♪♪
Investing in your sexuality is
investing in your well-being.
♪♪
But aren't you worth it? Isn't your pleasure worth it?
I think my vagina's worth it.
I think your vagina's worth it, too, Karley.
[ Both laugh ]
♪♪
Karley: They say you can't put a price tag on love,
but this butt plug cost $7,
and it's a piece of garbage/it gave me a yeast infection.
Do I have a budget sex life?
As a general rule, the more expensive something is,
the better, and by that logic,
the more money you spend on your sex life,
the more fulfilling it must be.
Well, considering that free orgasms are totally inoffensive,
imagine having an orgasm that costs as much as car.
Wait, do I need to invest more money in my vagina?
♪♪
Nowadays, any empowered slut can walk into a sex shop
and choose from an array of trashy plastic dildos
and mock lace skankware,
but back in the day, owning sex toys was a luxury,
and people took pride in crafting beautiful sex objects.
♪♪
Stuart is the brand ambassador for LELO,
one of the largest producers of luxury sex objects in the world.
He's also an expert in fancy sex stuff
and has offered to give me a lesson in vintage hedonism.
♪♪
Antique vibrators?
Stuart: Yeah, beautiful, right?
These seem dangerous.
Yeah, they look dangerous.
These three examples are from the turn of the 20th century
where electricity was revolutionizing our sex lives.
You're looking at 120-year-old luxury sex toys here.
The design has changed a bit over the years.
Yeah.
Like, something that you would make a cake with.
Right?
These would probably be quite expensive for their time
'cause these are incredibly innovative products.
If you could figure out a way to plug these in,
these would still get the job done.
Do you know of any kings or queens
that were known for having a really luxurious sex life?
Catherine the Great was the czarina of Russia
in the 18th century.
She had installed in one of her palaces
a hidden, luxurious sex room where she had painted the walls
in erotic images
as a kind of sex nest for her and her partners,
with credibly explicit, ornamental table
that has penises for legs,
like, huge ones that come up to your waist.
Wow!
♪♪
Stuart represents LELO,
a company that designs every-day sex toys
for the slutty feminist,
but it also sells one of the most expensive vibrators
in existence.
Glamorous!
Is the LELO gold vibrator
the most expensive vibrator in the universe?
I don't know about the universe,
but it's certainly on this planet.
Yeah. -It is?
Yeah, it's $15,000.
I think it's still the most expensive sex toy in the world.
Do you sell a lot of gold vibrators?
Yeah, more than you expect actually.
There is quite a market for it.
People who are attracted to luxury sex toys
probably fall into about three groups.
There are people who have just a love for gold,
there are people who do see it as social prestige,
and then there's the third group
which is the people who find it subversive or rebellious.
There's something inherently naughty
about putting gold inside you in a very sexual way, you know?
Does a vibrator being made of gold
actually make the orgasm better or the experience better?
Your physical sensations and, in this case, your pleasure,
is a kind of construct of your mind.
That's where pleasure is processed, and in that way,
what a gold pleasure product does is it --
it's a kind of stimulation for your mind
as much as it is your body.
So, in that way, I would say the gold has an advantage
over any other kind of material for personal pleasure.
So, rich people have better orgasms than poor people.
Um...no.
I think that rich people have more expensive orgasms
than poor people.
That's a better way to put it I think.
♪♪
Talking to Stu, it sounds like way more people
are indulging in the luxury-sex market than one would think.
If this industry is so big, then I wonder want to know --
who else is out there producing these luxury sex objects?
♪♪
When it comes to the world of luxury sex objects,
no one compares to Betony Vernon,
a sexual anthropologist
and a designer of fine, erotic jewelry.
Her designs have been exhibited in art museums around the world,
not to mention, inside the bedrooms
and butt holes of the sexual elite.
Betony's boudoir box is an exclusive collector's piece --
a custom set of fine objects
that function as both sex accessories
and wearable jewelry.
