Susanne Bartsch emerged from Switzerland to captivate London's avant-garde scene before leaving an indelible mark on 1980s New York. Her iconic NYC boutique, the first to feature designers like Vivienne Westwood, ignited a transformative fashion-cultural movement. Devastated by AIDS in the early '90s, she conceived the Love Ball, raising millions for those affected and inspiring Madonna's song "Vogue." Hailed as the "nightlife equivalent of a couture label" by the New York Times, Susanne Bartsch's legendary parties persist in the cultural zeitgeist. Dismantling traditional norms that fostered inclusivity in a vibrant subculture, these events have maintained their influence and significance four decades later. A blockbuster museum exhibition at the Fashion Institute of Technology, coupled with the documentary Susanne Bartsch: On Top, has firmly cemented her impact and enduring legacy in fashion and popular culture.

"Featuring candid photos from Bartsch's personal archive and priceless anecdotes from her life, the book is both a time capsule for the past few decades of New York City's queer club culture and an inspiration for what life outside the normal bounds of 9-to-5 society can look like."-- "W MAGAZINE"

"Bartschland is an opulent window into the moments that shaped her legacy as the city's 'patron saint of transformation and inclusion.'"-- "AUTOSTRADDLE, 69 Most Anticipated Queer Books for Spring 2024"

Publisher: Cernunnos

Pub date: 2024-05-28

Length: 264 pages