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Objects of Desire: A Showcase of Modern Erotic Products and the Creative Minds Behind Them
The world of erotic product design is revealed in this curated showcase of over 100 beautifully crafted objects and the creative minds behind them. The latest adult toys, jewelry, and accessories from leading companies, as well as intriguing prototypes, are featured. Each product, from high-tech gadgets to handcrafted pieces of art, is presented with concise descriptions in a minimal graphic format that emphasizes the flowing curves, materiality, and overall design of the products. Once taboo, sex toys are in the midst of a design revolution. Including a foreword by Sarah Forbes, curator at New York City s Museum of Sex, and in-depth interviews with leading sex bloggers, shop owners, and designers, the book will appeal to both fans of good design as well as "lovers" of good design interested in acquiring these pieces for their own collections."
- GenresNonfictionSexuality
272 pages, Hardcover
Published March 28, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 3, 2016
Perhaps the best way to start is to say that a lamp-dildo is a thing that exists:
…and when you take it out (that bird bit on the end is the handle, you'll be pleased to hear), the lighting changes to a mood-enhancing red, so you can climax while imagining you're on a submarine. This is called Love the Bird by Marc Dibeh.
No?
OK, well what if you want to rob a bank while looking really good on the CCTV – time to break out the matching bra and balaclava, a ‘wearable art’ set that exists thanks to Brooklyn-based artist PJ Linden who goes by the nom de clavier Wonderpuss Octopus:
I must admit, this book made me feel a little out of my depth. I have tiptoed around Coco de Mer a few times, I covered some bobo Parisian sex boutiques when I was a journo, and I thought I more or less knew my Lelos from my Tenga eggs. Turns out I really had no idea. Half the stuff in here is Bluetooth enabled! What the hell apps are you people using? Some of the sex toys have so much functionality that you appear to be able to play Fallout 4 on them between orgasms. A set for couples by a company called Kiiroo involves two toys that communicate wirelessly around the world; when she starts thrusting faster in Berlin, her partner in Brisbane feels his toy start to simulate ‘female contractions’.
Christ knows what you're supposed to do with this one
A toy called ‘HUM’ by Dimensional Industries, Ltd goes even further. Designed by two PhD physicists and made on a 3D printer, it uses a vast array of motion sensors to analyse the feedback response system of the human body, and change the intensity and rhythm of its vibrations accordingly.
People's attitudes to sex toys are quite diverse, aren't they? Women seem to either have one stuck at the back of a drawer that a flatmate bought them about fifteen years ago, or alternatively three enormous plastic containers full of them, all organised according to colour, mass and anthropomorphism. Men's sex toys are a bit less acceptable still, and although I'd love to buck the trend and talk breezily about the sexism of this double standard, I have to confess that male sex toys freak the fuck out of me. One look at a Fleshlight and I want nothing more than a cup of lapsang souchong and the Guardian crossword. Nevertheless, the range of so-called strokers and ‘guybrators’ (this coinage delights me) is much more extensive than I ever knew or wanted to know, and happily the design is finally moving, like women's toys, away from anatomical verisimilitude.
You turn them inside-out and stick your dick in them. In case you were wondering
I guess, if I think about it, it's good that serious design skills are being applied to this kind of product now, and that they're not just being abandoned to the cheap materials and tacky builds of downtown sex shops. Although as a GR friend pointed out, the spectre of capitalist hyper-commercialism also rears its ugly head, when you consider that some people are apparently willing to spend over a grand on a glass dildo. Anyway, I can't say this works especially well as an ebook, since many of the pictures are double-page spreads and you spend a lot of time flicking back and forth trying to work out the effect – or, in some cases, rotating the ereader slowly through 270 degrees with an increasingly confused look on your face, unsure of what exactly you are looking at and where it's supposed to go. Nor can I imagine personally spending money on the paper version. Although. The idea of chucking it on the coffee-table when you have guests round does appeal to me.
