The German Fetish Ball 2008

Photos and review by Lady Venus (LV)


This year I was honored to photograph at the German Fetish Ball weekend in Berlin. I have visited Berlin before, but I never had the chance to see any of the fetish world. My visit was for the Venus.Berlin shows in October and they are more of a porn-themed event. I was excited to have the chance to get to know the Berlin fetish scene and take some time to be a tourist in the city.

Interestingly, my first night in Berlin was spent at a club called Insomnia, which, I have been told, is more of a sex club than anything. Since all I wanted to do was sleep (due to jet lag), but I couldn’t, being at a club named Insomnia seemed terribly appropriate. Several times I was told that photography was prohibited in some of the rooms, and that I should take care in photographing attendees. That said, I decided to plant myself on a comfortable couch and simply watch the festivities. There were several play rooms (the upstairs room limited only to couples) that would have been beautiful in photographs, but taking photos was verboten. I am sure that some would have permitted me to photograph them; however, since I know nearly no German, it was nearly impossible to communicate my desire to photograph discreetly.

Finally, however, Dominique, the hostess of the evening’s event, came out with two lovely ladies and they began a performance that was exciting and different than most anything that I have seen in the States. Performances in the U.S. are very different than those that I see in the EU. In the U.S. there can be no uncovered nipples or genitals, and certainly there can be no actual sexual activities. Well, if you have not yet been to a non-U.S. party, please be aware that those rules go right out the window! Most of the performance was so graphic that the photos I took will never see the light of day. You see, certain acts are not permitted on U.S. web sites, even if they occur ex-U.S.

Dominique, a statuesque blonde, was dressed as a perverted clown and her devious lady accomplice was similarly dressed, though she wore a checkerboard bodysuit that exposed her large breasts. The two clowns took turns molesting a pretty blonde who wore sexy rainbow over-the-knee socks and a lime green skirt. What exactly did they do to her? Well, you can see a little of the festivities in the photo gallery, but if you can’t wait, then let me enlighten you. There was kissing, sucking of a large strap on cock, strap on fucking, fucking the blonde girl with a giant cock on the end of a pole, double penetration, and, finally, both clowns fist fucked the blonde. This was not a gentle, loving scene, people. It was a dynamic and passionate dance that left this photographer wishing that the U.S. laws did not restrict photographs of fisting. Seriously, the show was incredible, even though I cannot use over half of the photos that were taken. After the show ended, I decided to pack up my gear and head back to the hotel to try to beat the looming jet lag.

My second day in Berlin sent me over to the German Fetish Fair. The venue showcased some of the most popular fetish vendors. There was a lot of latex, as one would expect. It seems that hats are the most sought-after accessory and there were many booths that showcased them. I saw several familiar faces and met lots of new friends. Luckily, it seemed that many folks spoke better English than I speak German, so I was able to communicate my desire to take photos to lots of folks. Of course, waving my camera in their general direction is another way to let them know I want to take a picture. Most were willing to allow me to photograph them, unlike the previous evening.

I ran into Rubberdoll, who was doing a little shopping. Also, I took a few photos of super sexy fetish model (and contortionist!) Zlata blowing up a balloon. I then snapped a few photos of Aurora on a lime green cherry picker. Because of the miserable exchange rate of the U.S. dollar to the Euro, I made only one small purchase: a black plastic mask. Knowing that I had to photograph the Revolution party later that night, I left around 5:00 to go back to my hotel and rest just a little before meeting up with Belgium Marc and two of his friends for dinner.

After a tasty Italian dinner, I headed back to the hotel to get dressed for the party. It was held at the Kit Kat Club. There was a pool and a deck outside, but very few people braved the chilly water. A few brave souls who did jump in, though! I was glad for the outdoor respite from the hot and smoke-filled indoor areas. This evening, more people were willing to let me photograph them, so I was happy and felt that I had a purpose in attending. The venue had several different rooms, so there was always something to see. There were several different performances, but I know that I missed at least some of them. There was a burlesque dancer doing a seductive striptease, a sexy gal putting a grinder to her crotch to give off a fountain of sparks, and a hot redhead smoking a cigarette and then spitting fire. In another room, Amrita did a suspension of a pretty brunette girl (I think her name is Eden) before briefly using her as a swing. I heard that this was Eden’s very first suspension, but it looked as if she was enjoying herself quite a lot! As usual, I saw some familiar faces, and I was glad to see them because they love having their photos taken! Additionally, I met some nice new folks who also allowed me to photograph them, the couple from Breathless (http://www.breathless.uk.com). I would also like to thank a very friendly group of latex-wearing Swedes who also humored me and allowed me to photograph them.

The Fetish Ball was on Sunday night at Matrix, a club with beautiful arched brick ceilings and no less than five different rooms, each featuring different music. I came to the German Fetish Ball to photograph the fashion shows, but part of the fun of photographing an event is to photograph the attendees. Sadly, however, I had little luck obtaining photos of most of the people there. Many people refused to let me take their photos, even some who were completely encased in latex! (Again, many thanks to the Swedes and the others in the crowd who permitted me to snap their photos!!)

The fashion show lineup was impressive and the festivities were kept moving along by Mistress of Ceremonies Rubberdoll. The shows were non-stop for what I believe to be a solid two hours! Featured designers included Bondinage, Libidex, Burlesque Couture, Provoqué, Tatjana Warnecke, Favor, and Torture Garden. The European Fetish Awards were hosted by Luci van Org, where designer Atsuko Kudo was honored. Also, rather unexpectedly, Beyoncé Knowles (yes, the one from Destiny’s Child!!) even received an award. Unfortunately, she was not in attendance; however, I assume that the award is now safely on its way to her. Rubberdoll did double-duty as both hostess of the evening’s events as well as a performer. FAQ vs. Rubberdoll ended the fashion show festivities with an exciting performance that had music, strap ons, latex, a wheelchair, confetti guns, and a giant whipped cream-spewing red cock. What else could you ask for, people?? The music in each room was different, so you could either chill out or get your groove on, depending on exactly what your mood was.

After a very long weekend with next to no sleep, I was both happy and sad that the German Fetish Ball weekend was over. I was happy because I finally got some sleep, but I was sad that the weekend had ended. An extra day’s stay in Berlin gave me some time to take a walking tour of the city to learn more about its fascinating history.

Finally, I would like to thank René for his hospitality and FetishMovies.com for sponsoring both the German Fetish Ball and my trip to photograph it. I hope to come back next year!