Well, yes, there is and if it had to be in any city in the world then, of course, it is in Amsterdam. The aptly named, ‘The Condomerie’ is a specialist condom shop cum homage to latex artistry and has been around since 1987 on Warmoesstraat with just about everything you can think of relating to the condom including a small museum. Condoms appear in collections around the world but this is the only dedicated celebration of this latex legend. Unsurprisingly, the Condomerie is in Amsterdam’s red-light district and often forms one of the points of interest on the walking tours in this famous or should that be infamous area. Many tourist reviews describe it as a cross between a museum and a shop
It seems hard to imagine now but when this idea was first conceived (pun definitely intended), it was a bit of a revolutionary proposal even by Dutch standards. It was born out of a heated debate about the new scourge of the 1980s, AIDS, which at that time was a near-certain death sentence. It threw the importance of condoms into sharp relief; they were available everywhere in Holland but what was lacking, was choice and expert knowledge. Even in Holland, there was a taboo surrounding condoms and information and discussion was not as freely available as you might imagine.
On April 20th, 1987, the Condomerie came into being, the brainchild of Marijke Vilihn, Ricky Jansen and Theodoor van Boven. Originally called Condomerie Het Gulden Vlies which is a reference to the Golden Fleece and Jason and the Argonauts, they found space at Warmoesstraat 141 and the logo was designed by Paul Bodoni. There was a bit of a media storm internationally not least because the shop was fronted by two females. Rather remarkably there was an urban myth circulating at the time that the HIV virus could only affect homosexuals and because of this, the Condomerie decided to include two women in the public-facing team to demonstrate that both sexes have to take responsibility for the prevention of the spread of infection. This was a sea change as up to that point, women’s perceived focus had been in the prevention of pregnancy rather than STIs and other transmittable diseases.
The Condomerie focuses on tested condoms with a service that helps customers find the condom that suits them best with a particular emphasis on the fun and the fantasy element. The idea was to break the taboo that surrounded the open debate and discussion of condoms and the Condomerie certainly succeeded in that ambition. It seems now rather old hat (although a worryingly small number of young people still don’t use condoms) but at the time, it was really pretty remarkable and deserves its place in history,
The Condomerie is now right up to date in the 21st century and has a wholesale as well as a mail-order business. Retail is not just their buzzword, research and knowledge are still very much at the heart of the business. With the range of different condoms available and new materials constantly coming to the market, there is still a real need for somewhere where people can openly talk about their needs. There remains a historic and educational element to the Condomerie and they are busy recreating the museum which was present when the shop opened in 1987.
Anything that promotes the discussion about safe sex has to be a good thing. By introducing an element of fun into the condom conversation, the Condomerie aims to dispel the embarrassment that surrounds this subject even now. A percentage of young people admit that they don’t start the condom conversation or even carry one because they don’t want to be perceived as cheap or easy by their new partner. In fact, one young person should perceive the other as smart and intelligent because they are carrying a condom. In recent surveys, young people have highlighted the absence of accepted condom use in film and media and how its natural depiction in storylines would help make the condom debate more accessible in the under 25 age group. The UK government has been actively involved in initiatives to encourage condom use and to normalise it with digital marketing campaigns couched in language young people will understand.
