Sin Whore: Alternative model
Sin Whore, a close friend of mine, who has worked with Thomas on a number of alternative fashion shots, kindly dropped by my virtual lounge for a cuppa joe and a lêkker chat.
This week she's officially published as a Voltgirl:
www.voltcase.com/voltgirls/323-sin-whore-alternative-model.html
So I'd like to congratulate her on this achievement, a first, I think, for a South African lass.
And, without further ado, here's the interview...
You are currently working toward what many consider a dream job. There is obviously a lot of hard work involved, but tell us a little about what you do and how you got started.
I started designing and making my own accessories firstly because I couldn’t afford the usual goodies available and secondly because I have very acquired taste and rarely find anything I like. So I started making my own spiked leather accessories first, which eventually expanded into boot covers and bondage corsets. When I took partnership in Path of Sin we decided to call my female bondage accessories SinWear - to give it a more fashionable and feminine image.
But playing with leather only held my interest until I fell in love with the idea of having a mini top hat to pimp into something Steampunk for a new look. I couldn’t find one anywhere and importing one from London or Paris would cost and arm and a leg, so I basically figured out a pattern, had some trial runs and eventually the final product. After wearing it once to a party there was so much interest in it that I decided to include it to my SinWear line. After that, I took up making rosaries and other beaded jewellery calling it Batty Beadz (originally meant as a joke, but the name stuck) and then my SinThetix shirts. I thought they’d be a nice gift for the models who help me out but I just recently got an order from a retail outlet wanting to stock them, so I guess I have to get to working on that.
It’s really hard work to be a small brand just starting up, and alternative on top of it all. Also quality is of great importance to me, so I have to spend so much more time on each product to ensure perfection. I do everything myself and end up working through nights, when necessary, to meet a deadline. In the end it’s absolutely worth the effort, though.
Do you have any advice for anyone wishing to start their own clothing line?
Don’t quit your day job if you have one. Rather work insane hours to get your line on its feet but make sure you have financial security and enough capital for raw materials. Be very patient, stick to quality rather than quantity and always be original.
Can people make money from alternative modeling and what sort of physical attributes must they possess?
Unfortunately in South Africa there is not much money to be made in modelling. My main income so far has been from nude/fetish or catalogue shoots. I have had incredible overseas offers though, but the remuneration that they offer will all have to be spent on transport since they do not cover that. And why would they spend thousands on importing a model from South Africa if they have local models that are just as good? Financially alternative modelling is not a very lucrative option in my opinion, it’s an occupation of passion.
There aren’t too many physical boundaries when it comes to alternative modelling. As the owner of my own alternative modelling group, Path of Sin Models SA, I can say that I look for individuality in models. A big part of this industry is made up of photographic modelling, so your model needs to be photogenic. I also look for diversity - a model should be able to pull of a burlesque shoot just as well as a trad Goth graveyard set. And they need to be truly dark at heart - it shows in their eyes if they’re faking it.
There must be people out there who misunderstand what it is that you do. How do you avoid the freaks and weirdos out there?
Oh yes, indeed. In the past I used to correct people and defend myself, but nowadays I don’t see the point in wasting precious energy on ignorant buffoons. I either ignore them or play with them, depending on the mood I’m in. The last encounter I had was with a foreigner on Facebook asking me if I can cast spells. I replied that I could as I just made him disappear off my friend list!
How does fetish/bondage tie in with the Goth/Metal subcultures?
All “Goths” or “Metalheads” are not necessarily into BDSM, it mainly ties in with the wardrobe of these cultures. Fetish clothing is made of materials such as leather, PVC, latex and fishnet, and fashion items include stiletto-heel shoes, spike collars and cuffs, platform boots, tutus, corsets, tights and mesh clothing, all items generally associated with these subcultures - their “uniform” so to speak.
You've just hosted the third annual Path of Sin fetish event. What sort of feedback have you received and do you see potential to grow this kind of event in Cape Town?
The annual Path of Sin event is differently themed every year and for this year's event we concentrated on fashion. I have received very positive feedback complimenting the show’s standard (which was very high this year) and the quality of the designs. With this show we tried to break away from the usual theatrical alternative events and decided to give it a more sophisticated image that would accommodate more adult members of the alternative subcultures.
The alternative scene is ever-growing and doing so fast. I see a definite growth and demand for this sort of event and we are very fortunate to have access to a variety venues that are willing to cater for this market. We at Path of Sin will be hosting our annual events at a different venue with a different theme each year to give people from every region, age group and preference an opportunity to attend.
Any links you'd care to share?
