Six fashion shows from top UK and European latex designers, a strong international roster of Miss Fetish Europe and Best Up and Coming Model award contenders, a revamped party venue and a Fetishistas media launch are all on the bill at November’s Dominatrix event.

The original two-night gathering on the outskirts of Amsterdam may also be extended into Sunday daytime with a new afternoon chill-out/shopping event in the partner hotel or nearby.

This would promote Dominatrix to a full three-day weekend, kicking off on Friday November 7 with the Models Meet & Greet party in the event hotel.

The Meet & Greet, already established as a great social warm-up for the weekend, also this year provides the setting for aFetishistas International Media Launch.

It will mark the arrival of a totally redesigned Fetishistas online magazine site and the imminent launch of two brand new online products for the fetish-fashion and kink communities.

Saturday November 8 starts with the Dominatrix Dinner, at which the annual Miss Fetish Europe and Best Up and Coming Model awards will be presented.

At €48 (bookable in advance only), this early-evening event currently offers the best value dinner/cabaret on the fetish scene.

Hosted as usual by resident ‘Dominatrix Queen’ Nina de Lianin, this year’s awards have attracted a very high standard of contestants, with a strong international showing and some very well known names among the nominees for all titles.

Contending for Miss Fetish Europe 2014 are Kataxenna (UK), Lara Aimée (Netherlands), Morrigan Hel (UK), Psylocke(Sweden), Rachael V (Netherlands), Roswell Ivory (UK) and Starfucked (Sweden).

Sadly, Germany’s Susan Wayland, who was expected to make her public comeback at Dominatrix with appearances in the Miss Fetish Europe contest and on the fashion catwalk, announced as we were about to go to press that she had pulled out owing to other commitments.

Sadly, Germany’s Susan Wayland, who was expected to make her public comeback at this Dominatrix, has pulled out owing to other commitments

At press time 20 hopefuls had been nominated for the Best Up and Coming Model award, including Dani Divine (UK),Deanna Deadly (US), Heterandria (Poland), Kristina DeeTox (Israel), Lizzy Meow (Austria), Malinn (Sweden),Misplaced (Germany), Miss Anita Divina (Italy) and Sara Scarlet (Belgium).

You can check out all BUCM 20 nominees in the gallery on the right.

Public voting, due to open on Monday October 6, will reduce the nominees to finalists from which the jury panel will pick the winners.

When it comes to the party weekend itself, there are certain rituals that have now become an established part of the Dominatrix culture.

For example, from 9pm on Saturday, as the tables are being cleared after the awards dinner, the main party space in an adjoining part of the same complex begins to fill up with people who’ve come from near and far for this event.

Arrive at the right time and you’ll see dozens of latex-clad models from the dinner, exiting into the cold November air from one door and reassembling at another a bit further along the building to pick up their backstage passes.

Those passes give them access to a fashion show dressing area that has to be one of the most elegant and spacious facilities provided by any fetish event.

Not only does it provide plenty of room for each designer to set up their individual changing/fitting areas, but there is a usually a backstage photo studio where talented ’togs like Michiel Kivits and Bommi photograph a procession of models in their catwalk finery.

This tastefully lit backstage area also provides a chance for roving snappers like me to get some nice posed and candid shots of the models in relatively relaxed pre-show mood.

You can see a selection of my snaps from the March 2014 dressing room in the gallery on the right, and there’s also a link to our earlier article featuring Bommi’s backstage pictures in the info panel.

This November’s fashion shows come from seven designers, of which no less than four are UK based — the remaining three hailing from Germany, Netherlands and the United States.

Organiser Reinier More works hard to create international shows that represent as many different countries as possible, but he shouldn’t be criticised too much for creating a European party that so many Brit designers now want to show at.

November’s fashion shows come from seven designers – of which no less than four are UK-based and the others are from Germany, Netherlands and US

British labels have been notoriously reticent in the past about venturing into mainland Europe to promote themselves, so no small praise is due to Mr More for creating a European fetish event that London designers are finally really keen to support.

Three of the four UK labels will be making their Dominatrix debut on this November’s catwalk. These are Bondinage — a veteran of many German events and catwalk shows, and recently the subject of a Fetishistas cover story — and London latex pioneer Kim West, who’ll be at Dominatrix with her young fashion graduate protégée, Sasha Louise.

Bondinage will be showing a selection of its latest, striking-looking styles, while in separate segments, Kim and Sasha Louise will be showing latex as it is not often seen on fetish party catwalks — but as it increasingly appears in top fashion publications.

Kim specialises in latex suitable for daytime as well as evening wear; it’s chlorinated and frequently reversed so the silky matt side is on the outside. Sasha Louise has created a complementary niche with her bold latex net garments, recently favoured by the likes of Paloma Faith and Miley Cyrus.

Last but not least of our London-based quartet is Pandora Deluxe, a veteran of the Dominatrix catwalk whose shows always get a great reception in Europe.

This time, designer Mags will be showing her brand new Fusion  styles — a capsule collection of high-end garments blending latex with exotic decorative elements such as chainmail.