…and when you take it out (that bird bit on the end is the handle, you'll be pleased to hear), the lighting changes to a mood-enhancing red, so you can climax while imagining you're on a submarine. This is called Love the Bird by Marc Dibeh.
No?
OK, well what if you want to rob a bank while looking really good on the CCTV – time to break out the matching bra and balaclava, a ‘wearable art’ set that exists thanks to Brooklyn-based artist PJ Linden who goes by the nom de clavier Wonderpuss Octopus:
I must admit, this book made me feel a little out of my depth. I have tiptoed around Coco de Mer a few times, I covered some bobo Parisian sex boutiques when I was a journo, and I thought I more or less knew my Lelos from my Tenga eggs. Turns out I really had no idea. Half the stuff in here is Bluetooth enabled! What the hell apps are you people using? Some of the sex toys have so much functionality that you appear to be able to play Fallout 4 on them between orgasms. A set for couples by a company called Kiiroo involves two toys that communicate wirelessly around the world; when she starts thrusting faster in Berlin, her partner in Brisbane feels his toy start to simulate ‘female contractions’.
Christ knows what you're supposed to do with this one
A toy called ‘HUM’ by Dimensional Industries, Ltd goes even further. Designed by two PhD physicists and made on a 3D printer, it uses a vast array of motion sensors to analyse the feedback response system of the human body, and change the intensity and rhythm of its vibrations accordingly.
People's attitudes to sex toys are quite diverse, aren't they? Women seem to either have one stuck at the back of a drawer that a flatmate bought them about fifteen years ago, or alternatively three enormous plastic containers full of them, all organised according to colour, mass and anthropomorphism. Men's sex toys are a bit less acceptable still, and although I'd love to buck the trend and talk breezily about the sexism of this double standard, I have to confess that male sex toys freak the fuck out of me. One look at a Fleshlight and I want nothing more than a cup of lapsang souchong and the Guardian crossword. Nevertheless, the range of so-called strokers and ‘guybrators’ (this coinage delights me) is much more extensive than I ever knew or wanted to know, and happily the design is finally moving, like women's toys, away from anatomical verisimilitude.
You turn them inside-out and stick your dick in them. In case you were wondering
I guess, if I think about it, it's good that serious design skills are being applied to this kind of product now, and that they're not just being abandoned to the cheap materials and tacky builds of downtown sex shops. Although as a GR friend pointed out, the spectre of capitalist hyper-commercialism also rears its ugly head, when you consider that some people are apparently willing to spend over a grand on a glass dildo. Anyway, I can't say this works especially well as an ebook, since many of the pictures are double-page spreads and you spend a lot of time flicking back and forth trying to work out the effect – or, in some cases, rotating the ereader slowly through 270 degrees with an increasingly confused look on your face, unsure of what exactly you are looking at and where it's supposed to go. Nor can I imagine personally spending money on the paper version. Although. The idea of chucking it on the coffee-table when you have guests round does appeal to me.
April 29, 2017
When I am looking at books on Edelweiss to read and review I usually choose ones I know fall into a genre I would likely buy. Technically, this book qualified because, as a beautifully designed and illustrated book it would be a wonderful coffee table book or maybe an end table drawer book if you don't want to have the discussion with the kids yet. But, to be honest, the main reason I chose this was to see how the products would be displayed and what might be said about them, well, besides the obvious. I was so much more than pleasantly surprised by this wonderful volume.
In Objects of Desire Rita Catinella Orrell manages to create both a visually stunning book and a very interesting glimpse at the creativity and inventiveness that goes into these products. While I was amazingly ignorant of the variety of erotic products available I found myself getting an education in design general principles as well as contemporary erotic accessories.
If I had a physical copy (I read an ecopy) I would be very willing to leave it out for display. While the products may be erotic the book is very tasteful and artistic in its presentation. I would think that people who entertain would enjoy the likely range of topics this book will generate, and largely on a level well above what one might think prior to reading the book.
