Masuimi Max posted this New Year’s Insta selfie from Oklahoma City, where she was performing, to wish her followers a Happy 2024Masuimi Max posted this New Year’s Insta selfie from Oklahoma City, where she was performing, to wish her followers a Happy 2024

MASUIMI MAX: FETISH WORLD MOURNS LOSS OF LEGEND, DEAD AT 45

International fetish and alt communities have been mourning the loss of Masuimi Max, the US fetish supermodel who has died, aged 45, in Las Vegas.

Police found Masuimi — model, performer, actress and latterly, tattoo artist — at her Vegas home after responding to an early morning emergency call on January 25. They stated that no foul play was “immediately suspected”, but would be “investigating thoroughly”.

Masuimi — of mixed German and Korean ancestry — begun modelling more than 25 years ago, and quickly came to the attention of such influential image-makers as photographer Steve Diet Goedde and artist Olivia de Berardinis, both of whom began working with her regularly.

Early shots: Masuimi models Inner Sanctum latex in 2001 (left) for London’s Erotica fashion show (photo: Gordon Hawtin); and (right) for the original label’s publicity photography. Many of the original images of Masuimi modelling Inner Sanctum styles are still in use by the current German owner of the brand, with the styles still availableEarly shots: Masuimi models Inner Sanctum latex in 2001 (left) for London’s Erotica fashion show (photo: Gordon Hawtin); and (right) for the original label’s publicity photography. Many of the original images of Masuimi modelling Inner Sanctum styles are still in use by the current German owner of the brand, with the styles still available

In 2001 Masuimi visited the UK, appearing at the Skin Two Rubber Ball and Erotica events. She also modelled for the first of several Inner Sanctum latex fashion shoots conducted during the early noughties. She featured in (and on the covers of) Skin Two and other fetish magazines.

She and her first husband, Allen Falkner, became regular star turns at major fetish events on both sides of the Atlantic. Masuimi did solo performances with fire (and sometimes milk!) and modelled in latex fashion shows; Allen performed memorable solo hook suspensions to the soundtrack of Johnny Cash’s cover of the Trent Reznor composition Hurt.

In 2006, after the couple divorced, Masuimi married punk journalist and musician Mörat, at a time when her following was already growing well beyond her original fetish base. (At the time of her death, she had 314k followers on Instagram.)

Black and white: Masuimi in 2020, left, with the Spider Lady contraption she created n 2010 and dragged around the world for event appearances and performances despite its 100lb weight (photo: Morat666). Right: a fabulously fierce shot by Beatrice Neumann, who did more than 50 shoots with Masuimi during what the photographer called their “turbulent friendship”Black and white: Masuimi in 2020, left, with the Spider Lady contraption she created n 2010 and dragged around the world for event appearances and performances despite its 100lb weight (photo: Morat666). Right: a fabulously fierce shot by Beatrice Neumann, who did more than 50 shoots with Masuimi during what the photographer called their “turbulent friendship”

Masuimi would soon be modelling for Playboy, attending parties at the Playboy Mansion, and being featured in magazines such as Maxim and Bizarre. She would also appear in several movies including Cornman: American Vegetable Hero, Giantess Battle Attack and xXx: State of the Union, and take lead roles in some video games.

Towards the end of last year, her 17-year marriage to Mörat ended — an event she marked on Facebook on November 15 with a post stating that the couple were no longer husband and wife “but will always be best friends”.

Ten weeks after that post — and just two days before an appearance scheduled for January 27 at the Vegas Chaos anniversary party — she was dead. The cause of death has still not been reported, but if the initial police impression of “no foul play” turns out to be correct, only two possibilities remain: that she took her own life, or died in some kind of tragic accident.

Tongue to heel: One of the numerous portraits of Masuimi Max by Olivia Berardinis, for whom Masuimi was a favourite model, collaborating with the artist for almost 25 yearsTongue to heel: One of the numerous portraits of Masuimi Max by Olivia De Berardinis, for whom Masuimi was a favourite model, collaborating with the artist for almost 25 years

The news of Masuimi’s death triggered multiple outpourings of grief and disbelief on social media from well-known fetish scene figures — photographers, artists, models, performers, designers and event organisers — who had been admirers, collaborators and friends of the fetish supermodel over the years.

And for anyone who seeks a practical way to express their feelings of loss, Mörat’s bandmate John Feeney in Las Vegas punk outfit Soldiers of Destruction, has set up a Masuimi Max Memorial Fund on GoFundMe, principally to assist Mörat and Masuimi’s immediate family “to give her the proper send-off she deserves”.

The fund has currently raised more than $25,000. In addition, Steve Diet Goedde is selling memorial prints of his Masuimi portraits at $12 each, the proceeds from which are also being donated to the official Memorial Fund.

GoFundMe Masuimi Max Memorial Fund

Steve Diet Goedde Masuimi Max Memorial Prints

MAX AND MORAT, left, in the photo that accompanied Masuimi’s Facebook post about their divorce in November 2023. Right: The eight Masuimi memorial prints available from Steve Diet Goedde at $12 each, with proceeds going to the official Masuimi Max Memorial FundMax and Mörat in the photo, left, that accompanied Masuimi’s Facebook post about their divorce in November 2023. Right: The eight Masuimi memorial prints available from Steve Diet Goedde at $12 each –proceeds going to the official Masuimi Max Memorial Fund