John Varvatos
John Varvatos ( born 1955 in Detroit ) is a Greek- American fashion designer who designs under his name predominantly men's apparel, accessories and perfume and markets. Became internationally known Varvatos, who worked 1984-1999 for Polo Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein as a designer, with his collections from the early 2000s. Seat of the John Varvatos Enterprises, Inc. is New York City. Since mid 2012, the company of a British private equity firm belongs.
Biography
Varvatos grew up in Allen Park, Michigan ( near Detroit ), the son of an immigrant family from Poulata on the Greek island of Kefalonia in modest circumstances. During high school, he wanted to " look cool ", by trying to be " always like a rock star to dress ." After school and during his studies he worked in the menswear retail. Varvatos has a college degree from Eastern Michigan University. Together with a friend he opened a shop in Grand Rapids, the successful fashion of the brand Polo Ralph Lauren sold, making the company Ralph Lauren became aware Varvatos. From 1983 he worked in various positions for Ralph Lauren, moved in 1990 to Calvin Klein, where he was women's fashion and finally chief designer, and returned to a high-level job at the American coat manufacturer London Fog 1995 Ralph Lauren back, where he others brought the Polo Jeans Co. collection on the market. In 1998, he took a management position at the American sportswear brand Nautica. With Nautica in 1999, he launched his own company.
In December 2005, Varvatos married his girlfriend Joyce Zylberberg. He has two grown children, Lindsey and John Jr., and Zylberberg a daughter, Thea (* 2008).
Varvatos brand
Varvatos founded in 1999 at the age of mid-40s with the American sportswear manufacturer Nautica financial support from the John Varvatos business as a separate company, which sells men's clothing and accessories according to his designs. Nautica had already in the early 1990s unsuccessfully offered to launch his own brand Varvatos. Mid-2000, Varvatos also received a seat on the board of directors of Nautica. The first was praised by journalists and retailers collection of high-priced main label John Varvatos Collection for men was finally introduced in June 2000 and shown for the spring / summer of 2001 in September 2000 at the New York Fashion Week. At the same time created Varvatos for their Nautica Nautica Jeans denim -based collection. The Council of Fashion Designers of America ( CFDA ) honored Varvatos then with the Perry Ellis Award for emerging talent. In 2001 and 2005, he was honored by the CFDA as Menswear Designer of the Year ( Men's Fashion Designer of the Year ). The fashion of Varvatos is in the U.S. in high positioned department stores, such as Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdale's, as well as eleven (as of 2013) sells own John Varvatos boutiques, the first of which opened in SoHo in October 2000 and internationally in upscale retailers. The most famous Varvatos branch is the former rock music club CBGB (since 2008) on the Bowery.
2001, a collaboration with the sporting goods manufacturer Converse, for the Varvatos began first the existing shoe styles Chuck Taylor All Star ( from 2004 including the commercially highly successful Varvatos Vintage Slip model without laces ) and Jack Purcell reworked. From January 2002, John Varvatos Collection Fashion was also represented in European trade, such as. Selfridges and Harvey Nichols in London 2004, a moderately successful, high-priced women's fashion line by the name of John Varvatos Collection added ( in early 2009 set ) to the portfolio. As of 2006, her own fashion collection called Converse by John Varvatos launched for young men and women. Converse had previously offered clothing under its own brand and does this in addition to the Varvatos line with a narrow sportswear collection today. The ladies' fashion for Converse was set in 2009. Since then, the John Varvatos brand - except for the continued producing Women's Perfume - again a pure menswear brand. The Men's Clothing by Converse by John Varvatos, however, there since the beginning of the 2010s no longer merely the sports shoes will continue to be offered. Early in 2006 the already developed in 2003 John Varvatos Star USA sportswear collection for men as youthful bridge line officially became Varvatos portfolio that want their logo is a stylized victory sign. In the same year range to sunglasses and the end of 2008 was expanded to include watches. Since January 2009 the main collection, which was previously presented at the fashion shows in New York, shown twice a year at the men's shows in Milan, because Milan is the world for the international men's fashion the most important location. The end of 2009, the online shop started on your own website.
