Spring Into the Season: Report From International Lingerie Show

This article ran in the May 2014 issue of AVN magazine. Click here to see the online edition. Or click on these links to see photo galleries on AVN.com: Apparel exhibitors at ILS Pleasure product exhibitors at ILS ILS Fashion Show (gallery 1 and gallery 2) It was the very tail end of March in Las Vegas, and spring clearly had sprung. It was time to throw off that winter coat. No, not that cashmere cloak or fleece jacket; rather, we’re talking about the coating of flesh that’s so easy to put on during the holidays—and so hard to take off in time for bathing suit season. We were there to attend the spring International Lingerie Show—a great way to kick off the slimming season, because there’s no place like ILS to provide incentives for dropping those pounds fast. The 2014 spring show, held March 31-April 2 at the convention hall at the Rio Hotel & Casino, was a case in point. Everywhere we turned there were tiny spandex club dresses, scanty bikinis, cinching corsets and clingy thigh-high stockings. And if one wondered what these styles should look like on, there were dozens of models ready to provide perfectly toned examples. It was at once inspiring and daunting. The spring show always has its share of Halloween costumes. Highlights this time around were in the superhero vein: Black Widow, Captain America, Batgirl and Supergirl garb from Rubie’s. California Costumes offered new takes on the classics with Dreamy Genie, Glorious Goddess and Mystical Mummy outfits, while FunWorld got whimsical with its Brilliant Butterfly and J. Valentine went stately with its Asgardian Queen. But costumes were dwarfed by other fashion trends. As the number of men’s underwear manufacturers continues to grow, so too did the ranks of models sporting washboard abs and sculpted biceps along with bits of cotton, bamboo, spandex and even lace. For women, brightly colored bandage dresses and other curve-hugging styles dominated, with skintight streetwear and clubwear from Espiral, Lapdance Lingerie, Magic Silk and many others. Bucking these svelte styles were plus-size options from a growing number of manufacturers. For closet romantics there were pretty, lacy options from Seven ’til Midnight and Coquette, and much more. Lovers of the Mad Men look could enjoy classic undergarments from Rago Foundations, Dirty Dolls Lingerie, and Lulu & Kath. And in other retro news, the corset craze continued unabated. Speaking of corsets, some great modern styles were displayed at the Baci Lingerie booth, which sported a very different look at this show. Located along the interior side wall of the main showroom, the all-new Baci booth trumpeted the official introduction of Baci’s Fetish Collection, in production now and shipping later this spring. The booth featured a “b good/b bad” theme, with one side in white and the other in black. Baci reps were quite excited about the Fetish Collection, which was showcased on the black “b bad” side of the booth; it’s a playful line designed to ease consumers into fetish wear. On the “b good” side were many previously unavailable styles in the White Label Seduction sub-collection, as well as Baci’s popular lashes and more. Fans of hosiery found a lot to be enthused about as well. In addition to Baci’s After Dark—a dedicated line of fashion hosiery—there are 20 styles in Dreams Hosiery, with cunning details that complement new and existing Dreams costumes. In addition to such major regular exhibitors as Shirley of Hollywood, Fantasy Lingerie, Allure Lingerie, Dreamgirl, Rene Rofé and dozens of others, there were brand-new exhibitors as well. The Root of All People’s booth featured the work of a New York-based designer with a love for flowing fabrics and sequins. The brand-new Bodyshotz, founded by lingerie industry insiders Steven Marsili and Spencer Kratochvil, focused on solid lycra beachwear, with thongs, underwear, leg garters, sling shots, and micro-shorts and skirts, in bright solids or foils (black, gold or silver). Especially eye-catching was a bathing suit with a frilly tie at the bustline and matching ties on both sides of the bikini bottoms, available in pink or black. But ILS isn’t all lingerie, as evidenced by the many booths dedicated to shoes and other accessories. One of the newest footwear options was at the Xgen Products booth. The Lapdance Step Into Sexy line of sandals add 6 inches of glorious length to legs—just exactly what Lapdance Lingerie’s clubwear calls for. Two-inch platforms beneath the ball of the foot take some of the pain out of the