How Von Bondage Came to Be!
If we travel back in time to the mid 1990s and travel to Philadelphia PA, we will find a young Miss Alysha Lynn fresh out of art school, heavily into the punk scene, and very tight on cash. I used to wear leather dog collars since high school, I just LOVED being in a collar! It felt so beautiful around my neck, and I felt so secure and protected. I did not realise I was a switch back then and usually played quite a Dominant role with men in general, except in my relationships at the time. I loved collaring others and always wore very Dominant collars on myself. Being tight on cash, I decided to start making my own collars and with no experience or teachings, I waltzed into the Leather Supplier down in Old City at the time, and told the staff that I needed to get leather and materials for making collars and belts. They gave me some advice, sold me a leather shoulder, sold me some tools and hardware, and I was off back to my apartment slicing, dyeing and hammering away. The result of my first collar was atrocious and I wore it for 2 years straight with absolute pride! The buckle wasn't even on correct, and I had cut the strap with an X-acto blade. The rivet spikes weren't hammered in straight and the chain had rusted, but I had my FIRST HAND-MADE COLLAR. From that point forward I knew what I wanted to do in life...
Fast forward 6 months, and I had gotten quite good respectively. I purchased a much needed strap-cutter, bought leather dye to make different coloured collars. Had an anvil donated to me by my friend Ben and practised my little tits off day and night. Eventually I was good enough to sell on commission to stores like Zipperhead and Veem on South Street which was quite a lively street with tonnes of shops open till about 1am on weekends. Lots of alternative lifestyles hung out down there and I started making my first sales! I began to make restraints and bondage accessories as well. I used to work in a cute little sex shop and had a few contacts for shows and events to go and sell my stuff at tables. I continued this for about 2 years and then moved to the UK!
Once in the UK, I shipped my gear over and started making my collar and restraints empire again. Manchester hosted Fetish Events, and Vintage to Fetish was a wonderful shop that I sold my line to. Lynn (who now owns an amazing corset shop called Kiku , that creates handmade corsets) was the Manageress who gave me a chance, and started to buy from me. It was there I came up with a name for my company called Oh! Bondage!
old letterhead!!
In 2005 I started to sell online which allowed me to sell retail as well and sell personally to customers. I created a website and sold on eBay, and continued to sell to companies and shops. In 2011 my Husband and I decided to move to the USA, and it was then that I changed my name to Von Bondage. In 2012 we moved overseas and registered my business as Naos Leathers with NY State and re-branded as Von Bondage®. I started to sell on Etsy and created the current website you see today. I strictly sell retail now and stopped wholesaling. I registered Von Bondage® as a Trade Mark in early 2017.
My business has taken off from my meagre beginnings of just selling 1 type of leather collars and restraints, to offering over 23 different leathers and vegan options to choose from!!! I have a multitude of colours, as well as different types of hides. I also include 3 different vegan options. My hardware choice is also on the rise! I used to only work with nickel and solid brass, but now I offer stainless steel, black poly-coated steel, and introducing COPPER!!!
Von Bondage is forever growing and adding new designs and leathers to my repertoire. I also encourage customizations and designs that suit my customers tastes. I look forward to a long and prosperous future working with my customers.
