//Co-owner of Awakening Boutique Rose Kalasz, Horrid Spirits founders Kelsee Ross and Emerald Boes, and Ms. Mayhem’s founder and editor Madison Lauterbach at Awakening’s office space in Denver on Jan. 18. Photo by Polina Saran | polinasarana@gmail.com
Hey there, lovely readers! We are so excited to be co-hosting our very first in-person event next weekend. We launched right at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020, so we haven’t had many opportunities to meet you all in the real world.
On our first anniversary, we hosted a virtual panel on reporting for Black communities and you should really go watch the video we made of the discussion. But there’s something about meeting our readers in the flesh and not over a computer screen. We’re delighted to have the opportunity to bring this event to life with the help of Awakening Boutique and Horrid Spirits. It also gives us a chance to demonstrate that Ms. Mayhem is not your grandfather’s news outlet.
There are only a handful of tickets left for our Leather & Lace: An Alternative Valentine’s Burlesque & Drag Show Market event. Make sure to grab one before they sell out!
Awakening, Horrid Spirits and Ms. Mayhem will each be peddling our wares at Enigma Bazaar, but we also have several amazing vendors selling everything from baked goods to lingerie! After the market closes, the real debauchery begins, with drag and burlesque performances from some of your favorite Denver artists. We wanted to shine a spotlight on these great vendors and performers, so even if you can’t make it to Leather & Lace, you’ll be able to catch them elsewhere.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Vendors
Butter Moon Bake Co.– Butter Moon Bake Co. is a Denver-based micro-bakery specializing in buttermilk biscuits, scones, hand pies and vegan tartlets. Ava’s commitment to her community is producing unique, high-quality products featuring unexpected flavors and local products. Meaningful collaboration and mutual aid continue to be a priority to Ava and Butter Moon.
Office of BS– Office of BS began as the independent design studio of Blair Sagan. After years of client work, Blair developed a brand and product line to create space and visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. As a nonbinary, queer individual, Blair was tired of seeing femme friends go invisible and trans and gender-nonconforming friends go misrepresented or misgendered. As members of the LGBTQ+ community are actively creating their own narratives, the Office of BS exists to celebrate that unapologetically. Today, in addition to catering to the LGBTQ+ population, the studio creates work to expose “BS” via infographics, to celebrate the naturalist world, and to provide resources and fuel for activism. As a guiding force, the Office of BS believes in an intersectional future of collective liberation for all marginalized identities.
A Subtle Notion– My name is Steffie Notion and I’m the creative behind A Subtle Notion. I do body-positive hand embroidery with a focus on inclusivity and pattern mixing. I try to elevate the art of embroidery from something your grandmother used to do, to something your grandmother would blush at and be blown away by. My works occasionally include mixed materials and sexuality. I also recycle used bike tubes into a variety of accessories and harnesses.
Naughty Knots– I love making custom art and have truly found my home in referencing original photographs from live subjects in order to capture the carnal, the somatic, the filthy and the taboo. I primarily do mixed-media embroidery, but because art should be fun and accessible, I also make stickers and one-of-a-kind patches. Just remember—texting nudes is so passé. The future is all about sending hand-crafted, artfully rendered physical manifestations of those nudes to your friends and lovers.
Ginger von Snap Vintage– Sweet & spicy, Ginger von Snap Vintage brings you a selection of handpicked and thoughtfully curated vintage lingerie. Whether you’re feeling naughty or nice, you’ll find something for yourself! Grow your lingerie collection & shop gingerly!
Chandler Tarot– Flipping cards and spilling the tea! Chandler has been reading tarot for 10 years and has found a passion for shining a little light in dark spaces. Find some answers together through tarot readings with a positive message and healing focus.
Mighty Aphrodyte– My name is Denym and I am a multimedia artist located in Denver. I pride myself on making art for everyone but especially my community. I am a queer and trans person who uses they/them pronouns. A bulk of what I sell is prints and more recently stickers. You can find some of my work for sale at Awakening Boutique off of Broadway, as well as online. I love doing murals and commission work whenever the opportunity arises.
MAB Crafts– Oil paintings, palette jewelry, crocheted goods, and fun miscellany are all in the realm of possibility with MAB Crafts, helmed by artist E.A. Wachter. With her upcycled approach to living, you never know what treasures might come out of the mixed media.
Performers
Laika Fox– Laika Fox uses they/she pronouns and will be your host for this spicy event! They are a burlesque performer, pleasure activist and instigator of low-key mischief. She co-produces The Body Political, a variety show that confronts social myths about the body through personal stories of resistance and reclamation.
Hexxorsis– Hexxorsis, pronounced Heck-sor-sis, uses she/they pronouns. This swamp witch from New Orleans made her way up to the Mile High City shortly before the whole world shut down but has made the most of the situation. She is the co-producer and host of The Macabaret, which, fingers crossed, will return soon. Hexxorsis is ready to put her love spell on y’all and hopefully, it’ll stick this time.
Venus Victrola–Venus Victrola is a non-binary queer entertainer that has performed in the nightlife area for over six years as a queen and diva. Venus uses the neopronouns fae, faer and femme as these best represent faers gender identity. Fae is also currently reigning as Ms. Rocky Mountain Shining Star. Venus specializes in show production, draglesque, classic drag, live singing, and more!
ALLurrr’em VelvIT– ALLurrr’em uses she/her/Goddess pronouns and is a founding member of Melanated Ménagerie, an all-Black Burlesque Troupe that’s main focus is to showcase talented Black, Indigenous and POC performers. She actively provides a safe space and equitable pay for artists that resemble herself. She’s a North Minneapolis native now living that Mile High Life. She’ll bring you on a sensuously salacious ride with every move she makes and helps you reach your peak faster than the rarest strain out there. She’ll uplift you! Like a fine sativa, this PolyGlamorous Goddess is as smooth as her name implies.
Siren Sixxkiller– Siren Sixxkiller uses she/her pronouns and has been bringing a statement, a story, some sass or something strange to the stage since 2015. She organizes with SlutWalk Denver and is now co-producing a new show called Rad-De-Colonial, which will have its premiere show at Grandma’s House on February 25th. She is your fave local decolonial riot grrrl, she is the fly fleamale of burlesque, she is Siren Sixxkiller!!
Allie Soreass– Allie Soreass uses zie/zir pronouns and is Denver’s sexy t-rexy. Zie has been charming audiences at Ooh Lala Presents for over six years and doesn’t plan on going extinct anytime soon. Zie is the co-creator of Broken Babes Burlesque, a production wanting to create a safe space for others living with disabilities and chronic pain. Come give zir a roar and see why zie is everyone’s favorite dinosaur.
Androux– Androux, pronounced Andro, is new to Denver but has been performing in the DFW Texas area for over 8 years! They are a part of the troupe Mustache Envy and have performed two years in a row at the Texas Queerlesque Festival. The performer uses they/he pronouns out of drag and they/them pronouns in drag.
Alabaster– Alabaster uses she/her pronouns and is a two-time award-winning kitten and eternally sleepy burlesque babe. Alabaster is a core member of the Philly-based metal burlesque troupe SlutChurch and is on a mission to bring the good slutty word west to Colorado. This chaotic Capricorn is known for her weird and sometimes successful mix of grimy, comedic burlesque and totally unhinged narcissism.
Redden Risqué– Redden uses they/them pronouns and is your patent leather partner in crime.
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