In New York Metropolis, Susanne Bartsch is nightlife royalty: a maverick fashion icon beloved for bringing folks collectively at her legendary events. On the top of her transformational powers, Bartsch can appear nearly otherworldly, with an outsized presence coupled together with her outlandish trend sense. However on the opening Transformation!, her wild new exhibition at Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich, Switzerland, Bartsch, who was born within the nation, feels all the way down to earth regardless of her metallic blue ensemble and one-of-a-kind wig.

“Earlier than I say anything, has anybody bought any bathroom paper as a result of I will cry,” Bartsch mentioned to a crowd of admirers on June 19 after they bought a primary peek at her beautiful profession retrospective, showcasing over 35 of her most iconic seems. Rising visibly emotional, Bartsch took within the viewers and smiled by her tears. “I am very moved,” she continued. “It is actually humorous to see my work being intellectualized. It is type of unbelievable.”

Because the museum describes, Transformation! “takes the viewers on a membership night time and exhibits how transformative the work on outfit, look, and house might be.” Its opening, which was adopted by an unique after social gathering on the Klaus Club in Zurich’s in style Langstrasse nightlife district, occurred to coincide with the kickoff to Zurich Pride Festival 2025, a multi-day LGBTQ+ occasion that draws hundreds to the Swiss metropolis yearly. The festivities concluded on Saturday, June 21 with a parade by the middle of Zurich and a free outside music competition that featured in style Eurovision acts, like Spain’s Melody and Maltese star Miriana Conte.

In an unique interview with PEOPLE, performed whereas Bartsch was placing the ending touches to her present, the occasion producer and artist opens up about what the exhibition means to her, her ideas on how N.Y.C. nightlife has developed over the many years, her significant friendship with RuPaul and a lot extra.

PEOPLE: What has this expertise been like, going by your archives for this exhibit? Is it emotional revisiting your legacy?

SUSANNE BARTSCH: I imply, the toughest factor was what not to incorporate as a result of there’s so many seems. It is like, “What do I embrace? What do I not embrace?” It is not a lot while you get the seems collectively to determine to place within the exhibition, it is while you really see them on the model. That is emotional since you all of the sudden see this factor that was hanging within the closet, or that was in a field someplace, or beneath my Chinese language mattress. All the sudden, it feels such as you keep in mind all the things that occurred inside this outfit. It turns into alive.

Is it particularly significant to have this exhibit launch in your house nation? Has returning to your roots given you a unique perspective on all you’ve got achieved?

Yeah, it actually has. It is like coming house, somewhat. I have been doing this all my life. I left Switzerland to seek out myself, and it is nothing to do with Switzerland — I might’ve left house wherever I lived as a result of I knew there was extra to life than what I knew, and I needed to expertise totally different cultures and be taught and develop. So having left to grow to be me, it is an incredible present to come back again and be celebrated of why I left, in a manner.

I’ve grow to be what I’m by leaving and experiencing and studying and discovering my creativity and who I’m, what I wish to do, and coming again right here. Being rewarded, in a manner, for having left, it is actually shifting. It is a very lovely, particular factor to me.

Would you describe this present as a retrospective of your profession or a present encapsulation of the place you right this moment in your inventive journey?

It is a look forwards. It is very a lot about proper now, that is what I am doing. It is not type of like, “Oh, I wore this 10, 20 years in the past.” It is very within the second. A few of my outfits are from the eighties, however loads of them are additionally from proper now. So it isn’t a lot, “Oh, that is… Okay, right here we’re. The grand finale.” If something, “Extra to come back.” For certain.

You had been radiant as a visitor decide on the present season of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars. Did you could have enjoyable?

Yeah, it was nice. I actually loved. The queens had been so fabulous. It was actually enjoyable and so glamorous. They made me look so good. I am like, “Oh!” And other people come as much as me, say, “Oh my God, you regarded so good on the Drag Race, like, lighting and all the things.” RuPaul is a really pricey good friend to me, and that complete household that he created. He must be the subsequent President of the USA. RuPaul. That appears so a lot better. 

With you as Vice President?

Oh, please, sure, I am making use of. I am making use of. And you may be the Secretary of State. Oh my gosh.

When Susanne Bartsch packs for a visit to Zurich, what number of items of bags does she carry? I assume you could have objects shipped.

We needed to ship. Most of it was shipped, however I actually had two baggage solely. We had six baggage complete. However for my very own stuff, it was solely two baggage. I imply, what’s actually humorous? I do not actually do ballgowns that a lot. It is extra corsets — I like corsets, I like being cinched — so the garments are by no means that massive. If something, they is perhaps fragile. I’ve a bronze search for this opening, and it is fairly fragile, so it’s a must to pack a sure manner. That takes up house. However the factor that basically takes up house? It is the sneakers. The sneakers and the hair, humorous sufficient. That is extra dramatic to journey with than the precise drag, the precise look.

What’s your tackle the present nightlife scene in New York and the way it’s developed because you got here onto the scene?  

I feel it was clearly modified enormously as a result of there may be social media. Individuals stay their life on social media, on “the sq..” RuPaul calls it “the sq..” The cellphone, the TV, the pc. So you do not have to exit anymore. We used to need to exit to satisfy any individual. Now you are able to do all the things on the sq., you will get meals, you possibly can store, you do not have to go anyplace. And it is positively type of affecting nightlife somewhat bit.

Overlook nightlife, it is really New York. The eating places now shut at like 10 o’clock. You go to a restaurant at 9:30, “Sorry, we’re closed.” I discover that tremendous. In Chelsea — I stay in Chelsea — nothing’s open after 10 o’clock, that I do know of. So, I feel, in addition to nightlife, it is simply New York all collectively. It is very… I do not know, I do not suppose it is the town of 24 hours anymore.

We’re type of dropping connections, as a result of we do not have locations to congregate. The nightclub is a dance flooring expertise. Nothing is best than a dance flooring expertise as a result of it actually places you into the second. That’s one place that folks nonetheless put the cellphone down, and so they’re collectively within the groove. They transfer to the music, other ways of shifting, however they’re all shifting to the identical beat. And to me, that is nearly like a non secular expertise. It is very particular. The dance flooring is absolutely the mecca for me now as a result of that is the place creativity, trend, and music all comes collectively on the identical time. Transferring to the identical beat.

What’s your secret to remaining an innovator in your discipline? 

To be sincere, I get impressed. For me, I like what I do. I like seeing folks collectively and having enjoyable, flirting with one another. I really feel like I am doing one thing good. Giving love, giving a platform for folks to really feel secure, giving folks the chance to be no matter they wish to be. And that is type of what I am about. When I’ve an occasion, it is an actual excessive for me. So, I assume I am an addict. I would like the excessive, so I preserve going. I will not drop that ball.