As if partying through Thursday night at The Fetishistas’ cocktail bash weren’t enough, the international fetish scene still managed to get up the morning after and get itself down to the opening day of The Xpo at London’s Barbican.

Here, designers and retailers from all over the world and right across the fetish fashion spectrum were gathered to tempt us to part with our cash. Fashion shows and performances showed us how it was done, and then it was up to us to sally forth and create our own looks.

Although the Xpo is not a dresscode event, many pervs were nevertheless dolled up in their favourite PVC, leather or latex and only too happy to show off their outfits.

For the Press, Friday started in earnest with an afternoon photo-call which saw the fashion show’s models and designers arriving in small groups in the press room to pose for photographers and talk to journalists, a process lubricated by some very tasty promotional absinthe cocktails.

For Xpo visitors on a shopping mission, the shopping was of course fantastic, but one of the main joys for many of us was to be able to catch up with friends without competing with loud club music. If you didn’t already know them, then the Xpo was the perfect chance to meet and greet designers on their stands, and also to make new friends among fellow visitors.

At The Fetishistas’ stand, Boris and his glamorous crew — Tasnim, Lucy Fur and May LR — were only too happy to tell you all about our website and May’s Festival of Sins and Striplite nights. This was also your best opportunity to meet yours truly — when I wasn’t gadding about with a video camera. Tune in to www.thefetishistas.com in about a month to view the fruits of our labours!

The fashion shows, again produced by us and directed this year by EmmaJ, also benefitted from Festival of Sins participation in the form of FoS MC Nathan Shame, who did a great job of introducing the shows and the individual designers.

The two shows a day featuring around 16 labels in total highlighted some great new designs and new designers as well as old favourites. From well-established brands like Libidex, Bondinage and Jed Phoenix to show newcomers such as Cyberesque, Maya Hansen and Latex 101, there was something for everyone.

Even a taste for ’60s housewife kink was catered for by Montcler’s deceptively demure collection of fine PVC rainwear and other garments!

Around The Xpo’s 80-plus stands, you could buy everything from secondhand fetish gear to Radical Rubber’s virgin sheet latex for making your own clothes. From clubwear to heavy rubber there was definitely something to tickle every fancy. Much more on that to come!

Even ’60s housewife kink was catered for by Montcler’s deceptively demure collection of fine PVC rainwear