tall stilettos. There are two basic sandal styles—one slip-on and one with an ankle strap—and each style can be purchased in clear, red, white and black, as well as with pink platforms and either black or clear straps. And for those who can handle more height, the Classic Clear Strap comes in a 7-inch model. In addition to carrying lingerie from Lapdance, Baci and Seven ’til Midnight, Xgen also offers its customers many other options for body adornment. The Peekaboos line now includes an array of body crystals. Some of the designs are specifically intended for the eyes and nipples, but the rest can adorn just about any area where one might want to add a little sparkle. Concentric circles, stars, diamonds, hearts and clubs, curlicues, butterflies and wings are among the patterns to choose from. Xgen continues to offer the Bodywand line of wand-style vibrators, which sales rep Nick notes is always a strong seller. New to Xgen are the Secrets vibrating panties, so discreet they won’t be detectable under even the scantiest Lapdance club dress. Just as much a showcase for lingerie, ILS has become a platform for pleasure product manufacturers to reach their customers. Adult distributors take up large swaths of the exhibit space, and one of the most dramatic visual changes on the floor was the new booth for East Coast News/IVD. Going for its biggest footprint yet, the ECN booth saluted its storefront retailers with a faux brick-and-mortar exterior on its enclosed rectangular booth. Inside, the roomy space offered intimate meeting spaces with couches and tables, all surrounded by black shelving that showcased wares from some 20 manufacturers, including major companies such as California Exotic Novelties, Doc Johnson, Nasstoys, Topco and Pipedream Products. New to ECN were the fashionably designed vibrators of the Closet Collection, Bathmate penis pumps, Divine 9 personal lubricants, Cascade’s self-lubricating vibrators, and Lovehoney’s Fifty Shades of Grey and Bettie Page collections. While at the ECN booth we ran into Robin Stewart of Jopen, who was pleased to talk about Jopen’s Lust collection. Pointing at the vivid lime green version of the L5 model, Stewart noted that the color had been selling briskly, despite industry skepticism about green pleasure products. “It’s doing great,” she said happily. The color is not the only thing notable about the flowerlike L5, which is topped by graceful twin petals; like its sister model, the L6, it’s a patented design. The force being this creativity, Stewart was quick to credit, is Jopen founder Susan Colvin. “She always does something related to fashion,” Stewart said, revealing that Colvin’s current fixation is on the fashion industry’s color of the year, Radiant Orchid, and that items inspired by the hue are in development. There was also a display area for ECN’s Adult Drop Shipper, which provides drop shipping services for online retailers. In addition, ECN also runs AdultDropShop.com, which creates custom web store solutions to match any brand or look, and MyFreeSexStore.com, which is an affiliate-based white-label store solution. The ECN booth was also a home base for IVD and Adventure Industries. The latter is the distributor for various lines, with the newest being Kangaroo, Miracle Leaf and OMG sexual enhancement supplements for men and women, and the WhipSmart range of light fetish gear, including the hot-selling Pleasure Swing. One of the IVD reps noted with pleased surprise that sales of DVDs had been surprisingly brisk at the show—an indication that the decision to mix the various representatives of ECN and IVD in an integrated space was already bearing fruit. Also at ECN was Dana DiValli, the North American rep for Ovo pleasure products, who told us proudly that she was now repping the German-designed products worldwide and handed us her “global account manager” business card. Standing in front of one of Ovo’s sleek white display units, she showed us the line’s top sellers: the L1 love balls, which come in two weights; the B1 and B3 cock rings; the T1 lay-on vibe; the K1 and K2 rabbit vibrators; and finally the W1 and W2 bullets—two small vibes that are not much bigger than a pinky finger but nonetheless create a powerful buzz. She also promised that there would be big things coming from Ovo soon, with rechargeable models now in production. In its usual space in front of the main exhibit hall stage, the Eldorado Trading Company booth offered ample room for its sales people to meet clients as well as shelf space and meeting areas for manufacturers’ reps. We found Pipedream Products