The Japanese rope bondage art form known as Shibari has experienced significant growth in the past decade, breaching into the mainstream more than any other BDSM practice. Marie Sauvage might be bringing Shibari to the masses in a similar way Dita von Tesse brought burlesque to the world.

It’s only just over 20 years ago that Midori published the very first English-language book on Shibari, The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage. In a recent class she held in Paris, she commented on what an outstanding royalties deal she received on the publication because no one believed anyone would buy a book on Japanese rope bondage. I remember being one of the top rope bondage artists in New York City simply because I had actually read that book and used the ties. Of course, I focused only on floor work, approaching suspension with extreme caution as was the norm.

We’ve come a long way with rope jams and rope dojos popping up everywhere, and everyone has a distinct style.

Marie Sauvage, with her devotion to the craft and sense of fashion, has garnered an impressive following. I have been watching her cultivate her devotees since the pandemic, but this past year, she has elevated and expanded her reach.

Last July, I was aware of Sauvage, but I never had the opportunity to visit her Parisian salons. There have been many hiccups in the shibari world of Paris, as celebrities over the past decade have gone as quickly as they arrived. I had actually been eyeing another Shibari luminary, Kinoko Hajime.

July 2024: The Kinoko Hajime spectacle at La Nuit Paris and introduction to Marie Sauvage

I was thrilled to learn the name, Kinoko Hajime, behind the photos I had seen for years. The creator of the controlled chaos of red ropes enveloping objects and people. It was Shabari, but also like a Blackwidow’s spider web. Art that shows the artist’s fervent devotion to the craft and idea moves me. I was thrilled to see Hajime’s seemingly manic approach in person.

At this time, I had lost so much hope for the Paris fetish nightlife. Would it all be creepy, guys, waiting for anything vaguely female showing up? Not entirely. I found where the girls are. They are at the Shibari shows: girls by themselves, girls in groups, girls dragging their significant others to the show. I was one of the girls alone, but I felt incredibly comfortable in the crowd, even though we were packed in there like sardines. Everyone was there for the inspiring experience.

And that it was. Heavy house music pumped while Hajime connected the ropes to walls and columns. I snapped photos as I marveled at the speed and precision. As the music ebbed and flowed and the foundations of his creation formed, acolytes scurried around him, moving ladders, handing off ropes, and evolving into extensions of Hajime himself, and completing the spider web of red rope within the metal cube.

I could squeeze through and take photos from up close because I had chosen a spot in the back of the club. The front of the performance was packed with people huddled on the floor to get a good view, and no one was moving. For ninety minutes, the bartenders stood idle because no one dared give up their space.

However, nothing could compare to when Marie Sauvage made her entrance. Hajime suspended Sauvage in multiple positions in no time, pausing only to allow the audience to marvel and take photos. All of this culminated in a suspended weaving of Sauvage’s body into the mesh column in the middle of the box.

After the finale, surprisingly, the men milled out. One might have expected them to linger and speak to the beautiful woman in lingerie, but no, this appeared to be a very female-occupied space. About a dozen young ladies crowded around to coo over Sauvage with flowers, gifts, and general praise. This was not only a very different energy from other Paris events, but also very different from fetish events in general that I have witnessed.

Marie Sauvage and the Global Shibari Scene

At this time, Sauvage entered the conversation. When one spoke of rope bondage in Paris, typically one spoke of Shibari, and Sauvage became the forefront of this topic—her training and, most importantly, her lavish productions for intimate Shibari performances. In a convergence of Shibari influencers, Midori herself interviewed Hajime and Sauvage for CR Fashionbook in October 2024.

Criticisms emerged in these conversations. Many felt Sauvage’s aesthetic pandered to the male gaze, mainly because she utilized entirely very attractive and very thin female bondage models. I felt this was unfair. The details of her lavish presentations were decidedly for the female gaze. Ballerinas are definitely thin and beautiful, but not really known for their heaving bosoms and round bottoms. In practical terms, ballerinas are characterized by their light, flexible, and athletic nature, as well as their ability to endure stress positions. Ballerinas are, for lack of a better phrase, practical to tie.

One could argue that the women are objectified, but the women are not dominated, and not even close to tortured. The women are placed on pedestals and adorned. For the male or female gaze, the scenes are decidedly aesthetic.

October 2024: Paris Salon du Temple

I attended one of her two events at the stunning Salon du Temple in the La Marais district of Paris. It wasn’t my first attempt to see a Marie Sauvage salon, but they sold out so quickly. So this time, I watched her website like a hawk, waiting for the following announcement. After the energy from Hajime’s show, I was excited to experience her take on rope bondage and the people who would attend.

I, of course, showed up fifteen minutes early, because of course I did, but I still was one of the last people to get a spot. That meant I had to sit on the floor, which was horrible for my back, but amazing to capture photos.

