This was going to be a good event: the content expression on the face of the people leaving the building left no doubt. More couples were kissing passionately on the platform at Olympia underground station last Sunday than have ever been seen on a Parisian bridge.
Erotica UK has not failed to draw enthusiastic crowds for its 2009 edition. Thousands faced disruption to public transport and torrential rain to check what is new in the world of adult lifestyle…
Hosted in the sumptuous Olympia exhibition centre, Erotica UK claims to be the biggest adult lifestyle show of its kind in Europe. Posters advertising the event popped up everywhere on the London underground network in the run-up to the expo, and have been giving commuters wild dreams at night.
There is much more to this sexy shopping experience than leather bras and fishnet tights: holiday specialists, accessories, furniture, art galleries are arranged in a head-spinning succession, while performers hit the stage. I’m now convinced that the brightest minds must be working in this industry.
Many of the visitors are regulars, attending year after year to keep abreast of the latest trends. This is a highlight of their calendar, much like Paris Haute Couture week for fashionistas. Some shop assistants are volunteering for the day. The selling techniques displayed at the expo prove infallible: how can you avoid a purchase if, given a practical demonstration, you find yourself shivering with pleasure? The items on sale tend to be pricey, but visitors are inclined to approach them as an investment with life-changing potential, yielding life-long returns. With a wide product, Erotica does cater for every need. Couples flock to the venue to spice up their lives, singles to add to their seductive prowess. Both equally look forward to unwrapping their purchases.
In the weekend that marks the opening of the Xmas shopping season, the amount of brimful red shopping bags seen at Erotica has one certainty to offer. Forget playstations and ipods: Londoners have pretty good odds of finding everything from tape to corsets, pinwheels and cushions in their stockings this Christmas.