Betony: I wanted to make something that was bi-functional,
can be used as ornamentation.
It also has a sensorial function with the power to please.
I think that sex and desire drive everything that we do.
How many vibrators do you have under your bed in a box, Karley?
Like, literally 40.
You see?
And with my pieces, you don't put them under the bed.
You might even go as far as to leave them on the table.
Because they are objects, also, of design,
and you don't have to hide them.
♪♪
The fetishist is a lover of materials that are tactile --
leather, silk, lace.
Why shouldn't a dildo be beautiful?
Why shouldn't be in a noble material?
♪♪
What are some of your favorite sex objects
that you've made over the years?
Uh, I'm wearing four of my favorite rings.
These rings are turned on the inside of the hand
to become extensions of the hand at the end of the day.
And they're used for massage.
I'll massage you later.
Great.
This is the Love Lock.
The rings are also shaft rings, and it becomes like a harness.
So, you put it on him... -Yeah.
...and then you're locked together,
and you're connected.
Yes.
I get it.
Sometimes the objects are made for sensations
that are lighter like feathers.
Sometimes they're also made for more intense sensation
because sometimes people need more intense sensation
to actually perceive sensation at all.
♪♪
You use that well, Karley.
♪♪
We are going to the meeting with a collector of mine.
This is his very special wedding gift to his wife.
♪♪
We're gonna have a fun day.
Okay.
♪♪
-Fetish tool. -Ah! Oh, my God.
I wasn't -- I wasn't a slut till later.
Yeah.
If it doesn't slide on neatly, you need more lube.
♪♪
I believe that ritual is, uh, what distinguishes
the ordinary from the extraordinary,
and I want my life to be extraordinary.
Don't you? Yeah.
♪ I become whole
Karley: Betony has invited me along to a consultation
with one of her fabulous clients
who's looking to purchase his own box
of sadistically chic dildos.
And how much does a boudoir box cost roughly?
Today, the start price is about 150,000 Euro, um,
with all of the objects in -- in solid silver.
With modifications, adding anything that has gold,
diamonds, et cetera, will change the price of the box.
That's expensive.
♪ Are you ready to be
That's almost 200 grand.
Who's a sex maniac who spends that type of money on a sex box?
Life goals!
♪♪
Finally.
Hello! Oh, it's good to see you.
-Nice to meet you. -It's a pleasure to meet you.
Wow!
♪♪
I love this idea of being able to curate my space
with these objects that are very special
and to be able to bring people into these environments
where you can seduce the senses.
♪♪
This is a violet ray machine.
They were originally invented as part of a medical device.
Of this type of age, this was a real gold mine,
and I was so excited to find it.
♪♪
Oh, my God!
It...
It emits this little spark.
Great around your really sensitive areas,
so this is a definite fetish tool.
[ Electric crackling intensifies ]
Uh-oh.
Ah! [ Laughs ]
That's crazy.
[ Crackling continues ]
-The best is back here. -Okay.
-May I? -Yeah.
Oh!
It's really erotic on the back on the neck.
It's an incredible sensation.
It is so -- I feel like I just almost drooled.
[ Laughter ]
So, when did you start collecting high-end,
rare, erotic objects?
I was probably about 19.
I had a bit of a fetish with corsets,
and then it quickly started leading me
into this world of fetishism,
and I really saw this tremendous beauty in it,
and it almost feels a little bit spiritual in a way.
Yeah.
♪♪
Oh, it's so magnificent.
You ready?
I'm so excited.
♪♪
Oh, my gosh.
Whoa.
Oh, it's so beautiful.
Oh, my God.
♪♪
I'm just in awe.
I knew it would be spectacular, but I-I had no idea
it was going to be this extraordinary.
It fits in your apartment really nicely.
-It does. -Yeah.
Really beautifully.
That looks like a butt plug to me.
Is it not? Yeah, we call them dilettos, Karley.
Okay.
