Page 68 - AVN May 2015

FEATURE
FEATURE | By Sherri L. Shaulis and Sharan Street
allows for more precise clitoral stimulation, Brice
noted.
In the Xgen Products booth, located in the main
room with the lingerie exhibitors, the new Frederick’s
of Hollywood pleasure products collection was
getting attention from visitors. The line features
lipstick vibes, cock rings and even kits with a
BDSM flavor. Sales rep Chris Lerner talked about
the packaging, which is focused on “giftability”:
tissue paper, ribbons and a gift card should make
these items winners for bridal shower season. He
said response is enthusiastic and buyers are looking
forward to the collection shipping in June.
Also new from Xgen are Bodywand kits that
include card games, which will be available in a
couple of months. In stock now are teddies in the
Lapdance Lingerie line, and red bodystockings will be
added in about four months.
In the Entrenue booth, also in the main room, a
number of manufacturer reps were on the scene.
Daniel Bilodeaux from VeDO showed off the Ohhh
Bunny collection of products. The Crazzy Bunny
bullet vibe, Frisky Bunny cock ring, Kinky Bunny
dual stimulator and Spunky Bunny finger vibe are a
subsection of the VeDO products line, and will soon
be packaged in VeDO packaging.
“The packaging will make it easier for retailers and
consumers, since everything can be stocked together,”
he said. “The boxes will say VeDO and have Ohhh
Bunny underneath.”
Drew from SpareParts HardWear talked about
new marketing initiatives just launched by the
harness manufacturer. The company now offers
Skype training to retailers and consumers, designed
to help them learn about sizing and how to choose
the right models to use with their strap-ons. Drew
also showed off a new collection of swatches that
shoppers can use to see how the fabric feels on each
of the SpareParts models.
Entrenue owner Joe Casella pointed out a couple
of brand-new offerings just added by the distributor.
One is an app-driven pelvic floor exerciser called
the Elvie. Billed as “your most personal trainer,” the
device is a single oval-shaped bead with a tail for easy
retrieval. The app, which puts users through daily
five-minute workouts, is visually appealing, and the
petite mint-green device fits into a tidy cylindrical
storage case. (For information, visit Elvie.com.)
Also unique and visually striking is the Zumio,
a deep purple vibrator that reaches new heights in
pinpoint stimulation. The slender rod fits easily into
the hand, and at the tip is a small bead that focuses
the vibration in a tight circular pattern. (For more
details, see MyZumio.com.)
The second and final day of the inaugural
68 | AVN.com | 5.17
PRODUCT PLACEMENT Exhibitors at the new show included such ILS veterans as Tyes by Tara, creator of body adornments; Mapelé, maker of lingerie, swimsuits
and resort wear; and Entrenue, distributor of pleasure products. Photos by Hew Burney
Altitude Intimates show centered on educational
can pull on a pair of Spanx and instantly feel more
seminars. Attorney Ted Luymes kicked off the seminar
toned, it makes a difference he said. While Coquette
program with a discussion titled “Real World of Brand
has used body-shaping elements in its collections for
Protection.” He educated attendees not only about how
a few years now, this season’s pieces look more like
to secure copyrights and trademarks for their works and
traditional shapewear pieces with the added flair of
brands, but also how to enforce them.
mesh, bold colors and geometric patterns.
Copyrights, he noted, cover original works of art,
“We are selling a feeling,” he said. “Lingerie is meant
including photographs of models in lingerie sets. They
to bring out the sexiest and most confident versions of
don’t cover garment designs, but can protect original
ourselves.”
patterns, fabric prints and lace designs. Copyrighting
The third seminar offered an overview of the Elevate
materials, he noted, can prevent their misuse by other
U educational program from Eldorado Trading Co.,
parties.
presented by Kira Manser of the Center for Sexual
“It’s cheap [to apply for a copyright],” he said. “It’s
Pleasure and Health. Manser covered all the key points
not particularly difficult. It’s not particularly time
of the program, which features 16 different learning
consuming.”
modules on everything from anatomy to lubricants to
As for trademarks, he explained, they are meant to
pleasure products and beyond.
protect a brand and can apply to a class of products,
Adding the retailer perspective to the presentation
such as an entire catalog.
was Lennox Ryerson-Gonzalez of Adam & Eve in
His talk also addressed the recent spate of rights of
Oklahoma, who talked about the benefits his staff had
publicity lawsuits facing lingerie manufacturers and the
gained after enrolling in Elevate U.
like from models and what he termed “bounty hunter”
After the program, Eldorado’s Allison Travers
lawyers.
reported that hundreds of Eldorado clients had signed
“There are 33 states that have some type of rights
up for the training—and they are sticking with it as
of publicity laws that tend to favor the models,”
well, signing up for the fifth course of study, which was
he explained. “In some of those states, particularly
recently added.
California, Florida and New York, there are attorneys
The day’s final talk was presented by Christopher
who have created a cottage industry suing people—
Scharff of DG Brands, and it tackled an ambitious
largely adult boutiques, strip clubs and the like—for
subject: “The Disruption of the Internet and the
alleged misuse of photos.”
Effects of Globalization on Lingerie Retailers and
In a roundtable discussion, leaders of some of the top
Manufacturers.” Scharff—a former executive at BCBG/
brands in the lingerie industry—Angela Tobon of Maple,
Max Azria who purchased Dreamgirl about 15 years
Vinh Luong of Seven ’til Midnight, Nicolas Attard of
ago—recently sold the brand to a large Chinese
Ooh La La Cherie, Marcus Horea of Coquette and Susan
company.
Feldman of DG Brands—talked about the key trends
Scharff painted an unvarnished picture of the current
they see in the industry, both in fashion and business.
economics of manufacturing in a global economy. An
Feldman kicked off the session by noting, “We are
experienced manufacturer, he was able to articulate the
all lucky to be in this industry at this time” because
challenges that face both manufacturers and retailers.
the mindset of millennials is that they want lingerie
“Cheap products are slowly eroding our business,” he
pieces they can wear anywhere, any time. Luong backed
said, explaining how that hurts manufacturers. And the
up that sentiment by noting a big trend now is back
proliferation of online retailers—Amazon, of course,
detailing on bralettes, bodysuits and more. Lattice
but also other e-tail giants around the globe, as well
work, straps and appliques are all big.
as third-party resellers—nibbles away at the profits for
Attard said sexy lingerie is no longer just for adult
brick-and-mortar stores.
stores and boutiques, but acceptable almost anywhere
Show organizers have announced that the next
by women of all ages, shapes and sizes; sexy lingerie
Altitude Intimates show will take place in September
is “cool,” he noted, and no longer meant just for the
and will move to the Paris Casino and Resort in Las
bedroom.
Vegas. Maps of the new space indicate exhibitors will
“The U.S. right now is on fire when it comes to
be all together in one much larger hall, which could
lingerie,” he said.
see the return of the big booths that characterized the
Horea noted a major trend in shapewear, which
International Lingerie Show.
Coquette is capitalizing on this season. When women
For more information, go to AltitudeShow.com.