Qortezan: pleasure principles

July 29th, 2009 | Published in Boutiques

Words by Leanne Yu. All photos by Alex Ramon.

A cacophonous symphony of traffic and the clickety-clack of construction throb through the muggy afternoon air as I approach the doorway of a new boutique in Yaletown. As I step inside, the wind captures one last whip of my skirt and the sounds of the power drills and hammers down the street suddenly fade. I find myself amidst rich curtains and a piano waiting for a musician’s touch, as the slow strumming of a Spanish guitar stirs me from the eardrums down.

If all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players, Edie Orenstein (pictured above) is the playwright of this sensual realm on Mainland. Qortezan is the newest venture of the Edie Hats owner, one that has finally seen fruition after budding in Orenstein’s mind for the past decade.

“Qortezan is an expression of my own empowerment,” explains Orenstein. The store is a story told through vignettes of beautiful, high-quality items displayed seductively for sale: lingerie, cosmetics, dresses, toiletries, menswear, sex accessories, books, and (of course) hats—just to scratch the surface. Together, the products make up a tale of a courtesan, a woman who lives differently from other women because she gives herself permission to pleasure. Hers is a tale in which we are inescapably participants. “It’s a space as art; it’s a retail environment as art.”

Theatre mixed with retail is not a new notion for Orenstein: “I consciously, intentionally, combine those two all the time. It never stops.” After all, it was her hat boutique that showed the city what it truly means to “put on a different hat”. The store invites guests to play with hats as instruments of imagination—and is furthermore known for its in-store flamenco shows and other musical offerings. Qortezan is no different.

Qortezan As we are talking, a staff member hangs a piece of jewellery around Orenstein’s neck. As I watch, I see it is not a piece of jewellery at all—not by conventional standards, anyway.

“This is one of our favourite items in the store,” she giggles, “It’s a 24-carat vibrator by Jimmyjane.”

“Wow,” I manage, “for the woman who really knows she deserves it.”

And I realize just what she means when she says she wants her guests to imagine and play—and I see that Orenstein herself is a part of the brand, a part of the performance.

Above all, she aims to create a different type of experience for her curious customers: “This is not a sex store. You can get all kinds of sex stuff in here, but it means that people can go to this store without that awful feeling of looking over their shoulder […] When people come in here, they’re coming in for, I don’t know? Perfume, boots, shoes, dresses, coats, candles, soap? We have things in here that have nothing to do with a sex toy, but we [do] happen to have those, too.”

Sexuality and performance art aside, Orenstein’s main concern is that individuals feel safe and comfortable within Qortezan’s walls. She ensures this through clever interior design and visual merchandising. In a sense, the further we go into the store, the more intimate we become with the courtesan. At the front are little black dresses, crisp white shirts, and sleek leather shoes—unassuming items with an underscore of sexuality. Further in are undergarments and, finally, sex toys by a luxurious, triumphant four-post bed.

“If [a customer] had wandered in here and not realized there were those items at the back, they could very safely turn around at any part they feel comfortable. It’s up to them how far into it they go […] For instance, we have very high-end, beautiful anal toys in here—that people don’t even have to acknowledge if they don’t want to.”

And there is plenty to acknowledge if you do want to—like the $450 “Little Something” gold vibrator mentioned earlier, for one. Qortezan carries many more Jimmyjane products. One vibrator is equipped with 180 different settings, plus memory to keep the ones you like in order for next time (men everywhere are feeling nervous). Another has a handy USB plug to charge power through a computer (for the woman on the go). And some are so pretty and non-descript, you can brazenly—yet inconspicuously—display them out in plain sight (like Transformers for the boudoir, no?).

In addition, one can find coquettish lingerie by Blush, a delicious line of cosmetics by MOR, and unique dresses by I AM. Let’s not forget the men’s department (men make up half of the boutique’s sales) , with its fine Italian Bugatchi Uomo dress shirts, its classic fedoras, and (of course) high end sex accessories. Yes, one could easily get lost in this world based upon the pleasure principle. I certainly have…

Suddenly I feel my nose tingle. Orenstein takes the Jimmyjane away from my face and chuckles, “That’s how you test it out. That’s how you know how sensitive you are to the toys.” Good to know. Very good to know…

So whatever your cup of tea, Orenstein and her staff can surely sweeten it. Figuratively speaking, they’re always open—especially if you are.

Published in Boutiques