AtomAge remains Sutcliffe's greatest achievement. It made extreme
fetish outfits look as threatening as a car boot sale in Cobham,
normalizing something previously seen as shameful...
The book revives a strangely innocent secret world, one that almost
gained wider exposure in 1977 when the documentary-maker John
Samson shot a profile of the fetish scene, with Sutcliffe looking
and sounding for all the world like a retired major, albeit one
wearing a vinyl catsuit and a chain around his neck.--Will
Hodgkinson "The Guardian Weekend"
Fuel Publishing, an arm of 20-year-old London-based graphic design
firm Fuel Design, has built a solid reputation for producing
distinctive books exploring themes related to art, design and
photography. This month's Dressing for Pleasure is a smart edit of
imagery from AtomAge, the cult fetishwear periodical founded in the
1970s, by clothing designer John Sutcliffe.
Enjoying a 32-issue lifespan, it explored the emerging fetish
scene, revelling in professional and amateur designs in leather,
rubber and vinyl. Now that fetishwear is a sophisticated industry,
and integrated into high-fashion design, this collection of AtomAge
photography is a fascinating documentation of its suburban
underground roots.--Emma Moore "Wallpaper*"
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