By Alix Norman
It’s 10 o’clock on a rainy Tuesday morning, and my guest and I are chatting cosily in the sitting room. And in between sips of tea, I’m pressing a vibrator to my nose. “Your nose and earlobes are the best place to try any toy,” says Eve, handing me another of the same, this time in hot pink; “they’re full of nerve endings.” Now, I’m no science expert, but I’ve got to say the buzzing is working wonders for my sinusitis; for the first time in ages, I’m actually breathing properly! In fact, I’m tempted to buy the whole range, purely – of course – to aid with my respiratory complications.
The reason for my bizarre nasal exertions is the exciting by-women, for-women product range of Ann Summers, the British multinational retail company specialising in top quality sex toys, lingerie and clothing for the discerning lady. Now, you may not rate Cyprus highly on a scale of European sex factor – the Italian flamboyance, the romance of the French and even the German quirkiness all spring immediately to mind – but clearly there’s a market on the island for the type of products that make women go ‘ahhh’! And that’s not just the sex toys; even the clothing range has got me cooing over the range of sumptuous silks, satins and lace.
“I often do up to four parties a week at busy times of year,” smiles ‘Party Ambassador’ Eve Miskelly, explaining that each party involves a group of friends who gather to peruse the items and hear her sales pitch in the comfort of their own homes. “The parties are arranged by a host, who gathers her friends – usually at her house – for what I like to think of as the ultimate girls’ night in. We break the ice with a couple of games, make sure everyone is comfortable, and then I talk through the catalogue, allowing everyone to see and touch the products, and try on the clothing. There are never any men at the parties, it’s always women only, so the girls are completely at ease.”
The picture of well-mannered professionalism and eloquence, Eve travels the island attending everything from Hen Night gatherings to social get-togethers and ladies’ coffee mornings. Much like a Tupperware party of old – but with far less plastic – the parties attract women of all ages and backgrounds, eager to enjoy the opportunity to purchase products designed specifically for the fairer sex.
“It’s all about what you want, not what men think you want,” says Eve. Like Dove, it’s a company that caters for real women, its advertising campaigns frequently featuring models with measurements well above the industry norm. “Recently, Ann Summers ran a competition for new models in which the public voted for their favourites,” Eve discloses. “And the girl who won was a size 16 plus, a real woman with real curves.”
The lingerie sizings go from a six to an 18, with some of the products available up to a 26, and the main line of bras come in everything from a 32A to a 38DD. And even then, the designers have thoughtfully catered for larger dimensions, with 50 per cent of the range available in further sizes. “The priority in everything is comfort: if a woman doesn’t feel comfortable, she won’t feel sexy, no matter what she’s wearing,” says Eve. “And the secret is that it’s all been designed for women, by women.”
This idea of discovering what women truly want to see in the product typifies the whole company, even when it comes to the toys: “Several of the sex toys have been designed by the O Team, a group of women chosen from hundreds who auditioned across the UK,” says Eve. Selected from all walks of life, the team worked closely with the company to design and produce products that would really do exactly what women want.
With results that include the Ultimate O, the Sweetheart, Buzzy Bits and the Panty Pin, the O Team’s creations have really brought sex toys out of the bedside drawer. “At parties, the girls are always fascinated by the box of toys,” laughs Eve, “even though I always state beforehand that if people are uncomfortable with the idea, we can just look at the lingerie, pyjamas, club wear and the Knickerbox range of underwear, which caters for younger girls.
“Loads of women tell me that Knickerbox is a godsend in a country where it’s almost impossible to buy a pretty bra for a teenager who needs an E cup,” she reveals. “And I often get girls who’ve never realised how good they could look in underwear thrilled by the way a supportive bra suddenly gives them a waist and womanly curves for the first time in their lives.”
Long a byword for female pleasure devoid of the tackiness one often finds in sex shops, Ann Summer’s party format has allowed the company to appeal to an audience looking for discretion and professionalism from their sales experience: with breaks for questions and time for giggles, the whole process usually takes about three hours, and orders are then placed, to be delivered to the host in sealed, private bags usually within the week. And with a new catalogue of items released every few months, there’s always a great deal of choice on offer, many of the parties being booked by repeat customers.
“It’s a great chance to get together with your friends and really enjoy the ultimate girls’ night in!” Eve concludes with a smile. And she’s right: outside the window it may still be a dreary winter’s morning, but for me the past hour has flown by, leaving me feeling like I’ve just had the best of evenings with my friends. And that’s what Ann Summers is really all about, it seems: girls being girls and enjoying life to the full.
For further information about the Ann Summers product range in Cyprus, you can visit the Ann Summers Facebook page www.facebook.com/ann.summerscyprus or email [email protected]
