The smell of leather. The flash of a harness. The snap of a latex glove. Welcome to the radical, vibrant world of sexual fetishists.
In 21st century commodity culture, we are all intimately involved with objects: we covet a Birkin bag; we keep trainers box-fresh. We are, in a sense, all fetishists. But occasionally this desire spills into something more subversive. SECOND SKIN offers a tour through the materials, objects and power dynamics commonly fetishised, unpacking their histories, their expressive potential, and the communities they give rise to. Drawing from her encounters with fellow fetishists and kinksters, it is also the story of Anastasiia Fedorova’s own journey: of what it means to come to terms with one’s sexuality.
Brave and searching, SECOND SKIN reveals how what we deem ‘taboo’ is never static, while asking: do we have the courage to look at these desires directly, and express them unapologetically?
US Press highlights
"An interior exploration of kinky desire and its impact on and integration into modern society. In this dynamic debut, writer, queer archive curator, and fetishist Fedorova, believes that kink communities don’t deserve the judgmental disapproval they receive, and she encourages a deeper understanding, appreciation, and social valuing . . . Creatively fusing the worlds of art, alternative sex, and fashion into her study, the author diligently explores a provocative collective of kink and fetish categories . . . Fedorova writes with passion, knowledge, and authority to dispel these perceptions, noting the 'many ways' fetishists can always 'find home.' An intimately written, sex-positive look at the history and ongoing preservation of kink culture." — Kirkus Reviews
