Charles Guyette

Charles Guyette (August 14, 1902 – June, 1976)[1] was a pioneer of fetish style,[2] the first person in the United States to produce and distribute fetish art,[3] and regarded as the mail-order predecessor of Irving Klaw.[4] Later known as the "G-String King,"[5] he is best remembered for his fetish photographs, some of which featured sadomasochistic content.[6]

Biography and legacy

Guyette worked as an innovative burlesque costumer and dealer in theatrical accessories,[7][8] providing vintage corsets,[9] opera gloves, custom-made fetish boots,[10] and, most famously, G-strings.[11] Employed by National Police Gazette editor, Edythe Farrell, he later provided costumes, high heel shoes and boots, and occasionally photographs for publisher Robert Harrison,[12][9] known for pin-up magazines such as Wink, Titter, Beauty Parade, Whisper, and Eyeful. He was also important in early fetish community social circles of the day[13] and in the careers of John Willie and Irving Klaw.[14] Guyette was a fetish fashion pioneer.

Guyette was also influenced by earlier fetish designs including those of Yva Richard.[15]

In 1935, Guyette went to federal prison, becoming the first martyr of fetish art history.[16] Later, he operated under a series of aliases and owned a costume shop on West 45th Street in New York City.[17] Largely uncredited in his lifetime, Guyette influenced key fetish art innovators, including Irving Klaw, John Willie, Eric Stanton, and Leonard Burtman.[18]

The subject of a book tribute, Charles Guyette: Godfather of American Fetish Art,[18] he is also featured in the independent biopic on Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston. The film Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, written and directed by Angela Robinson,[19][20] features Guyette as the costumer for Wonder Woman's real-life inspiration, Olive Byrne.[20] Guyette is played by actor JJ Feild.[21] In 2025 Guyette was inducted into the Leather Hall of Fame.[22][23]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Social Security Death Index Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  2. ↑ Robert V. Bienvenu II, The Development of Sadomasochism as a Cultural Style in the Twentieth-Century United States (PhD dissertation) Indiana: Indiana University, 1998. p.72.
  3. ↑ Richard Pérez Seves, Charles Guyette: Godfather of American Fetish Art New York: FetHistory, 2017. p. 119.
  4. ↑ J.B. Rund, The Adventures of Sweet Gwendoline (Second Edition, Revised & Enlarged) New York: Bélier Press, 1999. p. 92.
  5. ↑ Rachel Shteir, Striptease: The Untold History of the Girlie Show Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, p. 201
  6. ↑ Richard Pérez Seves, Charles Guyette: Godfather of American Fetish Art New York: FetHistory, 2017. pp. 119 - 120.
  7. ↑ Pérez Seves, Eric Stanton & the History of the Bizarre Underground, pp. 33.
  8. ↑ Austin Sunday American Statesman Newspaper Archives, Oct 10 1948. Retrieved 10 October 2017
  9. 1 2 "Charles Guyette in Robert Harrison Magazines: Wink, Flirt, Eyeful, Beauty Parade, Whisper, Titter.... Corsets, Stockings, Ultra-High Heel Shoes and Boots!.." fethistory.blogspot.com Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  10. ↑ "Charles Guyette, The G-string King, Vintage Boot Parade!" fethistory.blogspot.com Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  11. ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Aug. 3, 1944. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  12. ↑ "Edythe Farrell on Charles Guyette’s Lady Wrestling Amazon, plus Bettie Page’s Corset!" fethistory.blogspot.com Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  13. ↑ Robert V. Bienvenu II, The Development of Sadomasochism as a Cultural Style in the Twentieth-Century United States (PhD dissertation) Indiana: Indiana University, 1998. p.78.
  14. ↑ Richard Pérez Seves, Charles Guyette: Godfather of American Fetish Art New York: FetHistory, 2017. pp. 134 - 137.
  15. ↑ "Meet the Richards: The Parisian Couple who Commercialised Fetishism". Messy Nessy Chic. July 12, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  16. ↑ ""Held As Exporter Of Obscenity"" Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  17. ↑ The Brownsville Herald from Brownsville, Texas on June 16, 1950 Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  18. 1 2 "Charles Guyette: fetish pioneer who influenced Klaw, Willie & Burtman" The Fetishistas. 10 October 2017.
  19. ↑ "Professor Marston & the Wonder Women" Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  20. 1 2 "‘Professor Marston & the Wonder Women’: Film Review" Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  21. ↑ Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  22. ↑ "Inductees - Leather Hall of Fame". leatherhalloffame.com.
  23. ↑ Rhodes, Dave. "Dave Rhodes' Hump Day, January 27, 2026 - The Leather Journal". www.theleatherjournal.com.

Further reading

  • Charles Guyette: Godfather of American Fetish Art [*Cream Paper Edition*] by Richard Pérez Seves. New York: FetHistory, 2019. ISBN 978-1077679689
  • Charles Guyette’s High Heeled Shoes: Photographs circa 1940 by George Monk. Amazon Digital Services (Kindle), 2014. ASIN B00J0HAMNO
  • JOHN WILLIE: The Story of John Alexander Scott Coutts by Richard Pérez Seves. New York: FetHistory, 2024. ASIN B0DLKJFLY8
  • Eric Stanton & the History of the Bizarre Underground by Richard Pérez Seves. Atglen: Schiffer Publishing, 2018. ISBN 978-0764355424
  • Possibilities: The Photographs of John Willie edited by J.B. Rund. New York: Bélier Press, 2016. ISBN 978-0914646495
  • The Adventures of Sweet Gwendoline edited by J.B. Rund.(Second Edition, Revised & Enlarged) New York: Bélier Press, 1999. ISBN 0-914646-48-6
  • The Development of Sadomasochism as a Cultural Style in the Twentieth-Century United States (PhD dissertation) by Robert V. Bienvenu II. Indiana: Indiana University, 1998.
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