Gay Icons Who Hunt for Antique Maps as Passions

Exploring the intersection of LGBTQ+ history and map collecting reveals how prominent individuals have sought to define their identities and understand their connection to the world. For many, collecting old maps isn’t just a pastime—it’s a deep intellectual interest that links them to the past and the spirit of discovery. Whether found in the extensive libraries of fashion icons or carried in the travel bags of famous authors, these historical maps represent humanity’s enduring curiosity. This collection highlights notable figures who have shown a love for maps and the preservation of geographical knowledge.

Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry, the popular British actor and writer, is famous for his love of books and owns an incredibly large personal library – one that could compete with many public libraries. He particularly enjoys the feel and smell of old books and maps, and his collection of antique atlases and maps reflects his fascination with history and geography. He’s interested in how our understanding of the world has changed over time, and he values both the correct details and the mistakes on old maps, seeing them as glimpses into how people once viewed the world.

Karl Lagerfeld

The renowned fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld was a passionate book collector, gathering over 300,000 volumes throughout his life. He carefully curated a large number of rare art books and historical maps, which directly influenced his fashion designs. He considered his collection a vital resource for research, frequently searching for visual inspiration in antique travel books and maps, particularly those showcasing specific eras and traditional clothing. His love of art and culture meant he also prized maps for their beautiful illustrations and lettering.

Bruce Chatwin

Bruce Chatwin was a famous author and traveler who lived a wandering life. He was particularly interested in old maps and the idea of ancestral journeys. His writing frequently explored themes of travel and the objects that help guide people, with antique maps holding a special significance for him. Chatwin loved uncovering the stories behind these maps, especially the empty spaces on old colonial charts that symbolized the mysteries of unexplored lands. He saw maps not just as tools for navigation, but as connections between the real world and the power of human imagination.

Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent, the famous French fashion designer, was also a passionate art collector. Along with his partner, Pierre Bergé, he built an impressive collection that included a strong focus on art depicting the Middle East and North Africa, including maps of the region. Saint Laurent sought out pieces that fueled his creativity, especially those inspired by the colors and scenery of Marrakech, where he owned the beautiful Majorelle Garden. The collection as a whole showcased his love of travel and the visual styles of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Nate Berkus

Nate Berkus, a well-known interior designer, is famous for incorporating antique finds into his work and life. He often uses vintage maps and globes to bring a sense of history and global style to the rooms he creates. He appreciates the natural aging and wear on old maps, seeing them as evidence of the map’s history and use. Berkus loves the way maps can decorate a space, serving as both a beautiful centerpiece and a conversation starter.

Martyn Lawrence Bullard

Martyn Lawrence Bullard, a celebrated interior designer, creates unique and worldly spaces, often featuring antique finds from his travels. He’s a frequent visitor to flea markets and auctions, always searching for impressive vintage maps and architectural prints. He loves the striking look of old black-and-white illustrations and the warm, aged colors of historical maps, using them to add a dramatic touch to the homes of his famous clients. What he truly enjoys is the thrill of the hunt – discovering a hidden gem like a beautiful, centuries-old depiction of a city.

Gianni Versace

Gianni Versace, the celebrated fashion designer, was famous for his lavish style and deep interest in the ancient history of the Mediterranean world. His homes were filled with art and antiques inspired by the great civilizations of ancient Rome and Greece. He constantly looked to the past for ideas, collecting images and symbols that told the story of Italy’s rich history. Versace favored bold, dramatic designs and found echoes of powerful empires and legendary stories in old maps, which ultimately influenced his fashion creations.

Rupert Everett

Rupert Everett, the British actor and writer, has increasingly focused on travel in recent years, sharing his experiences through books and films. He’s fascinated by history, especially the Victorian period, and meticulously researches locations to capture a sense of the past. He often uses the unique character of cities like Paris and London to inspire his stories. This dedication to capturing a place’s essence mirrors a collector’s appreciation for the maps that represent it.

Susan Sontag

Susan Sontag was a brilliant thinker and a celebrated LGBTQ+ icon, famous for her endless curiosity and enormous book collection. She saw collecting books and images as a way of experiencing the world, with interests ranging from art and history to maps. Sontag actively sought knowledge in all forms, and her love of photography, prints, and maps stemmed from a desire to gather different viewpoints, which she then used to inspire her insightful writing.

