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''Exotique'' was a specialized
fetish magazine A fetish magazine is a type of magazine originating in the late 1940s which is devoted to sexual fetishism. The content is generally aimed at being erotic rather than pornographic. Fetish magazines are usually devoted to a specific fetish, such as ...
published by
Leonard Burtman Leonard or ''Leo'' is a common English masculine given name and a surname. The given name and surname originate from the Old High German '' Leonhard'' containing the prefix ''levon'' ("lion") from the Greek Λέων ("lion") through the Latin '' ...
under his Burmel Publishing Company imprint in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
between 1955 and 1959. The magazine's femdom theme, photos, and artwork mark it as a direct descendant of the first major fetish magazine ''Bizarre'' (1946–1959), produced by
John Willie John Alexander Scott Coutts (9 December 1902 – 5 August 1962), better known by the pseudonym John Willie, was an artist, fetish photographer, cartoonist, specialty shoe designer, and the publisher and editor of the first 20 issues of the feti ...
. ''Exotique'' was entirely devoted to
fetish fashion Fetish fashion is a range of styles of clothing and fashion accessories derived from the materials, garments and other items used in clothing fetish and other sexual fetish subcultures. They are intended to be extreme, revealing, skimpy or prov ...
s and female-dominant bondage fantasies. The 36 issues featured photos and illustrations of
dominatrix A dominatrix ( ; or dominatrices ), or domme, is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. The BDSM practice is called female dominance, or femdom. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily l ...
-inspired vamps (including wife
Tana Louise Tana Louise was a burlesque striptease artist, nicknamed the "Cincinnati Sinner", in the 1950s. However, she was more famous as a fetish model. She contributed regularly to the fetish magazine '' Exotique'', as both a columnist and model, and m ...
and iconic model
Bettie Page Bettie Mae Page (April 22, 1923 – December 11, 2008) was an American model who gained notoriety in the 1950s for her pin-up model, pin-up photos.corsets A corset /ˈkɔːrsɪt/ is a support garment worn to constrict the torso into the desired shape and posture. They are traditionally constructed out of fabric with boning made of whalebone or steel, a stiff panel in the front called a busk which ...
, stockings/garters, boots, and
high heels High-heeled shoes, also known as high heels (colloquially shortened to heels), are a type of shoe with an upward-angled sole. The heel in such shoes is raised above the ball of the foot. High heels cause the legs to appear longer, make the we ...
. The articles, many written by Burtman using an alias, covered various aspects of
sadomasochism Sadism () and masochism (), known collectively as sadomasochism ( ) or S&M, is the derivation of pleasure from acts of respectively inflicting or receiving pain or humiliation. The term is named after the Marquis de Sade, a French author known ...
and
transvestism Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothes traditionally or stereotypically associated with a different gender. From as early as pre-modern history, cross-dressing has been practiced in order to disguise, comfort, entertain, and express onesel ...
, with men depicted as slaves to imperious, all-powerful women. Fetish artists
Eric Stanton Eric Stanton (born Ernest Stanzoni Jr.; September 30, 1926 – March 17, 1999) was an American underground cartoonist and Sexual fetishism, fetish art pioneer. While Stanton began his career as a bondage fantasy artist for Irving Klaw, the major ...
and
Gene Bilbrew Eugene "Gene" Bilbrew (June 29, 1923 – May 1974) was an American vocal group singer, cartoonist, and "bizarre art" pioneer. As noted in the biography, ''GENE BILBREW REVEALED: The Unsung Legacy of a Fetish Art Pioneer'', he was "the first black ...
, also known by his
pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...
''ENEG'', were frequent contributors to this magazine and others produced by Burtman. ''Exotique'' had no nudity. Nevertheless, much like fellow publisher
Irving Klaw Irving Klaw (November 9, 1910 – September 3, 1966), self-named the "Pin-up King",Pérez Seves, ''Eric Stanton & the History of the Bizarre Underground'', p. 28. was an influential American merchant of sexploitation, fetish, and Hollywood glamo ...
(a major influence on Burton) in 1957, Burtman would be targeted as a pornographer. He was relentlessly pursued by the
U.S. Postal Inspection Service The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), or the Postal Inspectors, is the federal law enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service. It supports and protects the U.S. Postal Service, its employees, infrastructure, and custome ...
(acting as a censorship agency then) and local law enforcement (who functioned in coordination with Postal Inspectors and the Catholic Church). Eventually, he was arrested, his magazines and materials confiscated, and he was brought to trial. This led to the demise of the magazine in 1959. However, starting in 1960, Burtman (under the Selbee Associates imprint) went on to publish many more fetish magazines that were nearly identical to ''Exotique'' such as ''New Exotique'', ''Masque'', ''Connoisseur'', ''Bizarre Life'', ''High Heels'', ''Unique World'', ''Corporal'' (a pioneering spanking-fetish magazine), and others well into the 1970s.


See also

*
Charles Guyette Charles Guyette (August 14, 1902 – June, 1976) was a pioneer of fetish style, the first person in the United States to produce and distribute fetish art, and regarded as the mail-order predecessor of Irving Klaw. Later known as the "G-String ...
* Mara Gaye *
Fetish art Fetish art is art that depicts people in fetishistic situations such as S&M, domination/submission, bondage, transvestism and the like, sometimes in combination. It may simply depict a person dressed in fetish clothing, which could include un ...
*
Thigh-high boots Thigh-high boots, known also as thigh-length boots or simply thigh boots, are boots that extend above the knees to at least mid-thigh. Other terms for this footwear include '' over-the-knee boots'', a name originally used for 15th century riding ...


References


Further reading

*Kim Christy, ''The Complete Reprint of Exotique: The First 36 Issues, 1951-1957.''
Taschen Taschen is a luxury art book publisher founded in 1980 by Benedikt Taschen in Cologne, Germany. As of January 2017, Taschen is co-managed by Benedikt Taschen and his eldest daughter, Marlene Taschen. History The company began as Tasch ...
, 1998. .


External links


A Doctoral Dissertation on American Fetishist and Sadomasochist Subcultures
Pornographic magazines published in the United States Fetish magazines Defunct magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1955 Magazines disestablished in 1959 Magazines published in New York City 1955 establishments in New York City {{lifestyle-mag-stub