But this is a also beautiful vaginal tool, as well.
All of the dilettos also open,
so you can put scents or oils.
Oh, my God.
That's incredible! Unbelievable.
And you can fill it with something to drink...
once it's inside your lover's body.
This piece is called "Why Not."
A knitted, silver fiber.
-Really? -Mm-hmm.
So, I'm assuming it's a cock ring?
-It's a stud. -Unbelievable.
But it's cool because you can also wear it as a bracelet.
Psychologically empowering about being able to wear something
as a piece of jewelry,
but also knowing that you've made love with that.
Wow. That's so hot.
-So hot. -Gets like an erotic charge.
This is the yo-yo.
This is more of a flat-muscle massage.
It feels so good.
This muscle is very tense in me because I text a lot.
[ Both laugh ]
What inspired you to want a boudoir box?
A little bit like owning a unicorn in a lot of ways.
It's the root of what luxury really is.
It's where it started.
This idea of true customization of something
that's completely considered --
It's just magnificent.
Do you think that this is going to have an impact
on your sex life or your relationship with your partner?
100%.
These physical objects give the opportunity to open up dialogue
and to begin talking about it, and that, to me,
is the most important aspect of being able to have
a communication with my lover, to explore and play.
I hope that you play a lot.
Definitely.
Karley: So, it seems Douglas' concept of luxury
is about rarity, beauty, and craftsmanship.
-I mean, it's unbelievable! -Yeah.
But is it possible to have a luxurious self life
without splurging on a sex-toy tabernacle
that's worth more than my annual salary?
Basically, can I achieve luxury without the price tag?
♪♪
When I started using tools of glamour, I had power.
♪♪
It's clear that the 1% have the best,
or at least, most expensive sex lives,
but what about the rest of us peasants?
Does the average person even know what they're missing?
Do you think that investing money in your sex life
will make sex better?
I don't find it necessary to invest money
in order for your sex life to be good?
An investment doesn't necessarily mean money.
Investing time and thought into your sex life
is probably better than the money part.
That was actually deep and smart.
Do you think that investing money in your sex life
makes sex better?
100%, yeah. Really? How come?
Yeah. Sex toys are important.
When you get the good stuff, it's better.
Did you know that there's vibrators out there
that are made of gold and cost like $15,000?
Okay, maybe there are better places for that money to go.
$15,000?!
Oh, my goodness.
Karley: So, it seems like most people are vaguely triggered
by the idea of spending their kid's college tuition
simply for the experience of sticking
some gold up their vagina.
I got to thinking -- if there's some other way
to add luxury to my sex life
without blowing my life savings?
Idk.
So, I'm going to talk to the most luxurious person I know...
Dita: I love aesthetics.
I've always loved being dressed for pleasure.
...Dita Von Teese --
the famous model and burlesque dancer.
Karley: Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the idea
of sex and luxury.
Do you think that adding an element of luxury
to your sex life makes sex better?
I don't know how it couldn't make sex better.
So, what is your definition of luxury?
Luxury, to me, is very visual.
I love surrounding myself with things that turn me on visually.
I think it's just really that for me.
I want to see as many beautiful things as I can in my day.
♪♪
When I was a little girl, I grew up watching movies
from the 1930s and '40s,
and I really became obsessed with glamour
and things like high heels and lipstick
and curvacious clothing.
♪♪
The desire to be objectified -- it's so taboo, right?
But I really believe that it's kind of liberating to engage
in old-fashioned taboos and just indulge in them.
So, I've kind of always enjoyed that.
I remember my first glimpses at a Playboy magazine
under the bed.
I was so struck by those women.
I was like, "Oh, I want to be like those ladies."
I'm a dishwater blonde from a farming town in Michigan,
and I was, like, an ugly duckling
and kind of disappeared into the crowd,
and then when I started using tools of glamour,
I had power.
♪♪
I overcame really extreme shyness through dance
and glamour,
like painting myself and creating a character.
