Kunsthal shows the revolutionary development of sex toy design

Once hidden in a dark drawer, they now shine as luxurious wellness products, sought-after gifts and stylish design objects that would not look out of place in modern interiors. The exhibition Toy Stories. Designing Intimacy at the Kunsthal highlights the revolutionary development of sex toy design in the 21st century. With several innovative designs - including the TikTok sensation 'Snail Vibe' and products that embrace inclusivity, sexual well-being and technology - the exhibition shows how these objects reflect our current society and how our views on sexuality and pleasure have changed.

Based on various themes - health, aesthetics, experience, inclusion and materials - the exhibition offers a multifaceted look at the development of sex toy design. Sketches, prototypes, casts and samples of materials show this process behind sex toy design. Recent insights into anatomy and technology have led to a new era of aesthetics, functionality and accessibility. Women-led organisations such as The Oh Collective and female designers are playing a key role in this, changing the industry from within.

Tenga's designs for men are white, elegant, geometric objects. This Japanese brand deliberately avoids designs that resemble body parts to avoid embarrassment for their customers.

The 'Rose Toy' is also not reminiscent of a sex toy because of its design. This bright pink, silicone object is shaped like a rose and is so popular - due to social media - that several companies and designers have now developed their own version of this product.

In addition, the exhibition highlights how sex toy design today not only enriches solo experiences, but also plays a role in shared intimacy. The erotic web shop EasyToys' product 'Easyconnect' offers a possibility for intimate interactions at long distances, and during the use of 'Dream Team' by The Oh Collective, the focus is on the interplay between two partners.

Haptic lingerie that converts physical touch patterns into data

Innovations such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence are lifting the concept of a sex toy to a complete experience beyond just physical pleasure. For example, the exhibition features British designer Summer Chen's design 'Enigma': haptic lingerie that converts physical touch patterns into data, which in turn are converted into text prompts for a GPT model, which creates personalised, erotic narratives.

Health

Several designs show how sex toys can contribute to physical and mental health and provide insight into changing societal attitudes towards sexual pleasure. For example, innovative designers combine scientific research and technology to improve health problems and the sex lives of users of their products. Designer Nienke Helder's 'Kiwi' is an example of this. Research shows that 75% of women sometimes experience pain during penetration. The Kiwi focuses on relaxing the pelvic floor, and (re)finding a positive association with touch.

Inclusiveness and sustainability

In contemporary sex toy design, inclusion plays a major role. Today, more and more products are being developed to suit diverse needs, different gender identities, people with physical disabilities and life stages. For instance, Ukrainian-Polish designer Dmytro Nikiforchuk's 'Dotyk' - a set containing several ambiguously shaped toys - focuses on foreplay in the elderly, and designers Salomé Bazin and Guilia Tomasello's 'Tides massager' is aimed at improving the sexual pleasure of women in transition. Wild Flower's 'Enby 2' - which at first glance resembles a bicycle saddle - is a gender-inclusive design suitable for all body types.

There is also an increasing focus on sustainability in the development and production of sex toys. Materials such as silicone are loved for their safety and softness, but are hardly biodegradable. As a result, designers are looking at new possibilities and more often reverting to traditional materials such as glass and porcelain.

Cover photo: Toy Stories. Designing Intimacy, 2025. Kunsthal Rotterdam. Photo: Bas Czerwinski