What’s really in a brand name? Pleasure products manufacturer Adrien Lastic thinks it’s the perfect chance to make a big impression, especially if you’re new on the scene. “I admit that being relatively unknown [in the states] has both its pluses and minuses,” mused U.S. sales manager Jackie Richerson.
“The drawback being that we have to totally introduce the brand to most people we meet, but that just means we get to bring the excitement of a new concept to every meeting.” It hasn’t always been love at first sight for retailers, but luckily for Richerson, her enthusiasm is catching on. “The thing I hear most when visiting new stores is, ‘I really didn’t expect to love this as much as I do. You guys surprised me and I am really impressed!’”
This double-stim wonder is the brainchild of Venus O’Hara, a British expat whose sexpert credentials include professional sex toy testing and writing for Spanish “Playboy.”
Based in Barcelona, Spain, the company opened in 2008 as CNEX. Founders Oliver Jean Pierre de la Marnierre and Tan Jing wanted to tap the manufacturing market of electronic plastic injection and silicone products in China. De la Marnierre brought a rather unique set of Renaissance-man qualities to the partnership. His background consisted of mathematics, sculpture and painting; he also worked as a special effects expert.
“Olivier Jean Pierre is the origin of almost all the ideas and designs of the brand, creating everything in house with our team of designers and engineers,” Richerson added.
“Jing, on the other hand, held the key to business success: relationships within the Asian market and the experience to make them work. The two set off to delve into every aspect of the field and created a lucrative outfit of design, development and import/export. After a taste of the more traditional plastics industry, Jing and de la Marnierre were yearning for a more exciting way to bring their love of art, technology and production together. They set the stage for Adrien Lastic in 2009 and are on their way to becoming one of the most well-known luxury pleasure product brands in Spain.
The company makes a name for itself before you even lay eyes on its products. The name Adrien Lastic isn’t an obvious moniker for a sex toy company, but it immediately invokes intrigue and even a little confusion — both of which work wonders for the brand’s marketing efforts. At first glance, you might assume Adrien Lastic is an expensive cologne or a line of high-end men’s underwear, but the name actually derives from a legend.
“It’s been said that a man, Adrien Lastic, born of French and Polynesian descent, was an old hero who, in some Polynesian islands, was dedicated to the art of deflowering,” Richerson explained. “His mission was to teach young virgins the art of love, so they could know pleasure and spread it afterwards.” Oddly enough, a Google search of the legend is futile, which only adds to the brand’s appeal. “The story was only narrated through a manuscript and by oral tradition,” she added.
Appropriately enough for the company’s namesake, Adrien Lastic went on to create some curious sex toys. The Gladiator, a wearable cage for penis owners, could turn heads in the kinkiest of adult boutiques.
“In store, customers are instantly drawn to this unique new item,” Richerson stated. “There’s just nothing out there like it.”
The product looks like a conqueror of sorts, with a double set of cages that stretch across the shaft and a sizeable vibrator at the base. At the other end of the stimulation spectrum is the Caress, a tiny twirling toy just for her. Each of the five silicone interchangeable heads spin while vibrations rumble up from the motor.
“It’s magnetically charged, fully submersible and a must-have for both users new to sex toys and veterans looking for something new to try,” Richerson remarked.
The Trigger rounds out the trio, and appears to be just another take on the typical Rabbit vibrator. Instead of a cute bunny, the external vibrator more closely resembles kitsch sculpture art. The ribbed shaft flexes back and forth, just like a trigger finger; hence the toy’s catchy name.
“We’ve heard that its looks are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss in all the best ways,” Richerson commented.
A Dr. Suess-esque toy isn’t even the wildest creation in the Adrien Lastic catalog. The O Venus looks like it was engineered by a femme-bot to reach unknown depths of the female body, which actually isn’t too far from the truth.
“The O Venus is one of my personal favorite items in the line,” Richerson claimed. “It’s so very unique, and as a long time sex geek, I had never seen anything like it.”
This double-stim wonder is the brainchild of Venus O’Hara, a British expat whose sexpert credentials include professional sex toy testing and writing for Spanish “Playboy.”
“In my work as a sex blogger, I often receive messages from women who have yet to experience an orgasm,” O’Hara said. “After testing a wide variety of sex toys, it became clear to me that more female intuition was needed in the development phase.”
The toy is vaguely shaped like an open-ended triangle, and true to the mysterious form of Adrien Lastic, requires a bit of explanation.
“With two points of vibration, it brings one end for direct clitoral stimulation and the other to open the labia and provide further vibrations. It can also be used for light insertion but is designed for just the tip,” Richerson explained.
However, it’s definitely worth the extra time spent reading the instructions on this one. If anyone knows how to design a sex toy, it’s a professional vibrator critic like O’Hara.
“My aim, in consultation with both engineers and gynecologists, was to create a toy with a new shape that stimulated the clitoris both indirectly and directly,” O’Hara revealed. “I’m hoping that the O Venus will provide plenty of sheet-gripping orgasms to every woman who uses it.”
Aside from its highly nuanced team, the support of a famous sex educator, and quite possibly the most interesting brand name in the industry, Adrien Lastic’s future success will more than likely hinge on one of their best qualities: fearlessness.
“We’re not afraid to make new products, bring new designs and concepts to our customers,” Richerson admitted. “While we could focus on doing the same five designs of classic rabbits every year, we enjoy exploring new paths.”
Unlike their predecessors, the company’s attitude is less about turning a profit and more about the pursuit of creation. “In a way, we don’t mind so much if we sell a million products, we want to change the game and try new things,” Richerson concluded. “We’re capable of producing any products we’d like, but why settle when we can make art?”
Everyone has to make a living, but not everyone can truly live through their work, and that’s where Adrien Lastic is getting everything right from the start.
