The N.Y. events were called Bond Con, and 500 leather-clad, whip-toting bondage aficionados reportedly attended. The adult and mainstream media covered the Bond Cons. Playboy TV's “Sexcetera” filmed John Santerineross’ signing there of his book of erotic photography, and Rome’s La Repubblica newspaper reported on the trade show.
Emanuelle, the owner of NaughtyNiche, told XBiz: “Bond Con has a great reputation. It brings a lot of likeminded people together. Fans can meet models. There are also workshops that are valuable to the general public, such as how to play safely and rope tying techniques.”
The convention was rebranded this year for several reasons. Bond Con was sometimes mistakenly assumed to have ties to James Bond, the fictional British secret agent of movie fame. And webmistress Stacy Burke gave Vesta and Lynn the domain name she had owned, FetishCon.com.
Burke said: “We had bondage conventions, latex conventions, model conventions, etc. I have always thought we should have a Fetish Convention to include everybody all at once!” Burke owns and operates the “fetish-a-go-go” site StacyBurke, which features latex, corsets, stockings and lots of hanky spanky.
Even if there’s no longer any allusion to the name James Bond, participants at the newly named Fetish Con are sure to be stirred, not shaken. Exhibitors include Stormy Leather, Girdle Bound, S&M Tattoo and Body Piercing, Bound N Determined, AEBN video on demand and Whips World.
Workshops include hand and foot bondage demonstrated by Julie Simone and blindfolded suspension demonstrated by Lew Rubens. Sir J Scan X is teaching hog-ties and crotch ropes, while Lady Amber and Bella are the instructors for exotic slave dances and positions.
F. Annie Fern is teaching corsets and tight lacing, and Helmut Siegfried is instructing on latex make-up. Lawrence Walters of the Weston, Garrou & DeWitt law firm is making a presentation on the governmental regulation of human sexuality.
Sponsors for the trade show include Restrained Photo, TheBondageChannel.com, Diavolina Films plus several rope companies, including Ropexpert.com.
Emmanuelle stated, “It’s a great idea for people of similar interests online to get together and realize they’re not the only ones with those feelings. It’s a gathering of open-minded people who are tolerant and open to other fetishes,” said the owner of the Montreal-based NaughtyNiche, which includes foot and balloon fetish content, but no bondage material.
Vesta and Genesis Lynn have joined forces to form Nefarious Productions and present their annual conventions. Regarding their upcoming Florida Fetish Con, they said: “Hang out for a weekend of kinky fun and cool events.”