I would recommend this to those who like beautifully crafted books as well as those interested in erotic products. Those interested in design, of almost any kind, will also find much to appreciate. While the end products might be in the line of erotica the thinking processes involved in their creation are applicable across the design spectrum.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.
In Objects of Desire Rita Catinella Orrell manages to create both a visually stunning book and a very interesting glimpse at the creativity and inventiveness that goes into these products. While I was amazingly ignorant of the variety of erotic products available I found myself getting an education in design general principles as well as contemporary erotic accessories.
If I had a physical copy (I read an ecopy) I would be very willing to leave it out for display. While the products may be erotic the book is very tasteful and artistic in its presentation. I would think that people who entertain would enjoy the likely range of topics this book will generate, and largely on a level well above what one might think prior to reading the book.
I would recommend this to those who like beautifully crafted books as well as those interested in erotic products. Those interested in design, of almost any kind, will also find much to appreciate. While the end products might be in the line of erotica the thinking processes involved in their creation are applicable across the design spectrum.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.
April 7, 2016
Interesting!
Like the design and the elegance of the pictures.
It was great to have the creators' input as well as to be aware of all the technology behind these objects made for pleasure.
Interesting also to pass from jewellery to connected devices that will enhance the sensations. Full of great details and informations.
A book made for the lovers of great design and the fans of elegant toys.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
Like the design and the elegance of the pictures.
It was great to have the creators' input as well as to be aware of all the technology behind these objects made for pleasure.
Interesting also to pass from jewellery to connected devices that will enhance the sensations. Full of great details and informations.
A book made for the lovers of great design and the fans of elegant toys.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
November 18, 2016
Eye opening, for sure! The flawless photos turn this book into a walk inside a museum
March 21, 2018
The photographs in this book are visually engaging with textual information that is highly interesting and well presented. I'd definitely recommend it!
September 22, 2019
Best coffee table book ever.
April 20, 2016
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
I knew, going in to this, that this was going to be a book about 'adult sex toys' (more kindly referred to as "erotic products"), but beyond that, I wasn't sure what to expect here. I think the subtitle, "A Showcase of Modern Erotic Products and the Creative Minds Behind Them," is really key to this book.
This is not a catalog or even a review of modern erotic products. While it does feature some of the newest (currently) erotic products on the market, it does so in an artistic fashion (as opposed to either clinical or sensual) making this more like a coffee-table photo book than anything else. In her preface to the book, author Rita Catinella Orrell (who writes a consumer product design blog) writes: "The products in this book were chosen to appeal not only to lovers of good design, say the casual, curious observer, but also to those lovers of good design with a serious interest in acquiring these pieces." And I'd say this is a pretty apropos statement.
The primary focus here appears to be the design of the products. I think it's safe to say that the sex toy has come a long way from the days of simple vibrators or dildos and cheap plastic vaginal socks or mouths for male use. And yet, the ultimate purpose or result of the product remains the same. So where are the changes? In the quality of the materials in the product and the fine-tuning of shapes, angles, curves, and stimulation additions. What also has changed is the use of technology and the ability to control devices through the use of cell phones.
One of the more interesting products within is the "long distance" sex toys. One company (I won't advertise individual companies here ... you can read the book) packages a his-and-hers sex toy set in which each partner can control the vibration intensity of their partner's toy through their own cell phones. So... while apart, instead of just the sexy talk over the phone, you can add another dimension and actually control the action your partner is getting, while still talking.
There are even vibrators that react to music or specific sounds. Who knew!?
But as is often the case with coffee-table style photo books, the objects within are not the sort that are easily available, or at least not usually in expensive. The above mentioned his/hers toy retails for $400. This doesn't strike me as something for the average couple, but for those who are serious about their sexual toys.
I will admit, with a chuckle, that there were times when I viewed a product and I had no idea how it would be used (I guess I'm a little out of my league here). Fortunately, I may not be the only one as on some rare occasions, along with the classy photography of the product there might be included a very sterile, clinical diagram of the product in use.
