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{{Other people|John Sutcliffe}} |
{{Other people|John Sutcliffe}} |
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'''John Sutcliffe''' (died 1987) was a British [[fashion design]]er and [[fetish photographer]], famous in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s as a designer of clothes for aficionados of [[leather fetishism|leather]], [[rubber and PVC fetishism]], with an emphasis on rubber and leather [[catsuit]]s, [[cloak]]s, and [[gasmask]]s. |
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'''John Sutcliffe''' (died 1987) was a British [[Fetish fashion|fetish clothing]] designer and publisher of the [[fetish magazine]] ''[[AtomAge]]''.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/sep/11/john-sutcliffe-fetish-wear|title=King of kinky|first=Will|last=Hodgkinson|date=10 September 2010|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> |
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After service in the RAF, he set up a workshop at 10a Dryden Street in London. |
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In the 1950s he was divorced because his feelings about leather had led to him being diagnosed as mentally ill and treatment failed to change him.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/21774/1/john-sutcliffe-rubber-johnny|title=John Sutcliffe: rubber Johnny|date=20 September 2014|website=Dazed}}</ref><ref name="guardian"/> |
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It is a popular misconception that he designed the leather outfits for ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]''. He did not<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2010/sep/11/john-sutcliffe-fetish-wear</ref> They were designed by [[Michael Whittaker (costume designer)|Michael Whittaker]] for [[Honor Blackman]] and by [[John Bates (fashion designer)|John Bates]] for [[Diana Rigg]], although they may have been made in John's workshop. He did design some costumes for the stage version of the Avengers which appeared later. He did however design the leather outfit worn by the main protagonist in the movie [[The Girl on a Motorcycle]] which influence the look portrayed in the Avengers.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2010/sep/11/john-sutcliffe-fetish-wear</ref> |
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He began his AtomAge fetish clothing business in 1957, registering it as a “manufacturer of weatherproofs for lady [[pillion]] riders”.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wmagazine.com/story/dressing-for-pleasure-book-john-sutcliffe|title=Of Human Bondage|date=1 October 2010|website=W Magazine}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/> |
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At one time he designed a boot suit, which comprised a pair of [[thigh-length boots]], which carried on to join at the crotch, and then upwards to become an entire catsuit with a hood. |
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He was an influence on the leather [[catsuit|catsuits]] worn by [[Emma Peel]] in ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'', and created the leather catsuit worn by [[Marianne Faithfull]] in the 1968 film ''[[The Girl on a Motorcycle]]''.<ref name="guardian">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/sep/11/john-sutcliffe-fetish-wear|title=King of kinky|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]|date=10 September 2010}}</ref> |
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He was also the publisher of the [[fetish magazine]] [[AtomAge]], which featured many of his clothing designs. |
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It had two sister publications, ''[[The Rubberist]]'' and ''[[Dressing For Pleasure]]'', both of which are now published by Dave Watson of G&M Fashions. |
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Sutcliffe published ''[[AtomAge]]'' magazine, a [[fetish magazine]] that was an offshoot of his fetish clothing business. The magazine has been called the "underground bible of leather, rubber and [[Polyvinyl chloride|vinyl]] fetish wear throughout the 1970s"<ref name="trunk">{{Cite book |last=Trunk |first=Jonny |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7AjtRQAACAAJ |title=Dressing for Pleasure in Rubber, Vinyl & Leather: The Best of AtomAge, 1972-1980 |date=2010 |publisher=FUEL |isbn=978-0-9563562-3-9 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="kwaidan">{{Cite magazine |last=Phelps |first=Nicole |date=2021-03-03 |title=Kwaidan Editions Fall 2021 Ready-to-Wear Collection |url=https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2021-ready-to-wear/kwaidan-editions |magazine=Vogue |language=en-US |access-date=2021-12-07}}</ref> and documented Britain's [[sadomasochism|S/M]] scene.<ref name="quinn">{{Cite news |last=Moreland |first=Quinn |date=2017-12-15 |title=Fever Ray Explains How Ball Gags, Leather Fetishes, and Weird Memes Inspired Her New Album |language=en |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/interview/fever-ray-explains-how-ball-gags-leather-fetishes-and-weird-memes-inspired-her-new-album/ |access-date=2021-12-07}}</ref><ref name="woo">{{Cite news |last=Woo |first=Kin |date=2018-04-04 |title=The Husband-Wife Team Designing Clothes Inspired by David Lynch |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/t-magazine/fashion/kwaidan-editions-clothing.html |access-date=2021-12-07 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The first AtomAge clothing catalogue was published in 1965 and it expanded into a magazine in 1972.