Page 72 - AVN October 2017

FEATURE
“There is only a few companies manufacturing
cheap and ugly merkins that nobody wants to wear,”
Siuipys continued. “We are playing in a totally
different league. Our wide selection of lovely designs
and high-quality standards receive only positive
feedbacks. We are selling merkins via Amazon, Etsy
or our web shop every day. So, I believe in a couple
of years we will be the ones who have started this
21st-century trend, at least in Europe and USA.”
Merkins are still relatively new to the market, but
Siuipys said the company is already receiving interest
from men and women; the majority of the company’s
shapes can be used by all sexes.
I BELIEVE THAT BODY
JEWELRY ALSO GIVES A
CERTAIN KIND OF
POWER WHEN
YOU USE IT.
—ELSA VIEGAS,
BIJOUX INDISCRETS
“No doubt, that rhinestone-decorated crowns and
hearts are the bestsellers, also kittens and butterflies
are popular too, as well as the American flag V-shape
or the heart merkin,” Siuipys told AVN. “And the
classic V-shape black merkin is a bestseller too. We
have categorized our merkins into a few groups:
Romantic (hearts, butterflies, crowns, etc.), Funny
(smiley face, kittens, stars, a Christmas tree, even a
penis shape), Patriotic (flags and the LGBT flag as
well.), Realistic (many colors and different shapes)
and Kinky (hairy and bigger-sized merkins). There is
plenty to choose from.”
Customers are buying Merkins for a number of
reasons—from stage performances and sun bathing
at nudist camps to spicing up sex lives and funny
pranks gifts—and holidays, especially Valentine’s
FEATURE | By Sherri L. Shaulis
J’ADORN
From tip to toe, these companies
decorate the body beautiful
A
As the fall and winter holidays approach, people tend to open their wallets a little more than other times in the
year. Shoppers will be searching for costumes, looking to set the perfect tables, and hunting for gifts to place
under beautifully trimmed trees.
And while most people might not think of their local adult boutique as the place to find tinsel or ornaments, it
can be the perfect spot to find a little bauble or decoration to adorn themselves.
Stocking the shelves with the latest vibrators and holiday-inspired lingerie is always a smart idea this time of
year, but adult retailers also can easily increase their units-per-transaction and overall sales by offering shoppers
smaller items perfect for stuffing stockings and sprucing up love lives.
With Halloween right around the corner, even the most strait-laced people are willing to let loose and dress up
as someone else. Merkins—which creates what it calls “Downstairs Toupees”—makes it easy to dress up below
the belt not just during Halloween, but any time of the year. Merkins started more than 20 years ago as a party
business, and six years ago set up a small factory to create party mustaches and bears. That quickly morphed into
creating fake hair merkins and other pubic decorations.
“The ancient Egyptians popularized grooming the nether regions as a beauty standard, and since the 1960s, the
global trend of bikini waxing has tilted the balance toward a clear landing strip,” said Merkins CEO and owner
Tomas Siuipys. “But in some situations, going against the grain with a downstairs toupee is what is needed.
We went even further and created not only fake hair for the private area, but even rhinestone-covered pubic
decorations. They look so adorable that even men cannot resist buying them as a gift for their lovers.”
Originally, the company thought the self-adhesive pieces would only be popular among showgirls and the like.
But Siuipys said a focus group of women from various professions indicated the audience was actually much more
broad.
“We had set up our stand at Venus adult show in Berlin and we were selling our merkins to the visitors,” he
said. “We sold many merkins and pubic decorations to young women, couples, showgirls, of course, kinky sex
lovers and even for elderly people.
72 | AVN.com | 10.17
They’ve Got It Covered This page, top, the Maze Tassel Choker from Bi-
joux Indiscrets. This page, bottom, and opposite page, pasties from Peekaboo,
a line carried by Xgen Products. Opposite page, a heart-shaped design from
Merkins adds a touch of fun down under.