The International Mr. Leather Final Showdown

The International Mr. Leather contest has been held annually in Chicago since 1979. In categories such as Leather Image, Physical Appearance, and Presentation Skills, judges select each year’s Mr. Leather as an emblem of the leather-loving community.

The forerunner of the competition was the 1970s Mr. Gold Coast contest held at Chicago's Gold Coast leather bar, owned by Chuck Renslow and his then-partner, Dom Orejudos. The Mr. Gold Coast contest became one of the bar's most popular promotions, causing the need to relocate the competition to a larger venue in 1979; it was subsequently renamed the International Mr. Leather contest. The International Mister Bootblack Competition was added to the IML program in 1993. Check out how far we've come with pictures from the most recent IML event on the next pages.

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