TnO
LELO: The Lexus of Vibes
Walking around the Everything to Do With Sex Show last weekend, I passed the usual selection of sex toys -- "Pocket Rocket sale! $9.99 today only!" and variations of the Rabbit for $30. But on the shelves of Come As You Are is a new breed of pleasure that would fit right at home as props in a truck limo or connected to an iPod.
Vibrators are getting more high-end and boy, are they purdy.
My biggest problem with many wireless vibes is that the intensity isn't there. They die off too quickly and/or feel like a gentle buzz rather than a racing heartbeat. That all changed the moment I met Lelo on Saturday.
No, it's the name of some Hawaiian chick getting spanked in the Dungeon Room but rather the Swedish company behind new fancy sex toys.
According to their Web site, the models come "with a distinct design philosophy," drawing inspiration from the fashion and beauty industries. The design is simple and sophisticated.
"With an avant-garde approach and an affordable mid- to premium price range, LELO provides a high-quality alternative to the conventional erotic market space," boasts the company's Web site.
There were a few models on the booth wall. But the one which caught my eye was the "Iris." With a price tag of $120, it'd better damn well be high-tech. Press the circular Mac-like button up, down and side to side for different speeds and pulsating effects. It runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. A three-hour charge provides five hours of good times.
LELO hasn't forgotten about guys, either. Granted, their guy toys -- all two of them -- have names that don't sound all that erotic or exotic. "Bo" ($44 US) is a flexible, rechargable, vibrating cockring ($79 US) and "Bob," their "gentlemen's plug." Its unique design features a circular grip at the base and a balloon-like shape.
This isn't Lelo, but definitely worth mentioning:
Also recommended is the Je Joue ($300). Although it wasn't on the shelf, the Je Joue seems to be the most technological advanced because it allows you to program it and select the types of vibrations you like and remember it like a "playlist" for next time. You can make up 10 different 'Grooves.' You can also create your own Grooves playlist online, and email them to a friend or lover's Je Joue, or leave them on the Web site for anyone to download.
LELO and others like are slowly paving the way for more beautifully-designed vibes. Finally, sex toys are getting the respect and treatment they deserve.
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Toronto stores, even CAYA, veer too much towards the Stag Shop end of things. If you want nice, non trashy stuff, and you prefer satin and lace over nylon, you have to go with the London and New York based stores: Agent Provocateur, Myla, Kiki de Montparnasse, and Coco de Mer. CAYA does have a few good things, but Torontonians just don't seem able to support nice lingerie and bedroom accessories stores. The La Perla store closed, Holts doesn't have much fun stuff, though we are supposed to get AP in Yorkville soon.
Seriously, don't be restricted by the horrible selection available in this city. Even the best intentioned stores are limited in what they can stock (CAYA and others do try). There is so much fun, naughty, sexy, and amazing product out there that is of exceptional quality. The prices can be painful, but a few amazing pieces are better than a trunk full of synthetic crap from La Senza or Lovecraft. Northbound is great if you have the right aesthetic, but it's very hard edged and not refined or luxurious (expensive as all hell and great quality leather, but...).
I'm one of the worker-owners here at Come As You Are Co-operative, and I just wanted to add a comment - one of our values is to carry a wide variety of toys at different price points to make sex toys accessible to all. Keep in mind that we take pride in carefully selecting each and every toy that we sell; we're not going to sell something that doesn't meet our high standards. Indeed there is a lot of crap out there, we're not in this business to sell you that.
Side note: We are more than happy to special order items that folks might be interested in, let us know! We also focus on sex toys specifically, as opposed to lingerie or other novelty items.