HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — XR Brands and The Pleasure Chest have teamed with the Tom of Finland Foundation to host a special showcase dedicated to the historic erotic artist and the sex toy line launched in his honor.
On Nov. 12 from 7-10 p.m., fans are invited to an interactive and provocative discussion with the Foundation’s Durk Dehner and S.R. Sharp and a night filled with complimentary drinks and sexy extras in honor of Tom of Finland’s iconic work. The night will start with beer, wine and appetizers passed around by models dressed in tribute to Tom of Finland’s beloved Leathermen, followed by a conversation with the Tom of Finland, which serves as a living archive that fosters erotic arts around the world.
Dehner and Sharp will describe the process of bringing Tom of Finland’s historic erotic imagery to life in the form of Tom of Finland Pleasure Tools, a product line artfully crafted by the XR Brands design team.
“With a recent exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the release of a Finnish stamp bearing his illustrations, and a feature-length biopic slated for release, Tuoko Laaksonen, better known as Tom of Finland, is internationally recognized as a historically relevant artist and important gay icon,” XR Brands Director of Marketing Rebecca Weinberg said. “It was only natural to host a special showcase of Tom of Finland Pleasure Tools with the Tom of Finland Foundation by our side. It’s been an amazing journey and we look forward to celebrating the work and life of such an important figure while giving fans a first-hand look at the complete collection of Tom of Finland Pleasure Tools.”
Like Tom of Finland’s illustrations, the products and their artful packaging are playful and cheeky while maintaining the artist’s hyper-masculine and artistic look with its packaging, sales tools, and merchandising displays. Most notable from the line is a hand-sculpted rendition of Kake’s Cock, one of the biggest penises that Tom of Finland ever penciled, available as a collector’s piece that fans can enjoy as an interactive piece of erotic art.
This famous shape has been transformed into a physical object of pleasure and is packaged with a copy of the famous Tom of Finland illustration from which it was sculpted. Other accessories in the Tom of Finland Pleasure Tools collection include branded dog tags and locks, which fans can wear out or display.
The Tom of Finland Pleasure Tools Showcase will be held Nov. 12 from 7-10 p.m. at the Pleasure Chest, located at 7733 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood, Calif.