brand ambassador Cheryl Flangel in a section of the Eldorado booth devoted largely to her company’s wares. She showed off several items that are ready to ship just in time for wedding season. Part of Pipedream’s Bachelorette Party Favors collection, Get Hooked! lets players fish for “naughty peckers” in a girls’ nights drinking game. Just as fun are the Strap-On Pecker Ring Toss, the Spinning Party Light (warning others of “Bitches on the Loose”), and Glow Stick Pops (phallic lollipops on glow-in-the-dark sticks). Even more hilarity will ensue at any party that features the Inflatable Lube Wrestling Ring. It’s 6 inches square and deep enough to hold the 64 fluid ounces of Fetish Fantasy Series Wresting Lube that comes with it. The setup will also encourage sensual forms of contact sports in the privacy of one’s own bedroom. Flangel gave us the rundown on the company’s hot sellers, many of which are now shipping to customers who caught sneak previews at ANME. Pipedream’s many Fetish Fantasy collections have been gold mines for retailers, so it’s only fitting that the newest of these is the Fetish Fantasy Gold collection. Shiny metallic accents turn these cuffs, clamps, crops, masks, collars and strap-ons into fashion accessories, though they still retain that Fetish Fantasy kink. Listening to Flangel run down the high points in the Pipedream universe it’s clear that Pipedream stands out for its creative use of alternative materials. We listen as Flangel enthusiastically regales a buyer with the virtues of temperature play that are possible with the Pure Aluminium and Ceramix collections. And one mustn’t forget glass, either—this year Pipedream has added 28 new items to the Icicles line. Toys made of more traditional materials also have received upgrades. The Real Feel Deluxe dildos, made of an improved version of Pipedream’s Fanta-Flesh, are fully versatile—both harness compatible and also equipped with suction cups and vibration capability. And on the subject of harnesses, the Fetish Fantasy Series offers a dozen different styles, materials and capabilities—including a Perfect Fit model that can accommodate a 68-inch waist. Finally, Pipedream hasn’t forgotten those consumers who don’t have a partner. The Fetish Fantasy Series Portable Sex Machine may be pricy at $300 wholesale, but it comes with a discreet carrying pouch that will allow the user to take it anywhere. Also for the soloist are the Pipedream Extreme Dollz. Flangel went over each of the three price points that buyers can choose from, with the top tier offering realistic pussy and ass strokers and superior detailing on the head and hair. Various reps from California Exotic Novelties also were in evidence at the Eldorado booth, but none more noticeably than reality TV star Coco, who has a new branded toy line with the manufacturer. Called Coco Licious, the collection is carried by various distributors. The busty blonde, who is the star of the show Ice Loves Coco and is married to rapper Ice-T, came to the Eldorado booth on the second day of the show and drew a long line of fans that snaked out the booth and around the floor. Eldorado chief Larry Garland was thrilled with the response, noting that such a hubbub is rare on the ILS show floor. Garland and his team are also excited about Svakom, an innovative line of high-tech vibrators that is carried exclusively by Eldorado. Svakom also had its own booth, and a rep from Eldorado was posted there to help field questions. She showed us vibrators with heating elements, cameras and other interactive features. Even the company’s giveaway pens were innovative in their own way: a paper scroll hidden inside of the pen could be pulled out to supply more information about Svakom. Also making herself at home at the Eldorado booth was Mara Epstein, who talked about how important it is for her to work directly with retailers. “I focus on the retail outlets and the stores. I offer the stores lots of promotional materials that they need. Anyone can contact me,” she said. New from the brightly colored Maia line are the Silicone Bunny Vibe, a cute shocking pink vibrator shaped like a rabbit wearing a bow tie; the Maia Pleasure Kit, which comes with anal beads, tongued cock ring, a vibrator with two sleeves and Kegel balls; and the Twistty Silicone Vibe, which is a thick, round and ridged purple vibe.We also ran into Alicia Relles, whose Je Joue product line is carried by Eldorado and Entrenue. She was showing buyers her Ami Kegel system, as well as Mimi, Fifi and Uma. The newest member of the Je Joue family is the G-Kii, the second