Who

"Queen of the Night" Susanne Bartsch is a nightlife veteran and the wife of hulking gym chain impresario David Barton.

Backstory

Born in Switzerland, Bartsch left home in 1981, arriving in New York City at the age of 17. Her first jobs were in fashion: She ran two boutiques in Manhattan where she claims she was the first to import designs by Leigh Bowery and John Galliano. When the boutiques fizzled, Bartsch turned her eye to club scene and began a second career as a promoter, hosting events at the club Savage in the late '80s. In 1989, she gained widespread attention for the Love Ball phenomenon—inspired by the "vogueing" balls in Harlem—with proceeds going to AIDS research. (Madonna stole the "Vogue" concept for the song/video from the same source.) Bartsch later hosted outlandish monthly parties at the now-shuttered Copacabana—a typical theme night for the club was a dress code of only vintage lingerie. She quasi-retired from the club scene in the mid-90s to raise her son, Bailey, but returned to party promoting in 2005.

Of note

Bartsch is an icon in the city's club world, and an easy to spot one at that—think Cruella de Ville in bondage pants with a severe-looking updo. She managed to survive the excesses of the '80s and has insisted on remaining a presence on the scene, much to clubbers' delight. In recent years, Bartsch has co-hosted parties with aging club kid Kenny Kenny at venues like Room Service, Arena, and Show. The two were organizing fetes at Happy Valley before the club shut down in November 2006 after a dispute with the building's landlord.

Personal

Bartsch's 1995 wedding to body builder and gym owner David Barton featured 43 bridesmaids (including Betsey Johnson and Ingrid Sischy), and was sponsored by Playboy. Their son, Bailey, is now in his teens.

Habitat

Bartsch has lived in the same three-bedroom, four-bath Chelsea Hotel apartment since 1981. The punk glam décor includes a crimson-walled bedroom with an elevated bed surrounded by candelabras. She and Barton also have a country house in Milford, Penn.

Vice

She no longer drinks, but admits, "I've had a line of coke here and there, but it's not my thing. If I smoke pot—well, I think it's good for sex, this is true. But I've always had a good sex life, so I don't really need it."