♪♪
What advice would you give to someone
who's looking to increase the luxury component of their...
-Mm-hmm. -...sexual interactions?
Well, you know, I always say lingerie.
I can't help it.
I've always loved beautiful lingerie since I was very young.
♪♪
My association with luxury lingerie
was really about honoring myself every day
and taking part in a ritual of being a woman.
I like the texture of, like, a nice stocking.
I like the snap of a garter.
I like the feel of the metal.
Just wear it because you love it.
Like, self-seduction is really where it all starts.
Does something have to be expensive for it
to be considered, like, luxury or sensual?
I don't think so.
There's a lot of ways to, like, get there
without spending a lot of money.
Is it a luxury to take a bath with rose petals and --
and have a little bowl of strawberries next to you?
You know, is that -- is that expensive?
No.
But that feels like luxury to me.
♪♪
Dita's right.
Luxury is about indulging in whatever makes us
feel like the slut goddesses that we are.
And personally, speaking as a narcissistic ex-dominatrix,
my ultimate turn-on is something painfully specific.
The best sex starts when you start to get dressed,
and it continues until you choose to get undressed.
♪♪
Karley: As an aspiring sadist, I'm on my way
to fulfill my life-long fantasy
of buying a custom, latex dress.
You know, à la Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian,
or that "Project Runway" lady.
The goal, of course, is always to be
the most luxurious slut in the room.
So, I'm going to the latex seamstress to the stars,
The Baroness.
Her custom pieces can run in the thousands of dollars,
but there's also some affordable slutty options.
Baroness: You looking for anything in particular?
I'm generally looking for a dress.
Something that makes me look expensive.
Oh, okay.
Well, let me show you where our expensive,
whore-starting-out dress.
So, this is -- Actually, it's our Tart dress.
Do you like the ruby? Do you like...
I like pink, red.
I don't know. There's this one. I like that, too.
I mean, I like everything, so it's hard.
Well, I'll give you a few things to try on.
So, come back here.
When you get dressed, you want to put it on
using this product here.
It'll make it slide on your body easily,
and just kind of around the parts where it's gonna be tight.
Give me a shout if you need any help,
and it doesn't slide on easily, you need more lube.
♪♪
Oh, good. Okay.
Come out and let me just sort of fiddle with you
because you're not appropriately dressed yet.
Okay. Oh, I feel all lubed up.
The dress should be more flat on your body.
♪♪
But this dress is a little bit too big for you.
It should fit you like that.
Would you say that latex is considered a luxury?
The thing about luxury is that you have the time,
which is the luxury.
You have the occasion, which is a luxury.
And then you have the Baroness latex,
which is a luxury, so...
Yeah, it should be a luxury.
And when do you think that latex made the crossover
between being something that people thought of
as associated with sex and S and M
to being more, like, high fashion?
It really had to be more just the celebrities wearing it.
People are thinking about it more as fun, you know?
"I'm a rock star."
Do you feel like wearing latex
gives a woman a certain type of power?
Oh, without a doubt.
It's almost unfair.
I mean, you go out, and you go like, "Well, I win.
I just look the best out of everyone here."
I think that the best sex that you can possibly
have generally starts at the beginning
when you start to get dressed
and it continues all through that time
until you choose, or not choose, to get undressed.
It's about the ritual.
It is. It is.
♪♪
I love the whole ritual of my clothing being laid out
while having a glass of champagne,
choosing, you know, this jewel or that jewel.
All of that is charging energy.
Have time to remove your day
and become the goddess that you are.
♪♪
What I learned from my time spent
with an array of glamour sex-perts
is that investing in your sexuality can never hurt,
be it with money, time, passion, or golden vagina jewelry.
It's about more than just pleasure.
It's the ultimate rebellion.
And for me, luxury means creating a sexy, sacred space
where I can finger myself while dressed like a royal slut.
To each their own.
Bling you later, sluts.
[ Tink! ]
♪♪