Anastasiia Fedorova's 'Second Skin' Examines Fetish as Lens on Consumer Desire

Anastasiia Fedorova's 'Second Skin: Inside the Worlds of Fetish, Kink, and Deviant Desire' delves into the intersection of sexual fetish and commodity culture, presenting it as both 'an extended sexuality' and 'a way of seeing.' The imagery associated with fetish—such as latex catsuits and leather gloves—permeates society, often without overt representation. The word 'fetish' dates back to the seventeenth century, initially referring to a magical object before it adopted its contemporary sexual meanings, reflecting capitalism's shift of items into desire symbols. Fedorova challenges the notion of fetish as a viable alternative to capitalism's desire cycle, suggesting it can help redefine power dynamics and resist pathologization. Camille Sojit Pejcha, a writer from Brooklyn, reviewed the book.