Greeters presented me by taking my coat and handing me a glass of champagne and a macaron. Not bad. Sitting on the floor, I struggled to find a place to rest my boots. With my poor relationship with breaking steamwear, I was a little nervous about breaking the glass while fidgeting. Fortunately, there weren’t any incidents on my part.

The first thing I noticed after adjusting was how well-dressed everyone attending was. Paris is known for fashion, but usually it’s an effortless type of look. Everyone made an exceptional effort and still looked comfortable. Perhaps many Parisians have deep closets in their tiny apartments full of velvet, lace, and corsets?

Contrary to the normal streaming music, there was a live harpist, setting a more organic mood as everyone settled and was served. When Sauvage entered with her muse, everyone was in rapt attention, and the harp music seemed even more in place as the flourishes matched the flurry of each rope addition.

All in all, Sauvage performed three suspension performances with two burlesque performances and an intermission, blocking the time in between. The final performance was a triumph in the double suspension of two ballerinas, who, had they lived earlier, would have been muses for Manray in Montparnasse.

The Telegram

Talent, taste, and demeanor alone don’t bring one the disciples. One has to market oneself. At this time, I was already dabbling with my own Telegram Channel, so among my colleagues, I also followed Marie Sauvage’s Telegram Channel. To my surprise, her channel was already well populated with several thousand followers and complete with information not found on her website.

Much like a live diary, her channel chronicles in real time her global adventures. Ranging from the traditional social media thrist traps of Shibari in Bali to very personal accounts of her experiences of the shifting fetish scene in Berlin. Followers also gain insight into her further education in Tokyo with Hajime.  

As of this writing, she has over twelve thousand followers, and her following continues to grow every day. It’s easy to believe her appeal lies in her ability to walk the line of “Fairy Bondage Nymph” and a very real, accessible person following her passion.

May 2025: The Château Escapade

True to the information that flowed on her Telegram channel, I was able to get an early ticket to Sauvage’s next major event in Paris, a day of Shibari performances and a day of Tantra workshops. This was right up my alley, as I had begun to explore the different meanings of Tantra and how it might work with the movement and meditation of rope. Tickets were bought as soon as they appeared.

The event was to be held in a secret Paris location. Fair enough. I am used to these things being hidden until the end, and it’s not unreasonable for an event planner to hold off on the venue until there is proof of attendance. But as the event approached, it was to be held in Versailles. Okay, with some timing, the train is easy from Paris. No problem. Ultimately, it was located outside Versailles, making it only accessible via an expensive Uber ride or via infrequent and long public transport trips. I thought the best thing to do was to get a hotel near the venue.

The venue itself was incredible, a Château, the kind for events, often elegant weddings. It was open and airy, featuring a large private garden to stroll through, with all the Rococo accents retained in the ceilings and walls. And chairs! Plenty of chairs! I grabbed my champagne glass and quickly claimed a place only to get up as the performance started in another room.

Sauvage took full advantage of the spacious venue, involving many more muses and actors for a more theatrical and immersive experience. She created lavish sets of floral sculptures in which to sculpt her muses in rope—definitely one of the more luxurious and elegant fetish events I have ever attended.

The event information email mentioned no cameras, which I took to mean no phones either. However, it was more like a “Rope Coachella” at the Salon. Everyone looked fabulous and apparently had an Instagram following to keep informed. Clusters of Cottage Rope Core ladies snapped selfies and groupies.

The biggest con of this event was its duration, which lasted from 18:00 until well into the night, with only candy and champagne available. Don’t get me wrong, I love champagne and have a sweet tooth, but when those are the only offerings, I’m not going to be very satisfied.

I ended up leaving right at the end of the performance, when I wanted to mingle with the DJs. I had even brought a bag of ropes to play with whoever felt like being experimented on. There was no way I was going to tie anyone having drunk multiple glasses of champagne on an empty stomach, and my blood sugar was racing. I should not play when I am drunk and “hangry.” Really, should anyone?

Beyond the Rope

Continuing my comparison of Marie Sauvage to Dita von Tesse, Sauvage has established herself as a muse in the Paris art world, as well as in this painting and Shibari Art crossover. However, I am most interested in her pioneering of new views and uses of rope in art and sensuality. Even though I am, of course, well-rooted in the BDSM and fetish community, I watch with fascination as she lifts Shibari out of the kink context and moves it towards Tantra practices.

Personally, I have fallen in love with rope again and am incorporating it more and more into my sessions. Marie Sauvage has a fantastic brand and style, but I am still experimenting to find my own approach to rope bondage. I’ve started a new photo project, “White Whale,” with a goal that involves training a rope bunny and taking a photoshoot with one of the beautiful Merry-go-Round horses as a prop in which to tie her. Any volunteers?