London Below: A new alternative market for all those seeking new adventures

London was host to a new alternative market on Sunday 30th August. Sited in Dalston, North East London, 'London Below' opened its doors for the first time, offering a multitude of stalls from club wear, lingerie to jewellery.

Although Epic Dalston is renowned for hosting record and art fairs, this venue is also home to wedding receptions. Formerly a cinema, it is situated on the ground floor, under Efes, a snooker club on the corner of Stoke Newington Road and Trumans Road. Easy to miss, but look out for the front door between a tattoo shop and a Turkish restaurant.

Difficult to label, this alternative market offers a wide range of products and styles, for all taste and tendencies. Stalls included: club wear, PVC wear, lingerie, jewellery, embroidery, graphic artists, fascinators, vintage and retro, bondage and discipline, tarot reading and taxidermy.

Sarah, The Curious Menagerie, runs regular tailored taxidermy courses nearby, at Seven Sisters. Here she is preparing a Jackdaw. (www.curiousmenagerie.co.uk)

Voodoo Oddities specialise in entomology, taxidermy (wet and dry specimens), medical antiques and secret society paraphernalia. Today, they had a fabulous array of bats and spiders!
(www.vodoooddities.com)

Henry, Curiosities From the 5th Corner, had an impressive range of artworks, bones and artefacts; many of them being human remains..!
(www.curiositiesfromthe5thcorner.com)

London would benefit from hosting more events of this genre, presenting excellent opportunities to meet creative, independent artists and designers. The originality of this market makes it unique and worthwhile a visit.

The organisers, Trica and Malc, have our support and encouragement to continue providing an alternative to Sunday shopping, and we look forward to featuring them in the next Fetish Map London. For those curious out there, London Below is scheduled to open its doors on the last Sunday of every month. Why not visit them then?


For more information, you can find London Below at Epic Dalston, 13 - 15 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 8BH. On the A10, north of the Balls Pond Road crossroad. By train: Dalston Kingsland overground.
www.londonbelow.co.uk
www.epicdalston.com



The Fetish Map Team - James and Eva

One Shoe Fetish: A new kink?

The love story between a woman and shoes begins in childhood; at least it did for me. I found some of my mum's high heel shoes one day, in the cellar of our house in Paris. I was about 5 years old, and being too little I couldn't wear both shoes properly at the same time, so I walked around with one shoe on and one shoe off.

Strangely enough this idiosyncrasy, wearing one shoe on and one off, seems to have followed me into my adult life.

A busy life juggling writing projects, research, interviews and preparing seminars can soon turn into turmoil and feel hectic. Being organised is a must, but some things just have a tendency to stay a bit chaotic. Often, I find myself wearing one shoe on and one off, not really for the pleasure of it, but because I lose my shoes around the house. So, while I look around for one, I wear the other. The biggest challenge is walking down the stairs with only one shoe on, while the bare foot marches down on tiptoe, trying to keep the balance.

I never gave this behaviour a second thought, until recently someone approached me to talk about their unusual kink: One shoe fetish.

Men love women in high heels, it's sexy, elegant and graceful. Shoe fetish is very popular, a fetish that extends to boots and other footwear; and so is foot fetish. All over the world, men worship women's feet, whether they are part of the fetish world or not.

But could we combine foot and shoe fetish? Why not?

Nigel is the first man I have encountered who has done just that.

E: How did you come across this fetish?

N: I was born with it. It is a natural fetish, the one that gets me sexually aroused.

What is the excitement about looking at a woman wearing only one shoe?

N: It turns me on. It looks very attractive and sensual. When a woman wears one shoe, at some point she starts caressing her foot, mainly to shift the weight and give some relief to the bare foot, or to keep it warm. This is absolutely exciting and very feminine, even more so because most of the time, she does it inadvertently.

E: Do you enjoy women walking with one shoe and seeing the imbalance of the walk, or you see the beauty in seeing one bare foot and one shoe?

N: I see the beauty in seeing one bare foot and one shoe. Also, the great thing about a woman walking with one heel only is that she puts her bare foot on tiptoe, which is very sexy. When a woman walks bare feet, she puts her feet flat on the ground. This is not as exciting as seeing her tiptoeing. On the other hand, to tiptoe with both bare feet is only possible for a very limited time because it's unnatural. So, the best option is one heel on and tiptoe with the bare foot.

E: Is it also about being 'half way there', not quite the whole 'naked' look, but on the way there?

N: In a way, yes. A slight hint of nudity. Besides, a shoe is just about the only thing a woman can remove in public and not transgress the boundary of decency.


For many men, one shoe fetish means the best of 'both worlds': The bare foot, sexy and sensual in its natural state, and the foot dressed in a high heel, showing the elegance of a woman.

How often do you fantasise about playing out your fetish in public? Some kinky games or fantasies are far too daring outside the fetish milieu. One shoe fetish, however, could be more discreet, yet still thrilling and exciting.

Feet are the extension of hands, some say. Women enjoy teasing a man, caressing him all over with her bare feet. Even more sensual and arousing when she caresses her lover's sexual parts with her bare foot. The bare skin, the gentle slow movement, while keeping eye contact, can be titillating and orgasmic. A one shoe fantasy played in public is erotic. One shoe on, showing normality, while the bare foot is off playing.

