During the dog days of summer we’ve been busy with some fabulous custom creations for Labor Day’s Montreal Fetish Weekend. My #1 favorite is a latex Cruella Deville ensemble (the shop has feathers flying and cats chasing them!), to be accompanied by a masculine dalmatian.
Friday, August 10th, NYC: I, along with an assortment of fiendish fetishists, are celebrating and performing at Evolve Lounge for John Ed’s birthday Fetish Ball, brought to you by Tranny Strip. I’ll be going on around 1am, but we’ll be playing throughout the night and I hope you’ll join us! 10-4am. Evolve Lounge is located at 221 East 58th street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues.
Our new opera mitts and stirrup hose are featured in September’s issue of In Style Magazine, and I was just interviewed for Relapse Magazine for an article that comes out the first week of September.
Kurv Magazine 026 Line Between the Reeds by Thierry Van Biesen
Photography Thierry Van Biesen
Stylist Rebecca Weinberg @ Judy Casey
Stylist Assistants Brit ‘Legz’ Cato & James Vasquez
Hair & Make Up Elsa Canedo @ Shu Uemura Art of Hair
Model Eva Doll @ MC2 NYC
Location Northwest Harbor, East Hampton, New York
Special Thanks Jessica Bloom @ Judy Casey
I have been the Mistress of Ceremonies for the Miss Rubber World competition since its inception 6 years ago, and each year it gets better. For those unfamiliar with the contest, it takes place in New York City and is open to all female-identifying rubberists over the age of 21. There are not more than 10 contestants (this year there were 9), each vying for prizes from fetish designers world-wide. This year’s grand prize value came to $15,125.
Miss Rubber World MC
This year the festivities kicked off with the Shiny party hosted by Latex Nemesis, which took place in a small club with lots of lube!
By tradition I host an intimate meet-and-greet/ lubricated shopping cocktail party at my boutique for the judges, contestants, attendees, and latex lovers, with champagne, socializing, and shopping, helping those who haven’t yet the perfect outfit to get fitted out at a discount.
This is one of our busiest times of year, as we are commissioned for fabulous custom ensembles for both attendees (who know to dress to impress) and contestants, who not only must outdo themselves with each of their 3 costume changes but also the others vying for the title.
It’s an intimate gathering. This year, judge and Miss Rubber World 2008 winner Jean Bardot, Lovely Latex designer Brigitte More from Holland, international fetish models, Ophelia Overdose, fetish magazine tycoon Erik Von Gutenberg, contestants, friends and fellow fetishists all attended.
Judges at the 2012 Miss Rubber World Competition
The biggest improvement to Miss Rubber World this year was the location, moving from a club to the Affina Hotel in midtown. This change provided out-of-town attendees a central location, and created spontaneous before and after parties in guest suites. It also meant that there was light, and for the first time one could look across the room and actually see (in their correct color and fine detail ) the well-appointed crowd. And there was more entertainment: six latex designers (including The Baroness) presented short fashion shows during the breaks, so there was always something to hold your attention. This was the first time I’ve had the opportunity to see samples from designers around the globe each presenting our unique view and style back to back. There was Lovely Latex from Holland, Latex Nemesis from New Jersey, , me ( The Baroness) and Klawtex representing New York, Dawnamatrix from Boston, and Vital Vein came from Arizona.
Lady Wednesday in transparent dress leads Glenar in inflatable straight jacket
For my presentation the goal was to showcase the variety of both our designs and of our customers. The show included off-the-rack, custom, and bizarre bondage pieces, and featured men as well as women, along with a few T-girls! We opened with cosplay super heros Captain America and Silk Spector, then did some latex time travel with a shiny dandy in frockcoat, asscot, and top hat, accompanied by two ornately dressed Neo Victorian/steampunk ladies of the court. (I love in the videos how their floor-length latex gowns and trains move as they strut the catwalk!) Next up, a dramatic black and white polka dot ensemble from our Sophisti-cat line, cinched tightly with our new black and white striped waist cincher, followed by two T- girls in brilliant yellow, hot pink, and amethyst wearing halters and ruffled knickers from our sizzling Chiquita line. For the finale our model wore a transparent Myrna Loy gown (originally made for Lady Gaga’s infamous egg-encased entrance to last years Grammys) along with a matching Victorian collar (featured in her “Born this way” video) leading a gentleman encased in our “classic” transparent inflatable straight jacket!
