Bartschland

Description

A decades-deep dive into the intoxicating world of queer NYC nightlife through entertainer and fashion icon Susanne Bartsch “Ms. Bartsch’s name,” wrote the New York Times, “is the night life equivalent of a couture label.”
Beginning with her first party in 1986, Bartschland: Tales of New York City Nightlife leads readers chronologically through each year of Susanne Bartsch’s reign as New York City’s “Queen of Clubs” until present day. For each year, Bartsch provides commentary focusing first on a snapshot of her life at the time, then showcasing exquisite accounts of her most iconic party that year, and finally, an introduction to a close friend and member of Bartsch’s eclectic, artistic community—from drag queens to dancers to designers. The result is a kaleidoscope of queer culture, glittering New York City nightlife, and unmatched fashion, shared with us by the woman at the center of it all. Susanne Bartsch has been the queen of New York City nightlife for thirty years and counting. The Swiss-born “patron saint of transformation and inclusion” moved to NYC in the early ’80s and opened an eponymous SoHo store curated with avant-garde British fashion. Soon, she became known throughout the city not just for her eclectic, trend-setting style, but for the extravagant weekly parties she threw. Among the beautiful, strange, outlandish, and iconic artists and personalities who attended her world-renowned soirees, Bartsch discovered names like RuPaul, Amanda Lepore, and Aquaria. The Bartschland brand continues to expand through a popular Netflix documentary Susanne Bartsch: On Top, a recent FIT exhibition on the most notable looks of her three-decade career, a new weekly cabaret extravaganza, and a multitude of incredible events and happenings that continue to be hosted by Bartsch in New York City and around the globe.

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