Bondage, lace and models in pig masks – inside LA’s most exclusive sex parties, where a ticket costs £1,500 and ‘Gwyneth Paltrow even visited’
Gwyneth Paltrow's blog Goop has promoted the parties - which women can attend for free, if their pictures are attractive enough
WE'VE all heard of the swanky sex parties taking place in Britain, but Los Angeles' erotic elite have stepped things up a notch.
Hollywood's filthy rich residents are paying £1,500-a-night to attend the high-end Snctm sex parties, which Gwyneth Paltrow has apparently visited in the past.
Dominus members of Snctm sex club pay £60,000-a-year for access to private rooms at the parties, and a 'network of sex experts'.
Men normally pay £1,500 and can get a discounted rate of £1,200 per event if they bring a female partner. While women don't pay to attend - but must apply by submitting a full-length photo for vetting.
reporter Heather Hauswirth went inside LA's most exclusive sex party, to find out what really goes on behind closed doors.
It's not exactly your average party. Heather observed: "Around us, a mostly female crowd of models, young professionals, actresses and assistants strut about in couture lingerie, much to the delight of older male guests in tuxedos.
"One 20-something blonde crawls on the carpeted floor wearing red lace and a face mask with a leather pig snout and ears.
"Other pretty young things wear metallic pasties and black badges that read 'Eat me' or 'Touch me' on their décolletage, while holding silver platters of bite-size brownies and parfaits.
"A man who calls himself the 'Bunnyman' and wears a black leather mask and rabbit ears demonstrates various Japanese bondage techniques on an aroused woman sitting upright in a plush, gold-painted chair."
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The parties are the brain child of 45-year-old divorcee Damon Lawner, who has two young kids - and says he still dreams of winning his ex-wife back.
He founded Snctm in February 2013, and is currently in talks with Fox to do a scripted show on his life with Glee producer Brad Falchuk.
Brad is dating actress Gwyneth Paltrow whose blog, Goop, in the past.
Her website also sells intimate Jade and Rose Quartz Eggs, which are said to 'increase orgasms', and Damon says Falchuk and Paltrow have come to parties together.
“(Gwyneth is) not a crazy-kinky person, like people think,” he told Heather. “She’s a down-to-earth total sweetheart . . . They are exploratory with each other.”
Heather was one of 99 guests at the intimate event which had two performances - a live threesome and a sexy fire-eating show.
Phones have to be left at the door, while the high-level Dominus membership is currently limited to just 11 men and one woman.
Dominus members sign a 'blood oath' to join - described by Damon as 'an initiation into the society'.
For an annual cost of £9,500, there's a second-tier Aurum membership, which includes discounted entry and access to Damon's hedonistic network.
Heather explained: "As exclusive as the parties are, the vibe is friendly and there’s no Hollywood pretence.
"Attendees are open and eager to talk, flirt — and much more — with each other.
"Agent Provocateur is something of an unofficial partner for the erotic events.
"Last September, Snctm held a top-secret party in New York during Fashion Week.
"Attendees picked up brass keys with the soiree’s address engraved on them at the high-end lingerie company’s stores in Soho and on Madison Avenue.
"At another point in the evening, I compliment a busty blonde wearing black satin panties and no shoes.
“'Are those real?' I say, admiring her assets. 'Are those yours?' 'They’re from France,' she says.
"Later in the night, I watch her orally pleasure a young blond girl with fake eyelashes on a silver ottoman.
"When she comes up for air, I ask, 'Do you come here a lot?'
“'I’ve been a few times. I’m a lesbian … so this is amazing for me,' she says before going on to tell me how men regularly ask her to have sex with their wives."
Despite his passion for parties, Damon doesn't engage in sex at them, and says his 20 employees don't do so either.
Like many that attend, he just enjoys being a voyeur. “Wow,” he said to Heather, eyeing a pilot have sex with a young woman nearby. “He’s really pleasing her.”
The host-with-the-most says he dreams of winning his ex-wife back, but believes he’s doing good with his parties.
“I provide somewhere for primal urges to be explored,” Lawner says. “It’s beautiful.”