RoB
RoB is a company specialising in leather clothing and accessories, specifically catering to gay men with a leather fetish. Its flagship store is located in Amsterdam, within the red light district. A second branch is located in the Schöneberg district of Berlin. Both neighbourhoods are known for their diverse gay nightlife venues and their local leather communities.
Founding
Rob Meijer (1933–1991) is the founder of RoB. As early as the 1970s, he began making and selling leather pants. These pants produced by Meijer became so popular that he opened a shop on the Rozengracht in Amsterdam. Since then, the business has relocated several times within Amsterdam.[1][2][3]
- 1975 - Rozengracht 234
- 1978 - Weteringschans 273
- 1988 - Weteringschans 253
- 2008 - Warmoesstraat 71
Following Meijer's death in 1991, the company was acquired by entrepreneur Martijn Bakker, who several years later also became the owner of the American gay leather magazine Drummer, which he bought from Tony DeBlase.
Gay liberation
During the 1970s and 1980s, Meijer, through his leather shop RoB Amsterdam and the affiliated RoB Gallery, played a role in advancing gay rights in the Netherlands.[1] The gallery hosted exhibitions by visual artists specializing in homoerotic art. In 1978, the Finnish illustrator Tom of Finland held his second European exhibition at the RoB Gallery.[4]
Between 1978 and 1996, the RoB Gallery for Male Erotic Art hosted exhibitions by Dutch and international artists working in the field of erotic art. According to the gallery's exhibition history, exhibiting artists included Tom of Finland, Nigel Kent (James D.), Bastille (Frank Webber), Bill Ward, and Pascal Bibollet.[5][6]
To mark WorldPride Amsterdam 2026, the Tom of Finland Foundation and RoB Gallery are presenting the exhibition Icons of Desire. The exhibition highlights the historical significance of RoB Gallery in the presentation of male erotic art in the Netherlands and brings together works by Tom of Finland, archival materials, and works by artists previously associated with the gallery.[7][8]
In recognition of his contributions to the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights in the Netherlands and internationally, Meijer will be honoured in the Walk of Pride, a monument commemorating individuals who have made significant contributions to the emancipation of LGBTQ+ communities.[9]
Store locations
RoB-locations in Europe and North-America
The Amsterdam location has historically been the company's flagship store. Beginning in the 1990s, RoB also operated branches in London, Manchester, San Francisco, Paris, and New York City. These locations have since ceased operations, and as of 2024 the company maintains only its Amsterdam and Berlin branches.
References
- ↑ A Hell Of A Run: Leather Publishing And San Francisco from leatherpage.com, archived at archive.org
- ↑ Jack Fritscher - Profiles in Gay Courage : Leatherfolk, arts, and ideas : Essays and Interviews; Interview 21 juni 1989 : Rob of Amsterdam (1940-1991) - Leather Fashion Designer : The Man Who Made the Clothes That Make the Man jackfritscher.com PDF-file; Retrieved 20 June 2026.
- ↑ GayCities - RoB Amsterdam amsterdam.gaycities.com; Retrieved 20 June 2026
- ↑ "Exhibition History : Tom of Finland Foundation". www.tomoffinland.org. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ↑ "RoB Gallery | Exhibition History". RoB Gallery. 2026-06-20. Retrieved 20 June 2026. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Nigel Kent - Biography". 2026-06-20. Retrieved 20 June 2026. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "World Pride 2026 | Exhibition | Icons of Desire". WorldPride Amsterdam 2026. 2 June 2026. Retrieved 20 June 2026. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Tom of Finland Foundation Events Calendar - Icons of Desire". 2026-05-01. Retrieved 2026-06-20.
- ↑ "Walk of Pride - Heroes Rob Meijer". 2026-06-20. Retrieved 20 June 2026. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
External links
- Homepage of RoB Amsterdam
- Homepage of RoB Gallery
- Leerfetisjwinkel RoB Amsterdam is al vijftig jaar een begrip: ‘Met een leren broek kon je als ‘oude’ homo weer tien jaar mee’
Category:Sexual fetishism Category:Homosexuality Category:Companies of the Netherlands
This article "RoB" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:RoB. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
