate LaChance greeted customers and news crews and set about buying food for the models, who included his wife and business co-owner Carrie LaChance.  He paused to sell a white teddy to a woman who said she lived in Augusta but declined to give her name.  It's no one's business that I buy sexy underwear," she said.  Along with lace teddies, the store offers bustieres, garter belts, $40 latex miniskirts, and other luxury items designed to inspire or scandalize, depending on the point of view.  A long red latex ball gown with spaghetti straps and a lace-up back -- sizes small and medium -- goes for $99 as do the minidresses.   Long rows of high heels -- some with platform soles -- glittered and gleamed with bright colors.  The styles were "Grable" and "Stanwyck." One "Luscious" shoe was bright red with a 6-inch brown stiletto stacked heel. Prices ranged from $22 to $58, with some higher.  A carousel held white, black and red thigh high boots that Cruella De Vil would have envied.  Adjacent was a carousel of handcuffs, black and silver, at $22 each, with keys.  Techno music by Enigma pulsed in the background. Nate LaChance said he's had ArchEnemys as a business and a Web presence since 1998, but it has been low-key until now.  "We wanted to come out in 1998, but we weren't ready," he said. "We moved on and did some other stuff." For a while, he ran a comic book store known as Wallcrawler at the same site.  The store flirted with live models briefly a year ago when Spellbound, which occupied a store across Water Street, came under fire from people who disapproved of lingerie-clad models posing in the store front.  Live models stood in Wallcrawlers/ArchEnemys to offer support.  This time, LaChance said, the live models would be in the window on Friday and Saturday. On Saturday, they attracted the attention of news crews, and family and friends, many of whom hugged LaChance when they entered. One man brought in a gift of flowers.  One passenger in a minivan traveling in the center lane on Water Street smoothly slid open a side door and snapped a flash picture of the women.   Another driver used his green cell photo to take a photo of the models.  "I've had a lot of thumbs up," said Danielle McQuillan, wearing yellow latex.  Carrie LaChance said the fabric of her blue, turtle-neck latex minidress was comfortable.   "It feels really cool on," she said. "If the sun is bright and you're in it, it does get hot."  ArchEnemys Inc. also offers items, videos and photos through its Web site -- www.archenemys.com.  In one, Carrie LaChance and fellow arch angel Shayna Ferguson of Waterville wear stilettos and tiny outfits as they serve food at Winslow House of Pizza.  "Online sales are going to be higher than in the store because we sell worldwide," Carrie LaChance said.  Emily Owen of Augusta and Wiscasset -- an arch angel in the making -- wore an orange minidress with white stilettos and ankle straps.  She eased her aching arches with an occasional rest on a tall wooden stool.  Carrie LaChance said the couple chose Augusta because Nate LaChance already had a comic book store there and sold a few high heels.  "We thought it would be a great change for the community, something different," she said. "I think people are going to like it."