They really have a great story;
Nasty Pig is an apparel brand for men with roots in the kink and leather communities. It was founded in 1994 by Frederick Kearney and David Lauterstein. Nasty Pig is known for “providing edgy clothing for the masculine, sexually self-assured male consumer.” Its slogan is “Fun clothing that gets you laid”.
Origins
Kearney and Lauterstein met at $1 Margarita Night at the Break on 8th Avenue in Chelsea, New York. They fell in love and became business partners, creating Nasty Pig together.
Nasty Pig was born on the floor of the original Sound Factory on West 27th Street in New York. Its first product was “re:vision goggles” with refractive lenses, which were sold to club kids out of a knapsack. The profits were used to buy fabric, which then were used to make clothing for friends.
While at GMHC’s Morning Party on Fire Island, a notable fashion industry executive approached the couple to compliment them on their looks, which Kearney had designed. The pair began to make and sell clothes out of their apartment, and eventually moved into a 72 square foot store West 22nd Street. On Halloween 1994, Nasty Pig Incorporated was officially born.
The first store – called “re:vision” after the line of sportswear sold alongside Nasty Pig at the time – opened on December 24, 1994. It had no bathroom, no air conditioning and no counter. It was open three nights a week and Saturdays.
The original line of clothing included vinyl pants, rubber superhero tanks, Nasty Pig tee shirts, and the infamous rubber chaps. It was the first gay culture brand in history. Some remarked the concept was “business suicide.”
New Store and Early Success
As it quickly outgrew its first store, re:vision moved into a larger space in the back of a gift store on 8th Avenue in Chelsea. As the business continued to expand, Nasty Pig outgrew its retail space again and needed to find yet another new location. Lauterstein approached a nearby toy store’s manager to ask if they might possibly be moving soon. As luck had it, they were. A few month’s later Nasty Pig’s retail headquarters “re:vision” opened at 265A West 19th Street.
Having moved retail operation to a larger space, production was transitioned to the back of our store. The gear was made in plain sight in view of the customer.
In 1997, the pair perfected the formula for machine washable Nasty Pig Rubber and turned this material into a full line of innovative fetish gear that fused old school classic archetypes from the art of Tom Of Finland with new school style influences taken from motocross suits and comic book heroes and villains. Looks were starting to be seen at underground leather bars and downtown clubs alike.
Having become the brand of choice for the young new school fetish scene emerging in NYC, Nasty Pig decided to bring our its line to International Mr. Leather in Chicago. A small booth in the vendor mart was rented, and Nasty Pig sold out of all but four pieces of gear. Thierry Mugler – a renowned fashion designed – became a customer. The following year at IML, Nasty Pig rubber playsheets were introduced to a tremendous response.
