Herotica: Ardor & Eros
Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) Associated Press
People who don’t “get” feminism think it’s all about hating men. They believe that women who are feminists are always angry, and generally miserable. Men who share these feminist ideals are considered “weak”, or “whipped”. But they are all wrong, because Feminism is liberating! For women, it represents freedom from having their lives dictated and controlled by men. Contrary to what many believe, it is not about being a victim, but refusing to be one. In some ways, feminism benefits men as well. For us, it means no longer feeling pressured by society to be constrained by limited and backwards ideals of what it means to be a man. For men, feminism is liberating as well.
Berlin based fashion designers NAMILIA (Nan Li and Emilia Pfohl) are self-described “rebels, provocateurs, and destroyers of false perception”. Their feminism expresses itself through their bold and daring designs, that unapologetically defy the norm. This year, they partnered with PornHub for HEROTICA, a theme that represents “a powerful, unprecedented commentary on a male-dominated world where sexual fantasies have objectified and fetishized women, creating alluring stereotypes – the submissive exotic Asian, the accessorized eye candy and the “dirty” porn star”. In the collection, the designers “reclaim the female perspective and flip around the idea of white supremacy to express a new reality – one with fierce women at the helm.”
The presentation at Pier 59 was prefaced by a young man shouting “Happy Black History Month”, which received thunderous applause from the attendees. Though already eagerly anticipating the show, the shout out seemed to electrify the air. It was the perfect precursor of what was soon to come: some of the most brilliant, sexy designs you ever want to see, accompanied by a hot and hard throbbing track by techno-pop duo VON, interspersed with social commentary.
Since I prefer my porn (ahem) animated these days, I had no idea that some of the women walking the runway were Pornhub models Marica Hase, Jade Kush, and New York-native megastar Asa Akira, Pornhub’s Brand Ambassador (unless it’s someone I know personally, I usually tend to notice the wares rather than who’s wearing them anyway). They all did a killer job, strutting down the runway like the stars they are, working their NAMILIA creations with fabulous aplomb.