<ref name="bbc">{{Cite news |last=George |first=Cassidy |date=2020-01-08 |title=From fetish to fashion: The rise of latex |language=en |url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200108-from-fetish-to-fashion-the-rise-of-latex |access-date=2021-12-07}}</ref> The magazine ended in 1980.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/sep/11/john-sutcliffe-fetish-wear|title=King of kinky|first=Will|last=Hodgkinson|date=September 10, 2010|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> |
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AtomAge attracted a certain amount of attention when the police decided to prosecute the publisher, Sutcliffe, in the mid-1980s, for obscenity. Despite protest from both fetishists and defenders of civil liberties alike, Sutcliffe pleaded guilty. His stock and photos were seized and destroyed and the publications temporarily closed. The shame may well have contributed to his death. |
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Sutcliffe's work helped inspire [[Sex (boutique)|Sex]], a [[boutique]] run by [[Vivienne Westwood]] and her then-partner [[Malcolm McLaren]] at 430 [[King's Road, London]] between 1974 and 1976, which specialized in clothing that defined the look of the [[Punk fashion|punk movement]].<ref name=PM>{{cite web|work=[[PopMatters]]|title=Fashionably Anti-Establishment: 'Punk: From Chaos to Couture'|author=J.C. Maçek III|date=6 June 2013|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/171894-punk-from-chaos-to-couture-by-andrew-bolton-et.-al/}}</ref> <ref name="auto2"/> |
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Sutcliffe's legacy is the booming fetish clothing industry in Britain, Germany, the USA and many other parts of the world, the wide range of fetish events, such as the yearly Rubber Ball in the UK, and the large numbers of people who enjoy dressing up in exciting ways without fear of prosecution. |
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In 1982 Sutcliffe published a novel by Jim Dickson called ''The Story Of Gerda'', about [[Bondage (BDSM)|bondage]] and fetishism.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/> A copy of it was sent to the police, and to keep from being prosecuted Sutcliffe agreed to have all stock and AtomAge magazine plates destroyed.<ref name="auto1"/> |
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In his final years, Sutcliffe shared a workshop in West London. |
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He created a sewing needle for [[Polyvinyl chloride|vinyl]] that improved the ability to stitch and work that material, and a method for attaching a [[muslin]]-type fabric to [[latex]], which after that could be securely sewn.<ref name="auto1"/> He also created a sewing machine specifically for leather and asked [[Singer Corporation|Singer]] to manufacture it, but as remembered by his friend Robert Henley, "Singer were so horrified, they called the police."<ref name="auto2"/> |
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2010 saw the publication of the first ever book about Sutcliffe and AtomAge - Dressing For Pleasure, a history of AtomAge is published by Fuel and edited by [[Jonny Trunk]]. |
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==Legacy== |
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In 2023 he was inducted into the Leather Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theleatherjournal.com/news/la-leather-getaway-by-claw-third-edition|title=LA Leather Getaway by CLAW - Third edition - The Leather Journal|first=Dave|last=Rhodes|website=www.theleatherjournal.com}}</ref> |
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==Further reading== |
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''Dressing for Pleasure in Rubber, Vinyl and Leather: The Best of Atomage 1972-1980''. [[Jonny Trunk]] (author). Damon Murray, [[Jonny Trunk]], and Stephen Sorrell (editors). United Kingdom: FUEL, 2010. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.atomage.co.uk Atomage Magazine Appreciation Site] (A private, non-commercial site featuring the history and work of John Sutcliffe and his Atomage fetish clothing business) |
* [http://www.atomage.co.uk Atomage Magazine Appreciation Site] (A private, non-commercial site featuring the history and work of John Sutcliffe and his Atomage fetish clothing business) |
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* [http://www.evolver.at/trashmuseum/mix_a.html EVOLVER article on John Sutcliffe] (in German) |
* [http://www.evolver.at/trashmuseum/mix_a.html EVOLVER article on John Sutcliffe] (in German) |
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{{Authority control |
{{Authority control}} |
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{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> |
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| NAME = Sutcliffe, John |
