Susanne Bartsch is a Swiss event producer, living in the United States, whose monthly parties at the Copacabana in late-1980s New York City united the haute and demi-monde, making her an icon of New York nightlife. "Ms. Bartsch's name," according to The New York Times, "is the night life equivalent of a couture label, thanks to the numerous extravaganzas she staged in cities from Montreal to Miami."[1]
Susanne Bartsch | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bern, Switzerland |
| Occupation | Event Producer |
| Spouse |
David Barton
(m. 1995; sep. 2010) |
| Children | 1 |
Life and career
editBorn in Bern, Switzerland, Bartsch left her family as a teenager and moved to London in the late 1970s, where she became an intimate of such celebrities as Jimmy Page and Malcolm McLaren. After moving to New York City in the early 1980s, she opened a clothing boutique in SoHo that gave exposure to new British names, designers and labels, including Vivienne Westwood, Leigh Bowery, BodyMap, John Galliano, and milliner Stephen Jones.[2] She also helped launch the careers of young American designers Alpana Bawa and Michael Leva, and was a precursor and influence upon the Club Kids movement of the time.
By the late 1980s, the American economy was slowing, and "edgy" clothing was becoming harder to sell; Bartsch began organizing weekly parties at prominent New York nightclubs, such as Savage, Bentley's, and, finally, the Copacabana. Bartsch created the Love Ball in 1989, which raised US $400,000 (approx. $994k in 2024) to fight HIV and AIDS.[3] For the first time, elements of Harlem ball culture were introduced to a national audience.[citation needed]
Bartsch took part in philanthropic work, running annual holiday toy-drives with her partner, David Barton, whom she married in 1995 (div. 2010).[4] The couple have a son, Bailey Bartsch Barton.[4]
In 2015, The Museum at FIT mounted an exhibit celebrating Bartsch's costumes.[5]
Filmography
edit- Susanne Bartsch: On Top (2017)
- RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2019; season 4, Guest judge)
References
edit- ^ Galtney, Smith (28 April 2002). "A Night Out With: Susanne Bartsch; The Celebutantes Return". The New York Times.
- ^ "BodyMap – Shaping the 1980s / Personalities / People / V&A Channel". Vam.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
- ^ HOCHSWENDER, Woody (12 May 1989). "Vogueing Against AIDS: A Quest for 'Overness'". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
- ^ a b Murphy, Tim (27 April 2011). "The Man Who Made Working Out Cool". The New York Times.
- ^ "Fashion Underground: The World of Susanne Bartsch". Msfabulous.com. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
External links
edit- "Susanne Bartsch & Dr. Valerie Steele in Conversation" from Archive on Demand
- Article 2018 (German)