incarnation of the company’s adjustable G-spot stimulator, which can be bent and customized to accommodate individual fit. The G-Kii is even more flexible than the original G-Ki, increasing the likelihood that this highly customizable vibe—which can be bent into a tight U-shape—can hit just about any G-spot, no matter how elusive. SpareParts HardWear founder Tres—who also spent time at both the Eldorado and Entrenue booth—featured the company’s La Palma hand-held harness prominently, but the newer item from SpareParts was the Bella harness. The company brought BBW fetish model and adult performer Kelly Shibari to the Entrenue booth to model the plus-size harness. Always of note at the Entrenue booth are its packed bookshelves, with new titles marked by stickers. Among the newer items were various how-to books—Your Pleasure Map, Find Your Inner Sex Goddess, and Naughty Nooners & Wild Nights—as well as such light-hearted fare as Sex Position Coloring Book, Color My Boobs and Bicurious George. The Entrenue space was chockablock with collections new to this boutique distributor. The Savvy line of massagers, kits and intimate accessories from XR Brands—created in collaboration with AASECT-certified sexuality educator and author Dr. Yvonne K. Fulbright—was placed alongside a range of products created by Adrien Lastic, a Spanish company. Particularly eye-catching from Lastic was the 2—a remote-controlled, double-headed couples toy with motors mounted in two bullet-shaped tips. For more on the former, go to DrFulbright.com; for more about the latter, go to AdrienLastic.com. And the distributor had picked up body care products from Sweet Spot, an exhibitor we remembered from the AVN Novelty Expo in January. New from the creators of the G-vibe were the G-vibe Geisha Balls—another take on the ubiquitous Kegel exercisers that buyers could choose to stock along with the Pelvix Concept Kegel ball kit. Nexus offered its take on the rabbit vibe with Nexus Femme Bisous, a dramatically curved vibe with a clitoral stimulator. And Mystim had some interesting interpretations of rabbit and G-spot vibrators. With mellifluous and alliterative names—Elegant Eric, Sassy Simon and Terrific Truman—they were similar in appearance to LELO’s two-tone vibes with colorful silicone and white ABS base. But it was the Mystim E-Stim Vibes that truly provided something different. Named Electric Eric, Sizzling Simon and Tickling Truman, they combine vibration and electrical stimulation in one device. The vibes have motors that offer eight vibration patterns and five types of electrical stimulation and operate on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. (The vibes are also available from Eldorado.) But perhaps most intriguing was the Aqueous Vibe from Drop of Sweden. On the bottom is a removable nozzle that attaches to a shower hose, which then causes a stream of water to emerge from the clitoral stimulator on the vibrator. Alternately, the vibe comes equipped with a second base that allows it to be used as a standard rabbit vibe with six modes of vibration. Other distributors proudly displayed new wares available to their clients. Honey’s Place also carried those intriguing Mystim vibrators, and one rep was bouncing up and down on the Pink Diamond 69, a dildo-equipped exercise ball that attendees at the AVN Novelty Expo may remember seeing at the January show. Over in one corner of the Williams Trading Company booth we found one-half of the team behind the Pocket Dungeon. Introducing himself as Michael Angel, he told us that his wife, Ming—with whom he serves in a “24/7 master-slave relationship”—created the kit herself and worked on it four years so she could have something to carry with her when she traveled that was portable and conformed to TSA restrictions. The leather is made in India, and the two partners assemble the kits themselves in their home on Maui. The Pocket Dungeon comes in two sizes at distinctly different price points: $97.50 wholesale for the full kit and $25 wholesale for a basic kit. The couple has posted demo videos at PocketDungeon.com. Manufacturer representatives were also hanging out at the Nalpac booth, where we found Pia Scott, customer relations manager and product educator for Blush Novelties, which was prominently displayed in the booth. Also enjoying generous shelf space were several lines new to Nalpac, including Nobu, Nu Sensuelle, and Wicked Sensual Care lubricants, which sales rep Alfredo said was selling briskly after its win at the 2014 AVN Awards for Best Lubricant Manufacturer. He also pointed out a new Dona