Historically, sexual intimacy in New Zealand has been spoken about in hushed tones. By extension, intimacy and pleasure products have been hidden away in dark drawers, or flattened into novelty items purely for novelty use.
In recent years, however, a taboo has lifted. Pleasure – particularly feminine pleasure – is moving into the centre of cultural conversation. Desire is no longer something to be apologised for; it’s something to be styled, curated, and celebrated.
Global tastemakers like Maison Close, Fleur du Mal, and The Oh Collective have been at the forefront of this shift, reframing lingerie and intimate accessories as objects of empowerment, not just adornment.
And with modern intimacy brands like MEW MEW bringing these international names to our shores, New Zealanders are responding with enthusiasm.
From Taboo to Touchstone
The narrative around sexual intimacy has changed, and with it the appetite for intimacy products. In New Zealand, items once seen as provocative or only deserved for deviant sexual appetites, are now considered centric to both self-care and self-expression, and that cultural recentering matters.
When an open-back catsuit or a pair of leather and silk cuffs is as revered for its function and form as any other piece of high-end fashion and design, it recalibrates our understanding of what that item is for, and even more importantly, who its wearer is.
Freed from the ‘fetish’ or ‘fringe’ designations that once contained and often stigmatised them, intimacy and pleasure products are no longer seen as distractions from everyday life, but as tools that deepen it. A harness appeals for its architecture. A feather tickler elevates play to ritual. And pleasure becomes a touchstone of empowerment and expression.
Lingerie as Language
Lingerie has always spoken volumes. Today, it’s not about seduction for someone else, it’s about dressing in a language you choose for yourself. Strappy French-inspired sets, sculptural panties, and barely-there details create an aesthetic conversation between power and vulnerability.
If brands like Maison Close and Fleur du Mal are leading that dialogue internationally, MEW MEW translates it locally with a thoughtful curation of pieces that are bold, editorial, and elegant. This is lingerie as self-expression: unapologetic, fashion-forward, and entirely yours.
Objects of Curiosity
Intimate accessories carry their own cultural weight. Once dismissed as sexual gimmicks, they’re now understood as instruments of connection and play. A blindfold sharpens the senses; a deck of mindful intimacy cards creates dialogue; a bottle of luxury body oil transforms routine into ritual.
By stocking category-leaders like The Oh Collective, Wonderlust, and Aia, MEW MEW positions accessories not as extras, but as extensions of an empowered lifestyle. They’re not trinkets to hide in a drawer – they’re design centric objects of curiosity and craft.
The Digital Frontier
The destigmatising of intimate apparel and accessories owes a lot to a digital landscape that has made discovery comfortable, discreet, and accessible to more consumers.
But digital media has done more than create safe spaces to shop – it’s created space for a cultural shift to occur. Conversations around female desire, inclusivity, and intimacy aesthetics flourish in digital communities. Exploration is no longer transactional; it’s cultural, social, and increasingly design-led.
MEW MEW exists at the intersection of this shift: rooted in New Zealand, yet connected to global conversations.
Where MEW MEW Stands
MEW MEW is not just an online store, it’s a signal of where intimacy is heading. By offering refined lingerie, elegant accessories, and prioritising considered design, we embody the premise that intimacy belongs in the same breath as fashion, art, and wellness.
Fast shipping and elegant packaging are part of the promise, but the larger proposition is cultural: an invitation to claim pleasure as style, confidence as ritual, and desire as something to be seen, not silenced.
Shop our full range and discover the language of modern intimacy.