The male's fantasy of a woman being both a madonna and a nymphomaniac at the same time, can be a turn on and exciting: Two conflicting women into one. She can conduct herself with grace, glamour and gentleness, in a beautiful dress and high heels, turning into a seductive sexual temptress when she decides to. Many men like this image, it's arousing, sexy and attractive.

In this world of opposites, yin and yang, good and bad, night and day, seeing both parts of the contrast at once can be gratifying. You have all you want, as one.

The one shoe fetish is part of this contrasting world, and although it might not be a well known kink, it makes sense to take pleasure in admiring a woman who is offering the best of both experiences. A beautiful foot in a sexy shoe, and the contrast of the bare foot, sensual, untamed, wild just free to be played with, or ready to play.

Foot fetish and shoe fetish, both coming under one. Will it catch on?

Why don't you try and let us know how it feels for you?

Or maybe you are already a member of this fetish group? Why not share your experience with us and offer some more insight?

Eva Lamour

Photography by James Drury

  

Fetish Words Definitions - 17 essential Fetish - BDSM related words for newcomers

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FETISH MAP LONDON, Issue 8 - OUT NOW...!

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EROTICA 2013 - Tobacco Dock, London - Review from a fetish and burlesque point of view...!

www.fetishmap.co.uk

After its absence from the London erotic scene in 2012, Erotica came back this year at Tobacco Dock, with a blend of kinky and raunchy adventure.

A different location didn't discourage the public or the exhibitors from participating. Tobacco Dock, situated in South East London, right next to Tower Bridge, provided a most unusual venue for the show.
A labyrinth of vaulted glassed areas serving as exhibition space and shops, on two floors, was packed with erotic enthusiasts as well as newcomers, who seemed eager to discover the world of Erotica.

As long standing advocates of quality fetish, Fetish Map London has had a place at Erotica for many years. However, this year saw a greater fetish presence than before. Maybe this is a sign that Erotica is crossing a new frontier, providing more different adventure into the kinky world.

Our stall was tucked into a corner in one of the rooms of the venue, and although we had great surroundings, some of the shy visitors appeared too timid to approach us. Seeing Fetish Map, big and bold, was enough for some to do a U turn. This only tells me that minds still need to be more opened to the endless  opportunities and adventure the erotic world has to offer; they need to stretch their horizon further in their quest for thrills and titillation. But those were a very few. For the majority, their wide eyed faces was proof that they were very happy to have found a new source of kinky inspiration.

"A map of all things fetish and burlesque in London? Wow, what a great idea!"
"Thanks for doing this, I hope you continue for a long time, this is amazing!"
"How long have you been going? I wish I had known about you before today, but I'm glad I've found you now!"

These are a minuscule amount of responses to the Maps from the visitors, and extremely satisfying to hear.

The fetish milieu seems to be gaining more ground at Erotica and this has to be encouraged. Not that we want to convert everybody, but the public needs to know that fetish is so much more than BDSM. Visitors should have access to the whole range of the kinky world, in order to experiment and understand what else could turn them on.

With London Alternative Market (LAM) organising some of the shows, the crowd was exposed to a whole new world. From fetish fashion shows to 'pony girls and boys' and bondage workshops, I do recognise that fetish is not for everybody. But the problem is that the majority of people have a mistaken view of what fetish is. As in all fields, fetish has various levels, from foot fetish, bedroom bondage and play, latex fashion, to the more hardcore sado-masochism, this world has something for everybody.
Exploring new avenues, new thrills is part of any couple's sexual life, or so it should be. We merely want them to open their mind slowly, softly, to the multitude of possibilities away from the ever monotonous high street sex shops.

We like to think that many timid visitors went away knowing that it is safe to experiment further, in the safety of their own homes, and that our Maps open the door to new places, new stimulation, and new excitement.

But fetish isn't our only pursuit or the only guide we publish. The Burlesque Map London is our other product, so we were delighted to see a major representation of this world at Erotica. To me, the main attraction was Ophelia Bitz, a famous name in burlesque, whose kinky, and somewhat risqué register shows true creativity while remaining in the realm of burlesque. Her unique style as compère adds saucy, bawdy cabaret flavour to the bland and uniform style some performers can showcase.

Other great acts on stage at Erotica came from Marnie Scarlet, a fetish latex, wonderfully original performer, Missy Macabre with her freak show and fire act, and Karis Wilde, the amazingly bendy hula hoop performer.

In conclusion, Erotica 2013 seemed to be a success among most visitors and exhibitors, who enjoyed the new venue. While others missed the feel of a big hall, the open plan venue where all is exposed overtly, and everything can be found without having to look for it.
We all know that it is impossible to please everybody, so let's give Tobacco Dock a chance, and be happy that a new venue can be explored without losing the feel of the message.

Erotica 2013 is over, let's look forward to what the next one will bring us.



Eva Lamour

TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAP - www.fetishmap.co.uk

Photography by James Drury

Fetish Map London & Burlesque Map London stand at Erotica 2013 - Tobacco Dock

London Fetish Weekend - Rope and Roast

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London Fetish Weekend - LAM

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London Fetish Weekend - Club Pedestal

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Your Fetish - everywhere in London

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