Fetishism

Fetishism refers to a sexual arousal set off by the sight, the touch, the smell or even the mere mention of one very particular object, material or body part. The fetish isn't just one more accessory in the kit, it holds a central place in desire. For some, it spices up the erotic scenario, for others it's the main trigger.

The classics come up again and again: leather, latex, vinyl, lace, silk, lycra and tight-fitting clothes (bodysuits, thin roll-necks, tights). On the feet and legs side, there are stilettos, boots, thigh-highs, but also socks and stockings. The body has its fetishes too: feet come first (that's podophilia), ahead of hands, the nape of the neck, hair, armpits or the navel. And smells count for a lot, the smell of a perfume, of a skin, of a fabric that's been worn.

In practice, it often plays out in the staging more than in the performance. You keep a garment on while making love, you stroke, you kiss, you breathe in the material, you turn dressing and undressing into a ritual. The rule stays the same as everywhere else: talk about it beforehand, set the frame, check that the other person wants to play. A fetish announced with humour and without solemnity goes down far better than an awkward confession mid-shag.

Careful not to lump everything together. A pronounced taste for heels or leather is not a disorder, it's one erotic preference among others. We only talk about a real problem when the fetish becomes exclusive, all-consuming, when it blocks any encounter or when it causes suffering: at that point, a conversation with a sex therapist helps clear things up.

Neighbouring words and common mix-ups: fetishism is not BDSM (even if the two worlds often share the same leather and latex wardrobe), nor cross-dressing, nor role play. Fans are called fetishists, and fetish aesthetics have spilled well beyond the bedroom, notably into photography and fashion over the last few decades.

Synonyms : sexual fetishism, fetishistic paraphilia