The competition commences with all contestants on stage and introduced with a brief bio. This year’s contestants hailed from Los Angeles, New York, Rhode Island, Boston, Florida, Germany, and Scotland. After their first costume change change they return individually to answer a variety of questions including: What is your favorite latex item? What will you do as Miss Rubber World? Describe your first latex experience. If you had one piece of rubber gear to give someone what would it be?
Miss Rubber World 2012
One more change and they return for their fantasy/ fetish skit. Standout performances included 2 rubber cats, saucers of milk, and lots of grooming; Marilyn Monroe with a whip performing “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend”; spinning bondage, ballet boots, slaves in hoods and cages, chains and corporal punishment, dogs and a lion tamer!
After all that the judges (Xris SMack, party promoter and DJ, fetish models Jade Vixen and Jean Bardot, make-up artist and T-girl, Lady J, latex designers Brigitte More and Klawdya Rothschild, and 2011 MRW winner Archean) tally their votes, the winners are announced, prizes and sash are awarded, and photos taken.
New York, NY. The Baroness, New York’s Premier designer of Elegant, Provocative Latex fashions since 1994, is renowned for her unique fashion events, performances and parties. The Baroness’ philosophy, “Any occasion to dress is an occasion to overdress!” is obvious to all who’ve seen her imaginative and entertaining fashion shows. Her trademark professionalism, intellect, and playfulness reveal themselves in her colourful latex creations. Taking inspiration from a theme or mood each presentation combines wearable designs with distinctive pieces created for the occasion.
Standouts from past fashion shows include: The Baroness’ latex Angel complete with surgical-glove wings created for the Goddess Ball and called “a highlight of the show” by the Village Voice. A latex western wear ho down, Valentines Day heartbreakers in sexy latex dresses adorned with pink and red hearts, and Santa’s helpers decked in red and green latex trimmed with feathers and fur. At Jamaica’s Hedonism II, in the exotic finale of her tropical fashion show The Baroness, resplendent in a glistening latex mermaid ensemble complete with fish tail and seaweed corset, was conveyed about the stage by a procession of tanned models in latex cabana suits and hibiscus appliquéd sundresses.
For Dorian’s parlor, The Baroness’ presented “Latex Time Travel” with a neo-Victorian, steampunk fashion show of long gowns and bustles for the women, while dandies strutted in latex frockcoats and top hats.
The Baroness launched her Couture “Fit for Royalty” line at New York’s Black and Blue Ball. Inspired by the belle époque, the decadent court of The Sun King, and the mysterious orient, this extravaganza was created for the serious dressing enthusiast. It was theatrically staged in the romantic setting of a bygone era’s grand ballroom. The men, dressed in voluminous poets’ shirts, bejeweled court coats and elaborate formal wear, posed and preened like peacocks as the ladies in their stunning and opulent latex gowns fanned themselves and sipped champagne.
To satisfy her lifelong fantasy “to dress up a roomful of people and just look at them” The Baroness created her own series of parties, starting with The Royal Amusements. An annual gala event with a strict dress code of fetish finery or formal wear draws attendees from around the globe. She followed this success with “The Kinky Costume Ball”, a wild and triumphant Halloween celebration. For 3 years she organized and booked talent for the Sound Factory’s huge annual SM Ball, where she also performed before a packed house of 15,000 revelers.
Desiring a smaller more manageable venue The Baroness delivered Glamour and Pain monthly at her Fetish Retinue party for twelve years, making it New York’s longest-running monthly fetish party. A dedicated Latex Evangelist, she is committed to showcasing the talents of New York’s’ fetish elite, educating the masses to the exotic ways of rubber, and spreading the gospel of latex. You’ll never know what to expect, but it’s always exciting!
It could be a provocative latex fashion show, or her bizarre sucky bed, or perhaps the incredible blow up man, or even a celebration of balloons. With The Baroness’ goal to provide a safe space to do dangerous things, inhibitions are lost in the intimate atmosphere, and with the charmingly persuasive Baroness as host, you may even find yourself roped into the act!
With The Baroness’ background in film, her progression to Fetish / SM performer was inevitable. Always creative and visually exciting, each show is different and unique, but The Baroness’ style is always evident with her love of color and unusual latex designs. Performances have included human candelabras, mummified liquid sculpture, bizarre inflatable bodies, rubber nurses, and her “Taming the Tiger” piece in the Cyber Fetish Circus seen in New York, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia.
With latex in the mainstream The Baroness has been called upon for help with with latex fashions (as well as casting and performances) for music videos including Jared Leto’s controversial “Hurricane”; appearances on Jerry Springer; Oribe Hair Salons’ 2 day Las Vegas expo, and numerous short films.
