The professional mistress is an ambient presence in even the most mundane of corporate environments. And every office–be it a GP surgery or magazine headquarters–has one: a cutthroat “dominatrix” who accepts the workplace for what it really is, an absurd battleground for control and, at times, willful obedience.
In The Corporate Dominatrix: Six Roles to Play to Get Your Way at Work–a 2007 book that could have been written by Samantha Jones–author Lisa Robyn identifies a series of archetypes (the queen, goddess, governess, amazon, nurse, and schoolgirl) as a strategy for employees to thrive in the “sadomasochistic” environment of the workplace. In her knee-length Chopova Lowena skirt, crisp Homme Girls button-down and Louis Vuitton heels, I’d wager that Rosalía was last night assuming the role of a “governess”: a disciplinarian who “turns her workplace into a viable classroom”, enforcing authority with the swipe of a half-palm Gucci glove and a Gerrit Jacob-customized Kelly bag—Elisa Johnson sunglasses across her face.
And though she was very much OOO–attending a Bad Bunny concert in Los Angeles–the musician’s look is a welcome riposte to the so-called “Office Siren”, who, in her Bayonetta frames and pencil skirts, has become a figure of aspiration on social media for those who are just beginning to enter into professional culture. She has, of course, played this role before, even despite not working a traditional 9-5. But what comes next? What happens when all those “Office Sirens” ascend the corporate ladder and take on some managerial responsibilities? Rosalía’s answer, it would seem, would be to take on the characteristics of a Corporate Dominatrix, in buckles and leather and block-heeled pumps. A glamorous alpha who not only recognizes–but plays with–the balance of power.