In 2003, Nautica, and thus the John Varvatos brand, bought by the American VF Corporation. After VF Corporation, the John Varvatos brand in 2004 initially wanted to sell to the designer, 2005, the new subsidiary John Varvatos Enterprises, Inc. was established within the Group. John Varvatos is it a 20% stake and acts as chairman, CEO and chief designer. The Japanese company Shiseido produced until 2010, the men's fragrances John Varvatos Mens (2004 ), John Varvatos Vintage ( 2006), John Varvatos ARTISAN (2009 ), John Varvatos skirt Volume One (2009 ), John Varvatos ARTISAN Black ( 2010), jv 00/ 10 (2010, the 10 - year anniversary ), the Women's Perfume John Varvatos ( 2008) and the care product series John Varvatos skin. As of 2010, the license for the cosmetics division of Elizabeth Arden was acquired. Mid-2012, the company John Varvatos from VF Corporation was sold to the British investment company Lion Captal LLC, which also owns shares in the shoe brand Jimmy Choo and American Apparel. John Varvatos even kept his company shares and remained Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Creative Officer ( chief designer ).
2009 John Varvatos Enterprises achieved estimated sales of $ 125 million. In 2010 the company celebrated its 10th anniversary.
The end of 2012 designed John Varvatos an unlimited version of the luxury sedan Chrysler 300 C ( Luxury Edition ) and early 2013 in the number of units to 2,000 copies limited edition ( Limited Edition). The special model has been presented in several television commercials, in which Varvatos itself occurs, and in a variant of the spots is accompanied by Iggy Pop. When working it was Chrysler important that Varvatos was born in Detroit and that its roots lie in the Motor City. Varvatos has previously appeared in a television sport for Chrysler in 2011 and early 2012 had a limiertes on a specimen model of the Chrysler 300 S auction in aid of charity Stuart House, see also below.
Varvatos style
John Varvatos is a menswear brand in the ' contemporary sportswear ' with subtly masculine designs in luxurious fabrics. The love of detail complete collections " for real men " include, among other things, classic business suits, elegant coats, ' rockin ' jeans, t -shirts vintage- style, rough leather jackets or rustic shoes / boots. The style can be as classic and sporty at the same time - more than at Calvin Klein or Ralph Lauren - are called distinctively male, as "a blend of elegance and chic sloppy " and not as casual - sporty such as fashion from Tommy Hilfiger, as fashionably modern as Prada, Gucci or Marc Jacobs or as classically elegant as Armani or Tom Ford beginning graced the most collection pieces by John Varvatos still a " Made in Italy" label; the cost-intensive production in Italy, however, was reduced after the sale to the VF Corporation.
The image of the company is owned by an affinity for music, especially rock ' n ' roll. Varvatos itself is rock music fan and plays guitar. For advertising campaigns of the house were in the past, musicians such as Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, Perry Farrell and the band The Roots, Velvet Revolver, Franz Ferdinand, ZZ Top, Cheap Trick and KISS will be required.
Collections
- John Varvatos Collection - high-priced men's main line with accessories, eyewear, watches and fragrances (since 2000)
- John Varvatos STAR USA - youthful bridge line for men with accessories in the upper middle price segment (since 2003 /2006)
- Converse by John Varvatos - youthful diffusion line with sports shoes (since 2001)
Former Collections:
- John Varvatos Collection - high-priced Ladies Home line with accessories, eyewear, watches and fragrances (2004-2009)
- Converse by John Varvatos - youthful diffusion line with Ladies (2006-2009) and men's clothing (2006 - early 2010s ) in the value price segment
Awards (selection)
- 2000 Perry Ellis Award by the CFDA
- 2005 Menswear Designer of the Year Award
Social
In addition to the collections Varvatos designed caps with the logo Hungry. The proceeds benefited in Massachusetts under the Labels Are For Jars need action.
Since 2003, held annually by John Varvatos organized with well-known musicians Annual Stuart House Benefit. The Stuart House is a connected Mecial the UCLA Center in Los Angeles facility in Santa Monica, which helps abused children.