/Beautiful Things

Over the past ten years, there's been an explosion in the development of erotic luxury.  What used to be restricted to windowless sex shops is now readily available online and in a new breed of shop: the erotic luxury retailer.  Shops like Myla, Coco de Mer, and Kiki de Montparnasse, as well as woman-friendly trailblazers like Good Vibrations and Babeland, have not only made sex toys more accessible to women, they've also offered a venue for higher quality objects - more sculpture than toy - made of precious materials and refined with superior technology.  Sex toys used to be degrading, with their ridiculous packaging and carcinogenic materials. Now, I can be proud to shop for beautiful, sexual things.

In the spirit of decadence, I've collected a few things for you here, some aesthetic, some functional. Rather than round up the same few ultra-luxury sex toys, I've combed the shops for a spectrum of things, some sexual and others aesthetic, some singular and unique and others widely available. You can find these items in the links embedded within the descriptions.  Or, for a quick run-through, you can browse the gallery.





Duck Eggs by Shiri Zinn - Perhaps you've tried Smart Balls or a jade egg to strengthen your pelvic floor.  Shiri Zinn offers a playful spin on the egg with these glass 'duck eggs' in several vibrant colors.  ($450)






Naughty Bits Brooch - The artist has clipped erotic sentence fragments from trashy romance novels and turned them into a wearable, pin-able works of art. Fasten to a shirt, a letter, a bag, a jacket, a stranger. ($10)






Japanese Erotic Box - The three-footed Japanese box dates to the 19th century (Meiji period)  with an innocuous, decorative exterior.  Once you open it up, you'll find two erotic scenes, one under the lid, the other inside the box itself. There's a little coitus, a little cunnilingus. Overall, it's perfect if you're prone to collecting erotic things or if you'd like an appropriate place to stash your lust notes. ($1850)






Olga by Lelo - There are several g-spot dildos out there, and Olga by Lelo is one of the more exquisite. It has the clean lines of a Brancusi, the weight and heft of an effective lust object. You can buy it in stainless steel or, if you're feeling particularly decadent, 18k gold plate. ($275)






Aloe by Discoh - The Spanish designers Discoh have come up with an erotic object that can be both decorative and functional. The bright green dildo slips into a 'pot' to cover its conspicuously shaped head and, as it stands, it looks like a stylized aloe plant on your dresser or bedside table. But it's not.  Form conceals function. Price? No idea. They make it on demand, but you can leave them your email address if you're interested.






Form 2 by Jimmyjane - Have you seen this yet? If you haven't, take a look, and if you have, you'll notice that it looks nothing like the other erotic objects out there.  It fits in the palm of your hand and contains two motors - one in each flexible ear - with four vibration modes and give power levels.  While I'm generally predisposed to penetration, this piece has really caught my eye.  It's designed for external stimulation not just of the clitoris but also the labia, for a fuller, more satisfying sensation.  It's a brilliant tool for foreplay, or simply to bring yourself off. And it looks great. Pair this with the Olga, and you've got a tabletop sculpture display. ($135)






Toibocks - If you prefer to hide your objects, Toibocks has a nice little locking case that resembles a jewelry box. The upper tray holds jewelry, if you're committed to seriously hiding your toys, or condoms. Lift the tray and it has enough space to store a variety of phallic playthings. ($99.99)






Tickler by Paul Seville - Ticklers can be all pink marabou fluff with no real ability to heighten or vary sensation on the skin. Paul Seville knows what he's doing. His tickler is gorgeous, for one, but it also includes a variety of textures and tensions tucked into a tidy feathery bouquet. If you're not familiar with these beauties, they can be used to heighten sensation all over the body: down a woman's back, over her breasts, down her inner thighs, up the shaft of a man's cock, over his balls, the neck, the nape, the wrist and inside of the arm... ($75)