Also, along with the product display, there are very brief interviews with some of the leading designers of some of these new products
There is still a sense of taboo surrounding the world of sex - specifically the world of sex for fun or as a pastime, rather than for procreation only - but books such as this show that we're becoming a little more open to talking about and sharing these sorts of things. And as we can make these products more personalized (curves and shapes designed for the uniqueness of an individual's body) the more likely we are to realize that these objects aren't just for 'deviants,' but for anyone who wants to enhance their sensual pleasure experiences. Books like this make us realize that these products are available and that intelligent, qualified experts are always working to design new products. Now if we can work on the product prices and availability perhaps more people would purchase a product of this sort, and not just those whose lifestyle really revolves around these experiences.
Looking for a good book? Objects of Desire, by Rita Catinella Orrell, is a photo book of modern sex toys, presented in nicely photographed, artistic fashion. Put one on your coffee table and see what your neighbors think the next time they come over for drinks.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
I knew, going in to this, that this was going to be a book about 'adult sex toys' (more kindly referred to as "erotic products"), but beyond that, I wasn't sure what to expect here. I think the subtitle, "A Showcase of Modern Erotic Products and the Creative Minds Behind Them," is really key to this book.
This is not a catalog or even a review of modern erotic products. While it does feature some of the newest (currently) erotic products on the market, it does so in an artistic fashion (as opposed to either clinical or sensual) making this more like a coffee-table photo book than anything else. In her preface to the book, author Rita Catinella Orrell (who writes a consumer product design blog) writes: "The products in this book were chosen to appeal not only to lovers of good design, say the casual, curious observer, but also to those lovers of good design with a serious interest in acquiring these pieces." And I'd say this is a pretty apropos statement.
The primary focus here appears to be the design of the products. I think it's safe to say that the sex toy has come a long way from the days of simple vibrators or dildos and cheap plastic vaginal socks or mouths for male use. And yet, the ultimate purpose or result of the product remains the same. So where are the changes? In the quality of the materials in the product and the fine-tuning of shapes, angles, curves, and stimulation additions. What also has changed is the use of technology and the ability to control devices through the use of cell phones.
One of the more interesting products within is the "long distance" sex toys. One company (I won't advertise individual companies here ... you can read the book) packages a his-and-hers sex toy set in which each partner can control the vibration intensity of their partner's toy through their own cell phones. So... while apart, instead of just the sexy talk over the phone, you can add another dimension and actually control the action your partner is getting, while still talking.
There are even vibrators that react to music or specific sounds. Who knew!?
But as is often the case with coffee-table style photo books, the objects within are not the sort that are easily available, or at least not usually in expensive. The above mentioned his/hers toy retails for $400. This doesn't strike me as something for the average couple, but for those who are serious about their sexual toys.
I will admit, with a chuckle, that there were times when I viewed a product and I had no idea how it would be used (I guess I'm a little out of my league here). Fortunately, I may not be the only one as on some rare occasions, along with the classy photography of the product there might be included a very sterile, clinical diagram of the product in use.
Also, along with the product display, there are very brief interviews with some of the leading designers of some of these new products
There is still a sense of taboo surrounding the world of sex - specifically the world of sex for fun or as a pastime, rather than for procreation only - but books such as this show that we're becoming a little more open to talking about and sharing these sorts of things. And as we can make these products more personalized (curves and shapes designed for the uniqueness of an individual's body) the more likely we are to realize that these objects aren't just for 'deviants,' but for anyone who wants to enhance their sensual pleasure experiences. Books like this make us realize that these products are available and that intelligent, qualified experts are always working to design new products. Now if we can work on the product prices and availability perhaps more people would purchase a product of this sort, and not just those whose lifestyle really revolves around these experiences.
Looking for a good book? Objects of Desire, by Rita Catinella Orrell, is a photo book of modern sex toys, presented in nicely photographed, artistic fashion. Put one on your coffee table and see what your neighbors think the next time they come over for drinks.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews