If you've ever lived (or partied) in New York City, you probably already know the name Suzanne Burch. This legendary Swiss event producer has thrown some of the city's most legendary parties. She's been a driving force in the city's nightlife scene since the 1980s, fostering safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community to come together and express themselves in style. A new book out today delves into Burch's incredible (and fascinating!) life through photography.
Suzanne Birch presents “Birchland: Tales of New York Nightlife”The book, published by Abrams Books, chronicles Burch's greatest parties and events from the 1980s to the present. “It's literally my life in still images,” Burch says. trend“I wanted to keep it light and explore it across decades. The main issues are do not have “There was just too much to fit into the book!” Highlights include stories from the boisterous Copacabana, where Burch hosted monthly parties in the '80s, and the recent Love Ball, which aimed to raise awareness and support people living with HIV/AIDS. Burch also spotlights some of his closest long-time collaborators, from RuPaul to Amanda Lepore to new drag superstars like Aquaria and Gottmik.
To celebrate the publication of this book, trend We spoke with Burch about how New York nightlife has changed (put your phone down!), what inspires her glittering party outfits (hint: she makes many of her own outfits!), where she keeps her fabulous wigs, and more.
trend: What inspired you to write this book?
Suzanne Balch: To be honest, this wasn't my idea. I don't really sit down and plan things. Maybe that's what I should do! But I went to the opening of the Fotografiska restaurant right after the pandemic and met the publisher from Abrams Books. He said, “I want to make a book with you.” A few days later, I said, “Okay, let's do it!” I wanted to make a book that had a lot of different things. [work] I was involved too, I was very involved in the design of the book and I wanted to use a lot of collage and photography.
I love that the book focuses on your chosen family and the creatives you've worked with over the years – how did that emerge as a main theme?