by Jo display case, which sent us running off to talk to the folks at System Jo. Marketing maven Janette Bewley talked about System JO’s revamped Dona by JO body care line, which has been winnowed down to make things easier for retailers. The line features new scents and new packaging but it retains the elegant boutique vibe of the original. Bewley was also enthused about System JO’s organic lubricants, which are brand new and just starting to build consumer interest. But what really built interest here at ILS was the bright red Vespa sitting in the entryway to the booth. Two of the sporty scooters were being given away in a drawing open to all who wrote orders with the lubricant manufacturer at the show. hat else caught our eye at ILS? Plenty. We stopped by Vamp Silicone to say hi to an exhibitor we remembered from past AVN Novelty Expos. Turns out Vamp is now owned by Camila Klinger, who bought the company six months ago. Klinger was delighted to show off Vamp’s multicolored all-silicone models, in which the colors run together in hues, swirls, marbling and splashes that are unique to each dildo. The company also offers a service called VampMe! that allows individual companies to choose color combinations and patterns for a special-edition model specific to their stores. (For details, see VampSilicone.com.) Another familiar name jumped out at us: a company from the Euro zone that was marking its return to the North American market at this show. Manning the JoyDivision booth, with its array of vibrators and lubricants, were both founder Oliver Redschlag and his U.S. marketing manager, Immanuel Otterski. German company Fun Factory, on the other hand, has an established team here in the U.S. and they’ve been busy the past couple months taking advantage of the manufacturer’s colorful range of products by creating rainbow-themed displays for Pride month. These new displays were on view at ILS, along with new retailing for butt plugs and Smartballs that show shoppers how to use the products via anatomically accurate displays. We also took note of a creative trade-show solution at the Evolved Novelties booth. The manufacturer had new pop-up screens that show the full product assortment and merchandising for the company’s various lines: Evolved Novelties, Zero Tolerance Toys, Adam & Eve and Shots. There were many products on display in three dimensions, but the backdrops give buyers a more complete picture of the many products Evolved has to offer. Finally, just a few of the many don’t-miss items: • At the Sliquid booth, Michelle Marcus pointed out a new addition to the Ride BodyWorx line. Called Rise, it is the Sliquid female arousal gel repackaged for men. Marcus said that when it is applied to the underside of the penis head, “He gets to experience that same sensation.” The packaging has a black, matte finish with dragon imagery and a metallic accent. • Crave, creators of high-tech USB-chargeable vibrators, has gone in a different direction with two new glass dildos. The Forte is shaped like a streamlined curlicue; the Curve is, well, curved. • Liberator had the Talea, which, unlike metal spreader bars from BDSM play, is a padded rod that offers comfort along with control. • The Iroha Mini is a smaller, less expensive version of Tenga’s Iroha vibrators for women; it has a $25 MSRP, needs only one battery, and it comes in three color combinations. Also new from Iroha but shown only in prototype were two vibrators with the same lusciously squeezable texture as the original Irohas: the Mikazuki, a crescent-shaped pale yellow vibe, and the Minamo, which is wavy comes in a pale sea green. • Vibratex brought out its own line of super-cute, super-femme vibrators dubbed “The Girls.” These highly desirable portable pleasure toys can be obtained from Vibratex, and are also being carried by Entrenue. • Also at the Vibratex booth was one of the most innovative items at the show: the Bubble Love “pleasure jet.” Company rep Kim Airs was on the scene with the clean, white, handheld device, which she had submerged in a tank of water to show how it produces a stream of powerful bubbles that turn bath time into playtime. Bubble Love hosted a festive debut soiree in one of the Masquerade Tower suits, complete with food, party favors and, of course, bubbly. Bubble Love models were available for any party-goer willing to use them in the suite’s gigantic bathtub, but when we left there still hadn’t been anyone intrepid enough to take advantage of the generous offer. But rest assured that trying out this innovative toy ranks high on our to-do list.