Madame Caramel: the Lady Behind the Leather

A childhood bully, dominatrix and mother. Together, they create a vivacious businesswoman who captivates with her larger-than-life personality. When Danielle, my manager, asks me to join her in interviewing Madame Caramel, it’s an offer I can’t refuse.

Working at Bondara, toys, whips and chains are part of my day-job – but this is where my similarity with Madame Caramel ends. As I arrive in London, I’m apprehensive; neither of us have met a dominatrix before. After calming our nerves, we head to meet the Madame.

Arriving at Hoxton Dungeon Suite, we have to double-check the address. A ground floor flat seems too restrained to hold such a salacious secret, but this only adds to its appeal. The door opens and we’re welcomed by Madame Caramel. Oozing charm, she’s caramel by name, caramel by nature. Nothing like I was expecting, her bubbly personality dominates the room.

Speaking with a sultry, Portuguese accent, we hear of her non-stop schedule. This afternoon, she’s filming with five of her slaves. Meanwhile, the cleaner is tidying up from last night’s antics.

Our meeting starts with a tour. Just a five minute walk from the station, the flat hosts couples as a one-night bolthole or a week-long getaway. Minus a few ‘Madame Caramel’ touches, it’s just two rooms that reveal the true purpose of this Hoxton hideaway.

To the side, the Red Room can be used for playing, preparing and relaxing. It’s small, so many prefer to spend their time in the Dungeon. Equipped with all the toys you could wish for, it also has £4000 worth of soundproofing. It is in this room where our interview takes place; Danielle and I sitting on top of a cage while Madame Caramel perches on a restraint chair.

As expected, there are strict rules surrounding hygiene. Condoms are to be worn over toys and all used items left in a box for intense cleaning. It’s a system based upon trust, but it works.

While she was always dominant in the bedroom, it took time for Madame Caramel to truly discover BDSM. Arriving to England 17 years ago, she met an accountant online with a fondness for face-sitting. He introduced her to a Mistress and the rest, they say, is history.

15 years in the industry and she’s “seen them all – on their knees”. Now, she has the luxury to select her clients. With a predominantly male clientele, she does not have sexual intercourse with any of her submissives. Instead, she teases, arouses and frustrates.

It’s been a learning curve – even the professionals have to start somewhere! Following her first scat session, she threw up. Now, she has mixed feelings about it. For them, it’s one of the deepest forms of humiliation. For her, it’s strangely empowering.

 “There is submissive, there is kinky, there are fetishists, and there is the slave type of man that wants to do everything for you.”

Someone who became more than just a client is Joris, her fiancée. Together, they have a Female Led Relationship (FLR). He cooks, cleans and his wage is paid into her account. They communicate how money should be spent, of course, but Madame Caramel doesn’t need her leathers to dominate. “Mostly,” she says, “I just look fabulous.”

Each week, the couple enjoy Femdom Friday. Joris wears his collar and kneels at his fiancée’s feet. She likes to milk him, refusing to stop even after he climaxes.

“I think this is where my arousal starts – to see someone suffering.”

Their relationship is polyamorous and, despite not being legally married, she has three men she calls her ‘husband’, including Joris. Her husbands are forbidden from seeing other women. If they disobey her, they will be locked in chastity. As they are not clients, she has sex with them – sometimes, altogether.

 “All my boys have to be bi. They have to be bisexual because I like to see them kissing each other.”

The cleaner interrupts to say goodbye. Soon due to go on maternity leave, the two of them are visibly close. It shows a softer side to Madame Caramel, one that contradicts the dominatrix but somehow fits with her personality.

But she’s exactly how she should be. Approachable yet domineering, it is her warmth that makes her such a welcoming host. As a result, couples who stay here feel at ease. It’s the idea of shutting the door and returning to normality that is so appealing. Whether they experiment with all the toys or just one, a stay at the Hoxton Dungeon Suite is about the experience.

 “I provide fantasies and outlets for kinksters. I’m not here being shagged or used. I do this job because I really love it.”

Madame Caramel is regularly checking her phone, anticipating the arrival of her slaves. This afternoon, she will be filming intense, five-minute clips to sell online. From this side of her business alone, she can make up to £4000 per month. Since we’ve been speaking to her, a customer in Switzerland has bought a foot wank clip.

Today, she is expecting to do four costume changes – leather and latex, of course. She is never naked, unless she is filming with Joris. ‘Endearing’ seems an unusual word to describe their relationship but the respect of boundaries is exactly that. It may be unconventional, but it’s love.

Away from filming, she also coaches new Dommes, teaches couples how to play and gives tours of the Hoxton Dungeon Suite. However, it’s not enough: she is now considering the hen party market. Sex sells – and Madame Caramel knows it.

We hear one of her slaves arrive. As she sits a little straighter, she demands he get on his knees and greet us. Since he’s wearing normal clothes, there’s nothing to suggest his subservient kinks. Polite, docile and unassuming, he’s the perfect submissive.

I am snapped out of my thoughts when Madame Caramel tells him to kiss mine and Danielle’s boots. Erm, sorry? Before I know it, he’s crawling over to us. Then, he is dismissed. Madame Caramel explains that his love for feet is enough to have a climax, without even needing to touch himself. I’m glad she divulges this information after he leaves. Although feet are his fetish, they definitely aren’t mine.

She receives a text from her teenage daughter. Suddenly, the ‘mummy hat’ is on and we’ve gone from sex to mock exams. Madame Caramel is confident her daughter will be a Mistress. Although she’s aware of her mother’s lifestyle, she’s protected from the dirty details.

“She knows I’m dominant…She sees [Joris’] marks on his back.”

Her way of life is not conservative, but why should it be? For her and her family, it works. Everything is consensual and, above all, exciting. People visit the Hoxton Dungeon Suite to seek out their sexual fantasies – and Madame Caramel makes them reality.

As our time comes to a close, we ask for the advice she’d give to couples interested in BDSM: research a lot and be willing to experiment. Take the time to discover what you like, together and individually. It’s only by trying that you’ll know.

“As a couple, if something goes wrong, you laugh about it and put is as experience.”

After we say goodbye, Danielle and I head to a nearby cafe. In disbelief and amazement, we recall everything we have learnt and seen. With an invitation to future classes and events, the two of us head home; intrigued, fascinated and eager to find out more.

Quickfire Questions and Madame Caramel’s Top Picks

So what does Madame Caramel like? Find out with our quick-fire questions and her top Bondara bondage equipment.

• Twosome or threesome? Twosome
• Choking or hairpulling? Choking
• Blindfolded or Handcuffed? Handcuffed
• Doggie or Reverse Cowgirl? Doggie
• Vibrator or Dildo? Vibrator
• In bed or shower? Bed
• Thong or French knickers? Thong
• Leather or latex? I like both equally! Right now, leather
• Hot wax or squirty cream? Hot wax

“I love the Doxy…it’s beautiful”

Click here for the Doxy Wand Massager in Black.

“I’m a Mistress, so my whip is always with me”

find your whips here

“I wish I could have a cock! I’d like to have both”

Discover the 8 Inch Vibrating Strap-On.