Andy Warhol

As a huge fan, I always found it fascinating that Andy Warhol wasn’t just about creating art, he was a dedicated collector too! His townhouse was packed with everything – antiques, quirky cookie jars, and amazing art pieces. He collected all sorts of things, seemingly without limits, but with a really good eye. He even created these ‘time capsules’ filled with everyday items like travel brochures and maps. He was really interested in capturing American culture, finding beauty in the ordinary and even turning things like mass-produced maps into art. It felt like he was driven by a need to preserve things, to have a tangible record of his life and the world around him during his time.

Tom Ford

Tom Ford, the celebrated fashion designer and filmmaker, is famous for his meticulous attention to detail and appreciation for clean, structured design. He owns homes worldwide, each filled with thoughtfully chosen art and objects that showcase his refined taste. He’s an avid collector of design books and vintage prints, particularly those featuring strong lines and architectural or urban themes, like blueprints and city maps. Ford sees maps as a way to impose order and understand the cities that fuel his creativity.

Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres, the popular comedian and talk show host, is known for constantly buying and renovating properties in Hollywood. She loves interior design and often searches for unique vintage pieces like antique furniture and art to decorate her many homes. Her style blends cozy, rustic touches with industrial elements, and she often incorporates old school maps and globes. She believes these aged maps add warmth and personality to any room, especially more modern spaces.

Paul Bowles

As a huge movie and book fan, I’ve always been fascinated by Paul Bowles, the guy who wrote ‘The Sheltering Sky.’ He basically made his life in Tangier, and he was completely captivated by North Africa, especially the Sahara. He wasn’t just writing about the desert; he was in it, taking these really challenging trips to experience the landscape firsthand. He’d use local guides and old French maps to find his way, really trying to capture the truth of the place in his stories. For him, the desert wasn’t just a setting, it was almost a spiritual thing, and that map was his only connection to the world he’d chosen to leave behind.

Christopher Isherwood

Christopher Isherwood, a British and American author, is famous for his novels inspired by his own life and set in Berlin as the Nazis were gaining power. He spent much of his life traveling between England, Germany, and eventually California, always searching for a genuine sense of place. His journals show he paid close attention to the details of cities and how different areas connect. This love of exploring and documenting his journeys led him to gather the stories and settings that became central to a generation of LGBTQ+ writers.

W.H. Auden

W.H. Auden, a significant English poet, was a close companion of Isherwood and joined him on trips to places like Iceland and China. Auden had a scientifically inclined mind with a particular interest in geology and mining, which fueled his love of maps. He sought out landscapes that mirrored his feelings and frequently used map-like imagery in his poems to explore what it means to be human. His fascination with the earth’s structure meant maps were a constant source of inspiration and thought.

Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams, the author of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’ was a constantly moving person who divided his time between New Orleans, Key West, and Rome. He was drawn to the romantic feel of these cities and how their surroundings affected people’s lives. He was always searching for a place to find peace and often used travel books and maps to discover it. For Williams, the location of his plays was incredibly important – he considered each setting to be like another character in the story.

Cole Porter

I was always fascinated by Cole Porter. He truly lived the high life, splitting his time between Paris, Venice, and New York. He wasn’t just traveling, though – he was embarking on incredible, carefully planned journeys around the globe, often by sea. He wasn’t just seeking destinations; he was chasing that special feeling you get when you discover something new and different. He collected everything from travel posters to luggage tags and maps, things that really captured the spirit of his adventures. For him, travel wasn’t just a hobby, it was a way of life, and those maps were his key to unlocking the world.

James Baldwin

James Baldwin, a celebrated writer and thinker, lived for extended times in both Paris and Istanbul to avoid the racism he experienced in America. He closely observed the world around him, and the cities he lived in deeply influenced his understanding of society. He sought a place where he could write without restriction, exploring these new capitals with a student’s inquisitive spirit. Baldwin believed that understanding a place was crucial to uncovering the truth, and his writing revealed the social structures of the world as he saw them.

Michel Foucault

Michel Foucault, a French philosopher and historian, was fascinated by how power connects to physical locations. He carefully examined the layouts of places like prisons, hospitals, and asylums – studying their floor plans and maps – to understand how spaces could be used to control people and shape society. He called these unique spaces ‘heterotopias,’ and maps were essential to his analysis of modern life.

Let us know which of these collections caught your eye, or feel free to share your own experiences finding maps in the comments below.

2025-12-15 20:46