TORTURE GARDEN’S Charlotte TG with Alexandra Houston at Le Boutique Bazaar, the pop-up alt/fetish shopping event the pair co-host several times a year (photo: @hyder_images)
WHAT’S NEXT ON MS HOUSTON’S SHOPPING LIST?
In the immediate future after publication of this article is the first new season’s — and of course pre-Halloween — edition of Le Boutique Bazaar, taking place as usual at For Your Eyes Only (FYEO) on City Road, London EC1, a short walk from Old Street Tube.
“Our October LBB is always a really great event,” Alexandra enthuses. “For a lot of people it’s their first ‘Spooky Season’ outing and there is a lot of Halloween shopping going on. So it’s a big line-up, that’s for sure.
“Notably we’ll have the return of Lady Lucie, who hasn’t traded since our old venue, and Torture Garden Latex, whom we haven’t seen for a while.
“We also have the mighty Painkiller Clothing joining us for the first time, alongside a host of other new brands, and LBB faves flaunting their autumn collections.”
You can check out the complete line-up of October 6 vendors in the box below.
Preview: LE BOUTIQUE BAZAAR OCT 6 – with seller A-Z
Le Boutique Bazaar takes place on Sunday October 6 from 13:00 to 19:00 at
For Your Eyes Only (FYEO), 23 City Road, London EC1Y 1AG (18-plus event).
General Admission tickets £8 from Dice.fm here (Early Bird has sold out)
Other links for information:
LeBoutiqueBazaar.co.uk
Le Boutique Bazaar/Facebook
Le Boutique Bazaar/Instagram
Le Boutique Bazaar October 6 Sellers (47 – correct @ 11/9)
SOME REGULARS you might bump into at Le Boutique Bazaar if the wind’s in the right direction
A
Ada Zanditon Couture
Agonai
Amentium
Anna Dominoes Millinery
Angry Dollz
Ash Wild Creations
B
B_Dodi
Bloodlust Clothing
Bound by Ceca
Bound in Leather and submission
C
Cursed London
Crystals n Couture
D
Dollie’s Little Folies
E
EctoMorph
F
Figure of A
G
Glamourama
H
Haus of Hailfire
Haus of Mammilla
Hebi Corsets
Hidden Kink
I
Ineō
Iona Smith Scott
K
Kerris Spencer
Kraken Counter Couture
L
Lady Lucie Latex
Leroy the Label
M
Maniacc (pictured above)
Matorosari
Monika Bereza
N
Nes Noir
P
Painkiller Clothing
Persephonie Ncredible
Primal Leather
Prong Jewellery
Provocateur
R
Riot Pony
Rose Noir Designs
S
Scorned In Chains
Second Coming
Seven Sin Latex
Skilt
T
Tentickle
The Hidery
The Loussine
Torture Garden Latex
Two Boutique by Liyan
V
Velvet Rebel Lingerie
BELOW: General view of sellers, models and visitors at LBB’s regular venue, For Your Eyes Only
NEXT STOP THE UNITED STATES, THEN EUROPE IN THE SPRING
After October 6, the next Boutique Bazaar will be its tenth birthday bash in December.
The Fetishistas will be doing its bit to help celebrate this important anniversary with a special preview in which Alexandra will also look back on the story of LBB’s first decade.
But before then, there’s the little matter of Charmskool being set to make its international debut in New York on October 13, as part of a three-day NYC fetish weekend.
For her brand to be making such a big leap less than three years after launching in the UK seems like no small achievement. I tell Ms Houston I would totally understand if she were quite excited about it.
“So this is a proper ‘pinch myself’ moment!” she agrees. “This year I’ve been lucky enough to go on research trips both to Berlin (for the EU market) and NYC (for the US market) as Charmskool needs to grow outside the UK in order to be successful.
“While both markets are strong places to consider focusing on, my business mentor and I agree that the US will take priority, looping back to the EU expansion in spring 2025.
“Doing a pop-up in another city where you aren’t established is scary, but luckily I was connected to some established local partners: Gloss Group NYC, which is a latex-only play party, and Hit Me Up, which is a kink community with its own loft in Chinatown.
“We billed it as a weekender, so the Friday kicks off with the Gloss party, on Saturday there is a creatives networking brunch, and Sunday’s Hit Me Up is hosting our market as one of their socials.
“Vendors attending so far include, from the UK, Amentium, Broke Boutique, Leroy the Label, Ada Zanditon Couture, Sensored Magazine, Fornikation Latex and Kerris Spencer.
“US-based or local to NYC we have House of SXN, Al the Rebel, Love Lorn Lingerie, It is Known, Carly Star Photo and Renee Masoomian, with a couple more to be announced.”
For tickets and more information on Hit Me Up: Kinky Mixer — Charmskool Edition on Sunday October 13 at 120 Walker Street Floor 5, New York, NY10013, visit the mixer’s Eventbrite page here.
Finally (for now), what is 2025 looking like for Alexandra Houston? Will it be a year of consolidation, further branching out, or a combination of the two?
“My goals are to fully establish Charmskool as the place to turn for kinky fashion, and a destination with a growing number of sellers in North America and the EU onboard — as it was always intended to be a fully international marketplace.
“We’re hoping to incorporate a Burning Man element next spring, because summer isn’t as strong for typical kink wear, but there is always a demand for exotic festival fashion, especially in the US.
“I’ve got my eye on a Berlin pop-up and hopefully one in LA as well, as those are our target hubs. I’d love to do some collabs with bigger brands too. So Agent Provocateur, if you’re listening, give me a call!”
Seeing how things have gone for her so far, it seems highly likely that if anyone can achieve the objectives Alexandra Houston has set for Charmskool, she can.
Of course there are other people on the fetish scene who combine deep interests in fetish and fashion. And there are a number of sizable brands (by fetish standards, anyway) whose reach is undeniably international.
But is there anyone else who can match Houston’s particular combination of serious fetish and fashion knowledge and extensive experience of both pop-up market hosting and cutting-edge online fashion retailing?
That seems less likely. Which is why, if she sticks to her guns, I’d say she has a very reasonable chance of building Charmskool into the successful international brand it clearly has the potential to be.
charmskoolshop.com
charmskoolshop/facebook
charmskool.shop/instagram
hyderimages.com
US BRANDS at the Charmskool Market in NYC on Oct 13 include, left: Love Lorn Lingerie (Song Pink Leather Peplum Belt pictured); and, right: Renee Masoomian, seen here modelling her Latex Bodysuit
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