Exotique Magazine: Glamour, Submission, and the Softening of Fetish Imagery

Exotique Magazine (USA, 1955–1959) occupies a unique position in the early history of fetish publishing. Emerging less than a decade after Bizarre, Exotique translated fetish desire into a more photographic, glamorous, and narrative-driven visual language — one that softened taboo while preserving erotic tension.

Where Bizarre relied heavily on illustration and overt power structures, Exotique Magazine introduced a quieter, cinematic approach to fetish.

The Rise of Photographic Fetish in Exotique Magazine

Unlike its illustrated predecessors, Exotique Magazine leaned strongly into photography.

Models were posed in carefully staged scenes that emphasized:

• submission aesthetics

• glamour and elegance

• emotional restraint

• implied narratives

The fetish was present, but rarely explicit. Instead, Exotique relied on suggestion, atmosphere, and visual storytelling — making it accessible to readers who were curious but cautious.

Making Fetish Elegant and Cinematic

One of Exotique’s most lasting contributions was its visual tone. The magazine reframed fetish not as deviance, but as stylized intimacy.

Key characteristics included:

• polished lighting

• refined lingerie and corsetry

• carefully composed interiors

• submissive poses without overt force

This aesthetic made fetish visually palatable during an era of strict censorship, while also laying groundwork for later high-fashion fetish imagery.

Exotique Magazine and the Expansion of Fetish Readership

By presenting fetish through glamour rather than confrontation, Exotique Magazine quietly expanded fetish culture’s reach. It bridged underground desire and mainstream curiosity,

allowing readers to engage without fully crossing social boundaries.

This strategy influenced:

• later pin-up fetish publications

• soft-domination imagery in fashion

• editorial erotica

• narrative-driven fetish photography

Why Exotique Magazine Still Matters

Though short-lived, Exotique Magazine played a critical transitional role. It demonstrated that fetish could be:

• aesthetic

• emotionally suggestive

• visually sophisticated

• culturally legible

At Atomique, Exotique is understood as the moment fetish learned how to seduce without shocking — a lesson that continues to shape erotic visual culture today.

Written by Otávio Santiago

Founder of Atomique Fetish — an editorial project on erotic culture and design

Artist, designer & researcher