Bootblacks take care of the boots , and garments such as leather jackets , vests , chaps , harnesses , as well as other gear of Leatherpeople and the BDSM community. With the establishment of local, regional and international bootblack contests in the s and early s, bootblacks have gained visibility as a subculture in their own right.
Bootblacks are not only preserving the physical items many of which have been gifted, earned or inherited but are also collecting the stories of their wearers.
While the trade of shoe shining has been around at least since the age of the Industrial Revolution , the origins of bootblacking within the leather community remain unclear. Possible points of reference are military traditions of polishing boots , [ 5 ] as well as shoeshine stands in public spaces, which could be found in many cities in Europe and the US before World War II.
The first documented case of shoe shining in a fetish context can be found in the diaries of Hannah Cullwick — I have cleaned 83 pairs of boots. Bootblack stands as well as bootblacks operating in leather bars have been documented in the US since the s. Bootblacks got more traction as an identity and a subculture in their own right in the s, when Harry Shattuck founded the first International Bootblack competition at IML in In Europe, the first regional bootblack competition, called European Bootblack, was held in Antwerp , Belgium in A more recent development since the mids is the emergence of events centering bootblacks themselves and the sharing of skills.
While bootblacking is an activity that can be done privately at home, many bootblacks enjoy working the stand in leather bars or at events, conferences, socials and contests. A booth usually consists of one or more elevated seats for customers to sit comfortably while the bootblacks clean, buff and polish their shoes, similar to professional shoeshine stands. Depending on the setting and the people involved, the experience can range from a pampering and a friendly chat, comparable to a visit to the hairdresser, to sensual or erotic play e.
