A version of this article originally appeared in Vogue.
If you’ve ever lived (or partied in) New York City, then you likely already know the name Susanne Bartsch. The legendary Swiss event producer is responsible for throwing some of the most legendary parties in the city; She’s been driving the NYC nightlife scene forward since the 1980s, after all—cultivating safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community to gather and express themselves through style. Now, a new book from Abrams Books is delving into Bartsch’s incredible (and glamorous!) life through photos.
Her new book—titled Susanne Bartsch Presents: Bartschland: Tales of New York City Nightlife—traces some of Bartsch’s best parties and events from the 1980s to present day. “It’s my life in stills, really,” Bartsch tells Vogue. “I wanted to keep it light and explore it through the decades. The main problem was what not to put in the book—there was way too much stuff!” Among the highlights? Tales from the raucous Copacabana, where Bartsch hosted monthly parties in the ’80s, or her recent Love Balls, which aim to raise awareness and support for those living with HIV/AIDS. Through it all, Bartsch also spotlights some of her closest collaborators over the years—from RuPaul to Amanda Lepore, to the new crop of drag superstars such as Aquaria and Gottmik.
In honor of the book’s release, Vogue chatted with Bartsch below about how New York City nightlife has changed (put those phones down!), what inspires her glitzy party attire (hint: she DIYs a lot of her looks), and where she stores all of her incredible wigs, too.
Vogue: Thanks for taking the time to chat with me. Can you tell me a little bit about what inspired the book?
Susanne Bartsch: To be honest, it wasn’t my idea at all. I don’t really sit and plan—maybe that’s what I should be doing! But I went to the opening of the Fotografiska restaurant, [Veronika], right after the pandemic, and I met a publisher at Abrams Books. He said, “I want to do a book with you.” We met a couple days later and I was like, “Okay, let’s do it!” I wanted to do a book that includes the variety of [work] that I’m involved in. I was very involved in the design of the book, too—I wanted a lot of collages and photos.
I love that the book has a focus on chosen family, and the creatives you’ve worked with over the years. How did that emerge as a main theme?
It’s part of what I do. I meet people, and when I like their work, I help them grow. I don’t like to micromanage them; I like them to come and express themselves however they feel fit. A lot of people have gone on to have big careers that I gave a head start. I wanted to show [people] from the early days, people from now, and people who aren’t around anymore. The choosing was very, very hard. There was a lot of history with people who have never gotten any recognition, so some are in there for that reason, or others are in there because they’ve really inspired me. And I still collaborate with many of them as we speak; Zaldy, for instance, I still love when he does all of my looks. [Editor’s note: Zaldy is the master designer behind many of RuPaul’s looks, too.]
