
GOING DUTCH, L-R: Miss Fetish Europe 2014 contender Psylocke; Bondinage latex modelled by Kataxenna; Best Up and Coming contestant Dani Divine wearing Pandora Deluxe; MC/Dominatrix Queen Nina de Lianin
Dominatrix 2014 promises biggest international turnout to date
Dominatrix reconvenes near Amsterdam next month with an unprecedented international line-up of Miss Fetish Europe/Best Up and Coming Model contestants and fashion shows. Our preview by Tony Mitchell also includes new galleries from the March event
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.
All events can be booked through the ticket order page of the Dominatrix website (link below). Tickets are also sold at various shops in Amsterdam and other Dutch locations.
The Dominatrix party and dinner on Saturday Nov 8 take place at the venue complex at Westerwerf 1B and 1C, 1911JA Uitgeest.
Dinner tickets: advance tickets (only) for the early evening dinner/awards presentation cost €48pp ex drinks.
Party tickets: at press time, the cheapest advance tickets were €33p for m/f couples and single females, or €48pp for m/m couples and single males. Cheapest VIP tickets: €63 (m/f and sf) or €58 (m/m and sm).
Models Meet & Greet/Fetishistas Media Launch, Friday Nov 7: admission is free to party ticketholders; venue is the London Lounge at the event hotel.
Event hotel (above) is the Van der Valk Hotel Akersloot, Geesterweg 1A, 1921 NV Akersloot (train stop: Uitgeest). Tel: +31 (0)251-361888;
Fax: +31 (0)251-314508.
Rooms must be booked directly with the hotel. To get the event discount, book via the hotel website or by phone using the code DOM13.
www.dominatrix.nl
www.dominatrix.nl/tickets/order
www.hotelakersloot.nl
Hailing originally from the UK, Rubberluv is now a German brand like its stablemate Inner Sanctum. The original Rubberluv designs, acquired when Max Kuhl bought the label, are now rather long in the tooth, so it’s good to hear that Max, with help from assistant Magdalena, aka Max 2.0, is launching a whole new set of Rubberluv styles at Dominatrix.
European design will also be ably represented, as ever, by Brigitte More, whose Lovely Latex creations have graced many a Dominatrix catwalk.
Models’ favourite Brigitte takes a lot of her design inspiration from the girls she invites to model her creations, and you’ll be able to see that symbiotic relationship at work once again on November 8.
After his debut in March, Montreal’s The Richard returns to lead a pack of international male models from Germany, France, Australia and Colombia
Looking through this year’s list of attending models, I spy previous contest winners Kay Morgan, Onna Sakura and Sister Sinister, plus such fetish favourites as Amrita, Cosette, Dutch Dame, Idelsy Love, Jade Vixen, Kwipi Lovebite, Milla Vie, Petite Sukub, Sarathustra and Sinteque.
Interestingly, although there is no exclusively-male latex label in next month’s fashion line-up, styles for men are better represented among the brands designing primarily for women, and the roster of male models walking for November’s labels has grown in proportion.
After making his Dominatrix debut in March, Montreal’s The Richard is back leading an international pack that includes Germany’s Mr Kuhl (known to his friends as Max), France’s fetish catwalk stalwart David Fogel, Stockholm- based Australian Dylan Smith (aka Mister Sister Sinister), Snake from Columbia and a bevy of others from Germany and Holland.
These and many more will be taking to the catwalk for one or more of Saturday’s seven featured latex designers. At Dominatrix the fashion shows are high-energy affairs, split into two halves and strictly time limited.
This is designed to leave the crowd wanting more — rather than less, as can be the case at certain big German events.
You can get a sense of the onstage action at these parties from my gallery (above right) of favourites from the March weekend’s fashion shows.
Even though the international appeal of Dominatrix is such that about half its tickets now sell to people outside the Netherlands, when it comes to the dancefloor, the Dutch partying model most certainly applies.
Consequently, the shows don’t overstay their welcome and half the audience doesn’t head for home the minute the last model has exited the stage; the partying carries on for hours afterwards.
In November, there’ll be the added novelty of the venue itself having had a substantial makeover. A restyled entrance leads to a revamped main auditorium that will apparently make old hands think they’re in a totally different club!
There’s a new stage, several cosy chill areas and four separate music zones with the possibility of a fifth being added. All surely very welcome additions at what already promises to be the biggest and best Dominatrix event to date!
The shows don’t overstay their welcome and half the audience doesn’t head for home the minute the last model has exited the stage. The party carries on
Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Tags: Fashion Shows, Parties, Performance Artists