The Erotic Edge: How Sex Toys are Becoming the Boldest Fashion Accessories

Fashion has always been a potent canvas for expressing desire, a space where boundaries are tested and societal norms are challenged. The recent Autumn/Winter 2026 runways and the current awards season have underscored this, showcasing an undeniable surge in overtly sexual aesthetics. From exposed nipples at McQueen, Mugler, and Tom Ford, to the resurgence of the g-string at Gucci’s highly anticipated debut under Demna Gvasalia, and Vivienne Westwood’s bold embrace of underwear as outerwear with garter belts and fishnets adorning both male and female models, the runways were awash with unapologetic sensuality. This trend has also permeated the red carpet, with stars like Chappell Roan making headlines with daring "naked dresses," including her now-iconic Mugler creation at the Grammy Awards.

However, the fashion industry’s flirtation with sexuality has moved beyond mere suggestion and into a more direct engagement with the very tools designed for pleasure. In a significant evolution, items historically confined to private spaces are now being integrated into high fashion and accessories, signaling a shift in how pleasure and personal expression are perceived and communicated.

The Ascent of Erotic Accents in High Fashion

The integration of sex toys into fashion is not an entirely new phenomenon, but its visibility and acceptance have dramatically increased in recent years. A notable early example occurred in 2022 when then-Creative Director Alessandro Michele incorporated butt plug necklaces into Gucci’s runway collection. This provocative move signaled a willingness by major houses to explore more explicit forms of sexual iconography.

Diesel continued this trend with its Spring/Summer 2023 show, utilizing a Murano glass buttplug as a centerpiece for its show invitation. For their Autumn/Winter 2026 presentation, the brand further amplified this theme by displaying a series of vibrators, developed in collaboration with Lelo, within the show space. Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut at Fendi also embraced a fetish-tinged aesthetic, featuring models adorned with fur and leather chokers. More recently, Jean Paul Gaultier’s Junior Gaultier line introduced a "Suck" t-shirt, creating a visual illusion of a comically oversized phallus within a cock ring. In December, singer Lily Allen made a personal statement by accessorizing her Valentino gown with blue polka dot butt plugs, an artistic nod to her album West End Girl. These instances demonstrate a growing trend of designers using overt sexual paraphernalia as stylistic elements, blurring the lines between fashion, art, and eroticism.

Redefining Pleasure: Wearable Sex Toys as the New Frontier

Beyond the runway, a more intimate integration of pleasure objects into personal style is emerging with the rise of wearable sex toys. Sex educator Birna Gustafsson observes, "Fashion has always been a site where people negotiate sexuality, power, and identity. What feels new right now is just how explicitly sexual it is." While historical fashion often relied on strategically clinging garments to highlight or conceal certain body parts for a presumed male gaze, contemporary approaches are increasingly focused on the wearer’s experience and empowerment.

Crave, a pioneering brand in this space, launched its "pleasure jewellery" with the Vesper necklace in 2014. This year, the brand collaborated with feminist erotic filmmaker Erika Lust on a wearable vibrator. Ti Chang, founder of Crave, explains the philosophy behind these creations: "Pleasure jewellery makes people feel a certain way when you start to wear it. These are objects that are designed to be left out in the open – not disguising pleasure, but celebrating it."

Chang further elaborates on the social implications: "Much like wearing your favorite label, more subtle wearable sex toys… are a way of communicating with others in the know." These accessories can spark conversations, fostering a sense of community and shared understanding around pleasure. "People who wear this out strike up conversations with people they otherwise wouldn’t have," Chang adds. "That’s one of the keys to removing stigma and shame from pleasure: we have to be able to talk about it." This perspective highlights how these items function not just as personal adornments but as subtle yet powerful statements of sexual liberation and openness.

Evolving Perceptions of Gender and Sexuality

The landscape of sexual expression in fashion is also evolving to include a broader range of individuals. Historically, women and queer communities have been at the forefront of challenging sexual taboos and reclaiming agency in a world often dominated by patriarchal norms. Now, men are increasingly participating in this movement.

Erika Lust notes, "Lots of my male friends wear Vesper. It’s neutral, and they can use it to signal they’re a modern man who knows about sex toys." This also extends to a greater acknowledgment of partner pleasure. Considering recent reports indicating that a significant portion of Gen Z men struggle to identify basic anatomy like the clitoris, the increased visibility and accessibility of sex toys, even as accessories, can contribute to a broader cultural understanding and acceptance of sexual health and exploration. This normalization can make discussions and practices surrounding sex more approachable for all genders.

The Socio-Political Context: Pleasure as Resistance

The burgeoning popularity of wearable sex toys and overtly sexual fashion trends cannot be disconnected from the current socio-political climate. In an era marked by resurgent conservatism and increasing restrictions on sexual expression, particularly in digital spaces, these fashion statements can be interpreted as acts of defiance and liberation.

"When you see society becoming more conservative and aggressive, people working in fashion and art want to be a reaction on the other side," explains Lust. The rise of algorithmic censorship on social media platforms, where even discussing sex can lead to shadowbans, and restrictive legislation like the UK’s Online Safety Act, which complicates access to adult content, create an environment where consensual adult sexuality is increasingly policed. In this context, fashion becomes a vital medium for asserting sexual autonomy and reclaiming public discourse around desire.

Birna Gustafsson emphasizes the grassroots origins of this movement: "A lot of this comes from ballroom culture and very scrappy beginnings. The fashion created in the basements of dungeons, where dominatrixes fasten stuff they bought at Home Depot onto a leather vest, eventually makes it to the big fashion houses and then it trickles down to the high street." This suggests that even without a substantial financial investment, individuals can express their sexuality through their style, drawing inspiration from a rich history of counter-cultural aesthetics.

Taking Up Space: The Empowerment of Visible Sexuality

The notion that Gen Z is experiencing a "sex recession" is often debated, but the current fashion trends suggest a different narrative. Gustafsson clarifies that wearable sex toys are not necessarily indicative of increased sexual activity but rather a "performance of sexuality" and a clear signal that "the tides of sexual empowerment are turning." This shift places women and queer individuals in a position of control over their sexuality.

"Wearing sex toys is about taking up space," Gustafsson asserts. "These toys mean showing up in the world as an autonomous sexual being, and it’s a brave thing to take up space sexually in a world that doesn’t always celebrate that." This act of "taking up space" is profoundly political, challenging societal norms that often seek to silence or shame sexual expression.

Ultimately, the merging of personal style and pleasure objects reflects a fundamental human need to express identity and values. As Erika Lust puts it, "We have this need to show the world who we are and what we believe in and that pleasure is important to us. Pleasure is more than something frivolous. Pleasure is resistance, taking care of ourselves, feeling good in our bodies, and being aware." The integration of sex toys into fashion, whether subtly or overtly, serves as a powerful declaration of this belief, a personal statement of empowerment and self-celebration that can be shared or kept private, as the wearer chooses.