International Mr. Leather 2026

International Mr. Leather 2026 was the 48th IML and the 34th International Mr. Bootblack contest, held over Memorial Day weekend in Chicago with the Congress Plaza Hotel, 520 South Michigan Avenue, as the host property. The contest final was staged at the Riviera Theatre, 4746 N. Racine Avenue, on the evening of Sunday 24 May, closing a weekend that had run through speaker sessions, workshops, community meetings, socials and themed dance parties across the city.

Honey Davenport, Mr. Palm Springs Leather 2026, was named International Mr. Leather 2026, with Sgt. Alex, Mr. Cincinnati Leather 2025, as first runner-up and Denzel Belin, Mr. Twin Cities Leather 2026, as second. Atlas Rose of Chicago took the International Mr. Bootblack title. As at every edition, contestants arrived as titleholders from leather clubs, bars and communities around the world, competing across several rounds before the theatre final.

The Leather Market ran across multiple days as the weekend's other centre of gravity — the largest gathering of leather, rubber and fetish gear vendors anywhere, from custom leatherworkers and bootmakers to rubber houses, harness makers and independent makers who exhibit nowhere else. The 2026 edition also saw the inaugural IMLBB Art Showcase, presented with the Leather Archives & Museum, running 21 to 24 May.

This edition has already taken place and is listed here as a record. IML returns to Chicago every Memorial Day weekend.

Honey Davenport, Mr. Palm Springs Leather 2026, was named International Mr. Leather 2026. First runner-up was Sgt. Alex, Mr. Cincinnati Leather 2025; second runner-up was Denzel Belin, Mr. Twin Cities Leather 2026. Atlas Rose of Chicago took the International Mr. Bootblack title at the same contest.