All Path of Sin and SinWear products are available from: www.pathofsin.co.za
My modeling career can be followed here:www.freewebs.com/sinwhore/
This week she's officially published as a Voltgirl:
www.voltcase.com/voltgirls/323-sin-whore-alternative-model.html
So I'd like to congratulate her on this achievement, a first, I think, for a South African lass.
And, without further ado, here's the interview...
You are currently working toward what many consider a dream job. There is obviously a lot of hard work involved, but tell us a little about what you do and how you got started.
I started designing and making my own accessories firstly because I couldn’t afford the usual goodies available and secondly because I have very acquired taste and rarely find anything I like. So I started making my own spiked leather accessories first, which eventually expanded into boot covers and bondage corsets. When I took partnership in Path of Sin we decided to call my female bondage accessories SinWear - to give it a more fashionable and feminine image.
But playing with leather only held my interest until I fell in love with the idea of having a mini top hat to pimp into something Steampunk for a new look. I couldn’t find one anywhere and importing one from London or Paris would cost and arm and a leg, so I basically figured out a pattern, had some trial runs and eventually the final product. After wearing it once to a party there was so much interest in it that I decided to include it to my SinWear line. After that, I took up making rosaries and other beaded jewellery calling it Batty Beadz (originally meant as a joke, but the name stuck) and then my SinThetix shirts. I thought they’d be a nice gift for the models who help me out but I just recently got an order from a retail outlet wanting to stock them, so I guess I have to get to working on that.
It’s really hard work to be a small brand just starting up, and alternative on top of it all. Also quality is of great importance to me, so I have to spend so much more time on each product to ensure perfection. I do everything myself and end up working through nights, when necessary, to meet a deadline. In the end it’s absolutely worth the effort, though.
Do you have any advice for anyone wishing to start their own clothing line?
Don’t quit your day job if you have one. Rather work insane hours to get your line on its feet but make sure you have financial security and enough capital for raw materials. Be very patient, stick to quality rather than quantity and always be original.
Can people make money from alternative modeling and what sort of physical attributes must they possess?
Unfortunately in South Africa there is not much money to be made in modelling. My main income so far has been from nude/fetish or catalogue shoots. I have had incredible overseas offers though, but the remuneration that they offer will all have to be spent on transport since they do not cover that. And why would they spend thousands on importing a model from South Africa if they have local models that are just as good? Financially alternative modelling is not a very lucrative option in my opinion, it’s an occupation of passion.
There aren’t too many physical boundaries when it comes to alternative modelling. As the owner of my own alternative modelling group, Path of Sin Models SA, I can say that I look for individuality in models. A big part of this industry is made up of photographic modelling, so your model needs to be photogenic. I also look for diversity - a model should be able to pull of a burlesque shoot just as well as a trad Goth graveyard set. And they need to be truly dark at heart - it shows in their eyes if they’re faking it.
There must be people out there who misunderstand what it is that you do. How do you avoid the freaks and weirdos out there?
Oh yes, indeed. In the past I used to correct people and defend myself, but nowadays I don’t see the point in wasting precious energy on ignorant buffoons. I either ignore them or play with them, depending on the mood I’m in. The last encounter I had was with a foreigner on Facebook asking me if I can cast spells. I replied that I could as I just made him disappear off my friend list!
How does fetish/bondage tie in with the Goth/Metal subcultures?
All “Goths” or “Metalheads” are not necessarily into BDSM, it mainly ties in with the wardrobe of these cultures. Fetish clothing is made of materials such as leather, PVC, latex and fishnet, and fashion items include stiletto-heel shoes, spike collars and cuffs, platform boots, tutus, corsets, tights and mesh clothing, all items generally associated with these subcultures - their “uniform” so to speak.
You've just hosted the third annual Path of Sin fetish event. What sort of feedback have you received and do you see potential to grow this kind of event in Cape Town?
The annual Path of Sin event is differently themed every year and for this year's event we concentrated on fashion. I have received very positive feedback complimenting the show’s standard (which was very high this year) and the quality of the designs. With this show we tried to break away from the usual theatrical alternative events and decided to give it a more sophisticated image that would accommodate more adult members of the alternative subcultures.
The alternative scene is ever-growing and doing so fast. I see a definite growth and demand for this sort of event and we are very fortunate to have access to a variety venues that are willing to cater for this market. We at Path of Sin will be hosting our annual events at a different venue with a different theme each year to give people from every region, age group and preference an opportunity to attend.
Any links you'd care to share?
All Path of Sin and SinWear products are available from: www.pathofsin.co.za
My modeling career can be followed here:www.freewebs.com/sinwhore/