Film | Stella Tennant by Steven Meisel Vogue Italia Backstage Video | 'The Discipline of Fashion'

Stella Tennant | Steven Meisel | Vogue Italia October, 2011 | The Discipline of Fashion AOC Private Studio

Model Stella Tennant channels Ethel Granger (1905-1982) who wore corsets to please her husband. Even in death, Ethel continues to have the smallest waist in the Guiness book of records. See the complete editorial above and also Stella’s cover and the real Ethel Granger, plus new research on body image at AOC Body & Culture.

The lovely backstage Vogue Italia video of Stella (and Ethel) is now released by Steven Meisel.

Vogue Italia September 2011 | Stella Tennant by Steven Meisel

The theme of strict discipline is one we will explore from many angles at Anne of Carversville this fall. In our post Alexander McQueen design world, the intersection of femaleness and strict discipline are looming large in fashion's psyche.

Here is the newly-released Karl Templer editorial 'Strict'.

Candice, Saskia, Anais+ | Mert & Marcus | Interview Magazine September 2011 AOC Private Studio

Fashioned with Restraint | Jarek Kotomski | Fleet Ilya S/S 2011

Fleet Ilya can be traced back to a small bedroom in South London where Ilya Fleet began taking his traditional leather training and combining it with a knowledge of 3 dimensional design learned from his late father, a renowned Russian sculptor. The constructive tendencies evident in his rigorous pursuit of functionality and a sublimity of form.

Ilya soon developed what is widely regarded as the signature line, Restraint – a collection of hand-crafted luxury accessories for the sexually playful. Resha became his creative partner and wife shortly afterwards, applying her knowledge of fashion, image making and art direction to blur the line between leather bondage and fashion accessories.

We don't see the influences so obviously in Fleet Ilya's Spring/Summer 2011 lookbook, lensed by Jarek Kotomski. But a quick look at Fleet Ilya's blog reveals fashion restraint that spilled all over spring editorials.

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Northwestern Dildo Controversy | Being 'Sex Positive'

Updated: At a time when Washington Republicans are adamant about taking control of women's bodies lock, stock and barrel Northwestern psychology and human sexuality Prof John Michael Bailey decided that he would educate those students interested in fringe or fetish sexuality on the sexual benefits of being hammered with a F***SAW.

For readers who asked me to be clearer; 'Anne, are you saying THIS was the dildo used in the live-sex demonstration?' the answer is 'yes', based on a Google search of the world.

You're talking to a woman who doesn't even like buzzing rabbit vibrators, so I can't say that I've ever experienced such a pleasure machine as the F***SAW. I respond to a wide variety of bedroom and out of it sensual pleasures with a lover -- but machines have always turned me off.

It is also very easy for me to orgasm, and I much prefer sensual, intimate, connected human-centered pleasure with my lover.

The only piece of information lacking is whether the penetration of the woman was vaginal or anal. If you Google image search F***SAW, with the filter off, you will see the pleasure machine in action anal as often as vaginal -- on the woman.

In the vast majority of cases, men are in charge of the F***SAW.

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Juicy Bits | Flogging & BDSM | Riccardo Tisci | Censorship at Smithsonian

Flogging and BDSM | Can Someone Explain the Difference? Anne of Carversville

a guest column by Dr. Carla Johnson

In case you missed these posts around the website: (x-posted at AnneofCarversville.com/Private Studio)

Givenchy’s Brilliant Riccardo Tisci Casts Stephen Thompson for Sp 2011 Campaign Anne of Carversville

Old Ladies Rebellion Condemns Censorship at Smithsonian Anne of Carversville



Jane Lynch Goes Naked In SNL, 'Creepy' Therapist Digital Short

We wouldn't call SNL's digital short with Jane Lynch 'just awful' but we don't watch them regularly. (See video)

Jezebel writes that the skits are usually 'darkly funny' but not when Jane Lynch is playing a predatory therapist trying out an 'experimental' relaxation technique on her client, Andy Samberg. The technique involves Samberg going to white-light, relaxation-land mentally; then Lynch jumps into the inner vision with sexually-suggestive BDSM actions.

There's no denying that the ending does involve a sexual assault by a therapist, even if Samberg momentarily sighs "ah, I feel better" before realizing that Lynch is naked next to him, in his post-orgasmic pleasure.

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Juicy Bits | Christina Aguilera: Madame X | Ellen Von Unwerth

Ellen Von Unwerth is one of the masters of fetish and dominant photography, an artist who doesn't only photography women on their knees, relishing life under the whip. In the June/July 2010 issue of Out, Von Unwerth gets silly and sassy with Christina Aguilera as Madame X. Photos at Anne of Carversville.

Admittedly BSDM is not my beat, and I do differentiate between fun sexual role play and living the lifestyle. I feel strongly that the concept of sexual surrender should be separated from serious BSDM because they just aren't the same psychology.

On this subject, I just got a mouthful at To the Haters: Shut Up Bitches and LIck My Boots on Miami Art, a highly-trafficked website. Getting beyond the vocab, I agree that the movement to make BSDM politically correct doesn't do anyone any favors. Lera Gavin writes:

The true art of BDSM is all about power, fear, and suffering. Scary? Well, it's supposed to be. No professional dominatrix wants to seriously harm a client, but if you don't see at least a hint of real fear in your submissive's eyes, you're not doing your job right. In a way, old school feminists were right, S&M does eroticize power and violence, and all the PC jargon such as "sex positive," "personal empowerment," and "energy exchange" are just a way of avoiding this inconvenient truth. A dungeon is not a place where you come to boost your self-esteem. Exactly the opposite.

In my limited but deeply personal experience with men who seek to be dominated, Gavin is correct.

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