AT THE BATHS

Photography: DUSTI CUNNINGHAM | Photo Shoot Models: Danny Dolan, Rikki Crowley, Garrett Swann, Danny Axl, David Rest, Shawn Morales | Wardrobe Stylist: Michael St. Michael | Models are wearing Charlie By MZ www.charliebymz.com | Location: Roman Holiday Health Club II, Van Nuys www.romanholidayclubs.com

Records of men meeting men in bathhouses date back to the 15th century.

In 1975 “The Bathhouse Series” (styled by Polly Mellen and photographed by Deborah Turbeville) was one of Vogue’s most controversial photo shoots, featuring female models lounging in a steam room.

Models are wearing N2N Bodywear www.n2nbodywear.com

The photos, portraying a stark intimacy and detached sexuality, troubled some Vogue readers, many of whom canceled their subscription to the fashion magazine, in protest.

In the gay world—records of men meeting men in bathhouses date back to the 15th century. In the West, men have been frequenting bathhouses since at least the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

All models are wearing CA-RIO-CA swimwear (cariocawear.com) except second to left (sitting) who is wearing Geovanny (geovannyunderwear.com).

In the 1950s exclusively gay bathhouses began to open in the United States. Though subject to vice raids, these bathhouses were an oasis of homosexual camaraderie and were, as they remain today, places where it was safe to be gay, whether or not patrons themselves identified as homosexual.

Model on left and model lying down wearing Marco Marco (marcomarco.net), model standing on bench is wearing Andrew Christian (andrewchristian.com).

While the AIDS epidemic and later on apps like Grindr may have hampered attendance to a degree, men still use bathhouses as a convenient, safe place to meet other men.

In homage to the aforementioned Vogue photo shoot, THE FIGHT features this season’s hottest swimsuits and underwear on location at one of L.A. County’s most iconic bathhouses, Roman Holiday Health Club in Van Nuys.