Bartschland: Tales of New York City Nightlife

Susanne Bartsch stands peerless in her reign over New York City nightlife.

From the opulence of the late 1980s to the present day, Bartsch possesses an innate ability to capture the spirit of the moment. Her legendary parties and diverse events continue to serve as the stage for an extraordinary convergence of people from around the world. From visionary artists to sex workers, fashion designers, cabaret stars, queer performers, Harlem ball dancers, go-go girls and boys, drag queens, burlesque amateurs, bodybuilders, twinks, and lipstick lesbians--to name just a few--all are welcome in Bartschland. In this book, alongside a long list of friends--from RuPaul to Aquaria to Amanda Lepore to Joey Arias--Bartsch illuminates the countless moments that have shaped her indelible legacy as New York City’s ＂patron saint of transformation and inclusion.＂

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.