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| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British fashion designer |
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| DATE OF BIRTH = |
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| PLACE OF BIRTH = |
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| DATE OF DEATH = 1987 |
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| PLACE OF DEATH = |
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}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sutcliffe, John}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sutcliffe, John}} |
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[[Category:1987 deaths]] |
[[Category:1987 deaths]] |
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[[Category:British fashion designers]] |
[[Category:British fashion designers]] |
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[[Category:Sexual fetishism]] |
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[[Category:Fetish clothing manufacturers]] |
[[Category:Fetish clothing manufacturers]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Leather subculture]] |
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{{UK-bio-stub}} |
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{{fashion-bio-stub}} |
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Latest revision as of 19:25, 27 November 2024
John Sutcliffe (died 1987) was a British fetish clothing designer and publisher of the fetish magazine AtomAge.[1]
In the 1950s he was divorced because his feelings about leather had led to him being diagnosed as mentally ill and treatment failed to change him.[2][3]
He began his AtomAge fetish clothing business in 1957, registering it as a “manufacturer of weatherproofs for lady pillion riders”.[4][2]
He was an influence on the leather catsuits worn by Emma Peel in The Avengers, and created the leather catsuit worn by Marianne Faithfull in the 1968 film The Girl on a Motorcycle.[3]
Sutcliffe published AtomAge magazine, a fetish magazine that was an offshoot of his fetish clothing business. The magazine has been called the "underground bible of leather, rubber and vinyl fetish wear throughout the 1970s"[5][6] and documented Britain's S/M scene.[7][8] The first AtomAge clothing catalogue was published in 1965 and it expanded into a magazine in 1972.[9] The magazine ended in 1980.[10]
Sutcliffe's work helped inspire Sex, a boutique run by Vivienne Westwood and her then-partner Malcolm McLaren at 430 King's Road, London between 1974 and 1976, which specialized in clothing that defined the look of the punk movement.[11] [1]
In 1982 Sutcliffe published a novel by Jim Dickson called The Story Of Gerda, about bondage and fetishism.[10][2] A copy of it was sent to the police, and to keep from being prosecuted Sutcliffe agreed to have all stock and AtomAge magazine plates destroyed.[2]
He created a sewing needle for vinyl that improved the ability to stitch and work that material, and a method for attaching a muslin-type fabric to latex, which after that could be securely sewn.[2] He also created a sewing machine specifically for leather and asked Singer to manufacture it, but as remembered by his friend Robert Henley, "Singer were so horrified, they called the police."[1]
Legacy
[edit]In 2023 he was inducted into the Leather Hall of Fame.[12]
Further reading
[edit]Dressing for Pleasure in Rubber, Vinyl and Leather: The Best of Atomage 1972-1980. Jonny Trunk (author). Damon Murray, Jonny Trunk, and Stephen Sorrell (editors). United Kingdom: FUEL, 2010.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Hodgkinson, Will (10 September 2010). "King of kinky". The Guardian.
- ^ a b c d e "John Sutcliffe: rubber Johnny". Dazed. 20 September 2014.
- ^ a b "King of kinky". TheGuardian.com. 10 September 2010.
- ^ "Of Human Bondage". W Magazine. 1 October 2010.
- ^ Trunk, Jonny (2010). Dressing for Pleasure in Rubber, Vinyl & Leather: The Best of AtomAge, 1972-1980. FUEL. ISBN 978-0-9563562-3-9.
- ^ Phelps, Nicole (3 March 2021). "Kwaidan Editions Fall 2021 Ready-to-Wear Collection". Vogue. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ Moreland, Quinn (15 December 2017). "Fever Ray Explains How Ball Gags, Leather Fetishes, and Weird Memes Inspired Her New Album". Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ Woo, Kin (4 April 2018). "The Husband-Wife Team Designing Clothes Inspired by David Lynch". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ George, Cassidy (8 January 2020). "From fetish to fashion: The rise of latex". Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ a b Hodgkinson, Will (10 September 2010). "King of kinky". The Guardian.
- ^ J.C. Maçek III (6 June 2013). "Fashionably Anti-Establishment: 'Punk: From Chaos to Couture'". PopMatters.
- ^ Rhodes, Dave. "LA Leather Getaway by CLAW - Third edition - The Leather Journal". www.theleatherjournal.com.
External links
[edit]- Atomage Magazine Appreciation Site (A private, non-commercial site featuring the history and work of John Sutcliffe and his Atomage fetish clothing business)
- Dressing For Pleasure, the book of Atomage imagery, history and readers letters
- EVOLVER article on John Sutcliffe (in German)
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