The Bolero Straitjacket is one of the hottest BDSM innovations brought to you by Stockroom.com. Straight Jacket bondage play is very popular in the fetish scene, but the Bolero offers so many other options thanks to its sexy design. Easy access to breasts and genitals gives the option for sex while wearing the straitjacket. J Mysterio, a 29 year old chief designer at Stockroom.com, is responsible for this design with a naughty twist! After he graduated from LATTC in LA he began his career at JT’s Stockroom and spends 1 week out of the month in LA and the rest of the time in SF. It was my pleasure to interview him for SandM.com

Ms Nikki Nefarious: I find the Bolero Straitjacket to be a must-have for fetish play as it draws in the feel of leather against bare skin, the binding sensation of bondage, and of course the thrill of medical play. Was it your intention to create a piece specifically to cross multiple types of fetish play in one, or is this just a happy result of great design?

J Mysterio: Of course I’d love to take all the credit, but really this design was the result of trying to create something new through re-inventing existing designs. When I first joined Stockroom as an Assistant Designer I was a still in design school and was a bit intimidated of the industry as a whole, so rather than try to create new designs for fetish arenas I wasn’t familiar with, I pulled the best elements of some of our top selling items and molded them into one within a new form – and thus the bolero was born.

MNN: Not only does the Bolero offer access to the breasts and torso but it also eliminates the crotch strap, making sex play readily available without removing the straitjacket. The traditional straitjacket has been used in the fetish world for a very long time and has become somewhat of a staple in medical play. What made you decide to change up the design? What was your inspiration?

J M: I’ve always found straightjackets fascinating but impossible to make sexy. It was a personal design challenge of mine to make the bolero appeal to the female demographic, so my focuses for the piece became a snug fit, a sexy silhouette, and above all functionality. All in all it took about 4 months to complete the bolero design feeling confident we had met all those goals.

MNN: As a Domme the comfort of my submissive is very important to me, as one misplaced knot or buckle can distract from the controlled stimulation I provide and can take them out of headspace. The Bolero is extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time and provides for great ease of motion and positioning. What measures did you take to ensure such comfort from such a binding garment?

J M: This would definitely be one of the top ten reasons on why I love designing for the Stockroom – staff fittings! We test all of our designs, and by that I mean we had employees nap on the top of our design tables while strapped into prototype samples of the bolero to ensure comfort. True story. Our philosophy is if you can sleep in it, you can definitely play in it!

MNN: Many popular fetish implements began in the medical field before they found their way into the BDSM scene. However the Bolero was created for fetish use before being introduced to the medical profession. What affect, if any, do you think this will have on bridging the gap between main stream and the fetish world?

J M: Well…I think main stream is still far off from exploring with the bolero in the bedroom. But it’s definitely a step closer than where the straitjacket is.

MNN: Your designs, along with the exceptional quality of leather, have put Stockroom’s leather merchandise in a class of its own. How did you get your start in leather crafting? Did you always want to be a designer?

J M: I always knew I wanted to be a designer having been an artist since birth. But it was really in design school where leather intrigued me. The craft was so specialized since it’s such a unique material. And I loved the rich history and uses leather offered. Leather will always exude a level of luxury and I don’t think I’ll ever see a day when I don’t appreciate a fine hide.

MNN: The adult industry has seen new designs and enhancements in sex toys to stay competitive. The same can be seen with fetish wear and lingerie. Stockroom has been in the fore front by offering top of the line fetish gear with cutting edge design, such as the Bolero Straitjacket. What other innovations do you foresee for Stockroom’s leather and bondage gear?

J M: We are always trying to make our designs better – more functional, higher quality. So I think in terms of innovation we may not re-invent the classics, but rather create hybrids of the best elements of the classics such as the bolero straitjacket. But that’s certainly not to say we don’t design out of the box and have the potential to create an entirely new category all together!

MNN: So we all know about your talents as a designer. Do you have any other talents you care to share? Are there any other hobbies that you turn to in order to get those creative juices flowing?

J M: If you consider it a talent, I would say I’m an expert trend researcher. Basically hitting up the local bookstore for hours on end, sifting through magazines and spotting anything that’s translatable to the bondage arena. And you’d be surprised – sometimes the most inspiration stems from interior design. As for hobbies, I’m no good at creating it, but I definitely consider myself a music enthusiast.