Photo: Courtesy of Crave.There's a new necklace that's generating buzz — which is why R29 Wellness, not Fashion, is covering it. Yes, the dramatic, stainless-steel pendant is stylish, but it also has a function beyond looking good on your neck.
It's a sex toy — a vibrator, to be exact, which its maker, Crave, bills as "the world's first luxurious rechargeable vibrator necklace." The Vesper's design is minimalist, almost industrial — which makes sense when you think about the past life of its creator (and Crave co-founder) Ti Chang as an industrial designer. Chang's design work turned from tables to sex toys after she walked into an adult entertainment store one day in 2006 and thought, "What is this stuff?" It wasn't her first time in a sex shop, but she was struck by the cheesiness of what was (then) available to women. "It’s always been my vision as a designer to make people feel comfortable with something [seen as] taboo," she says.
To be clear, Chang has nothing against whirring purple silicone. But, her company prioritizes aesthetics as highly as pleasure. The Vesper calls to mind a slender Bullet, and works like one too: Its three intensity levels are intended for clitoral stimulation (and discretion; Crave describes the vibe as "whisper-quiet"). The stainless steel makes for a sanitary experience, whether the Vesper is on your neck or elsewhere: "You wash it and it's good," says Chang. "It can't harbor bacteria." And, of course, this "techlace" charges by USB.
Chang stresses that there's no right way to use a Vesper. "It’s not for everyone," she readily points out. "Some women really like it just because it’s a cool-looking necklace; some really would wear it as a symbol of empowerment; some women would just keep it at home as a vibrator." The Vesper is now available for preorder and will be shipping in September — choose from silver-plated, rose-gold-plated, or even 24K-gold-plated (that's right; gold-plated sex toys aren't just for Beyoncé anymore). So, would you wear your vibrator around your neck?