View source for John Varvatos

{{short description|American fashion designer}}
{{shortlead|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox fashion designer
| image              = John-Varvatos-Fashion-Designer-HRO-061025-8443.jpg
| caption            = John Varvatos (2006)
| name               = John Varvatos
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1954|08|08}}
| birth_place        = [[Detroit]], Michigan, US
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| education          = [[Eastern Michigan University]]
| label_name         = {{plainlist|
* [[John Varvatos (company)|John Varvatos]]
* John Varvatos Records<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bigmachinelabelgroup.com/labels/john-varvatos-records|title=John Varvatos Records Archives }}</ref>
}}
| awards             = Perry Ellis Award for Menswear, 2000; [[Council of Fashion Designers of America|CFDA]]: Menswear Designer of the Year, 2001 and 2005; ''[[GQ]]'': Designer of the Year, 2007}}

[[File:ExCBGB.jpg|thumb|Store at 315 Bowery, New York]]
[[File:John Varvatos Vintage.jpg|thumb|Bottle of ''John Varvatos VINTAGE'']]
[[File:John Varvatos Fall 2010 04.JPG|thumb|Model wearing items from the ''John Varvatos Collection'' of Fall/Winter 2010/11]]
'''John Varvatos''' (born 1954) is an American menswear designer.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/25/nyregion/25lives.html?ref=johnvarvatos&_r=0|title=A Man of High Style and Punk Tastes|newspaper=The New York Times|last=Finn|first=Robin|date=April 25, 2008|access-date=June 14, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/12/chrysler-exports-imported-from-detroit-to-new-york/?ref=johnvarvatos|title=Chrysler Exports 'Imported From Detroit' to New York|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 12, 2011|last=Schultz|first=Jonathan|access-date=June 14, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/19/arts/music/19varv.html|newspaper=The New York Times|title=This Ain't No Nightclub (at Least Not Anymore)|last=Sisario|first=Ben|access-date=June 14, 2013|date=April 19, 2008}}</ref> He has worked for both [[Ralph Lauren]] and [[Calvin Klein]], and started [[John Varvatos (company)|his own label]] in 1999.

==Early life==
The Varvatos family is originally from the village of [[Poulata]] on the island of [[Cephalonia|Kefalonia]], [[Greece]]. Varvatos was born in [[Detroit]] and grew up in [[Allen Park, Michigan]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Conlin|first1=Jennifer|title=John Varvatos Goes Home to Detroit|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/30/fashion/john-varvatos-goes-home-to-detroit.html?_r=0|access-date=October 3, 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 29, 2015|page=D7}}</ref>

He attended [[Allen Park High School]]. At the age of 16, he got a job selling menswear at the Hughes & Hatcher store in nearby [[Dearborn, Michigan|Dearborn]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Benedetti|first1=Marti|title=For John Varvatos, apparel threads a career that started in Dearborn|url=http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20160421/NEWS/160429957/for-john-varvatos-apparel-threads-a-career-that-started-in-dearborn|access-date=October 3, 2016|publisher=[[Crain's Detroit Business]]|date=April 21, 2016}}</ref>

He attended [[Eastern Michigan University]] and the [[University of Michigan]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Schwartz|first1=Robin|title=Fashion 'Rock Star' John Varvatos to Open Detroit Store|url=http://opportunitydetroit.com/blog/fashion-rock-star-john-varvatos-open-detroit-store|website=Opportunity Detroit|access-date=October 3, 2016|date=October 22, 2014}}</ref>

==Early career==
After graduating in 1980, he co-founded a menswear store, [http://fitzs.com/ Fitzgerald's Men's Store], in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Truman|first1=Todd|title=Grand Fashion: ZZ Top fan, designer John Varvatos got his start at Fitzgerald's men's store in Breton Village Mall|url=http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/05/through_the_doors_of_fitzgeral.html|website=[[MLive]]|access-date=October 3, 2016|date=May 6, 2010}}</ref>

Varvatos joined [[Polo Ralph Lauren]] in 1983. He then moved on to [[Calvin Klein]] in 1990 where he was appointed head of menswear design and oversaw the launch of the men's collection and the cK brand. During his time at Calvin Klein, Varvatos pioneered a type of men's [[undergarment]] called [[boxer briefs]], a hybrid of [[boxer shorts]] and [[briefs]].<ref name="Hemispheres">{{cite news|url=http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/2010/09/01/rock-steady|title=Rock Steady|first=Aaron|last=Gell|magazine=[[Hemispheres (magazine)|Hemispheres]]|date=September 1, 2010|access-date=June 29, 2014}}</ref> Made famous by a series of 1992 print ads featuring [[Mark Wahlberg]],<ref name="Hemispheres"/><ref name="NYT 2010">{{cite news|last=Wilson|first=Eric|title=Stretching a Six-Pack|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/fashion/13calvin.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 29, 2014|date=May 12, 2010}}</ref> they have been called "one of the greatest apparel revolutions of the century."<ref name="Hemispheres"/> Of their creation Varvatos said in 2010, "We just cut off a pair of long johns and thought, this could be cool ...".<ref name="Hemispheres"/>

In 1995, Varvatos returned to Ralph Lauren as head of menswear design for all Polo Ralph Lauren brands and created the Polo Jeans Company.<ref>{{cite web |title=John Varvatos Biography |url=http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2006-Ra-Z/Varvatos-John.html |website=Encyclopedia of World Biography |access-date=16 June 2018}}</ref>

==Career==
In late 1999, Varvatos started [[John Varvatos (company)|his company]], debuting his first clothing line at the end of 2000 in New York. The brand now includes belts, handbags, footwear, eyewear, watches and fragrances.

In September 2000, within months of showing his first collection, Varvatos opened a freestanding boutique in [[SoHo, Manhattan|SoHo]]. The collection is currently distributed in John Varvatos boutiques including the 315 Bowery boutique in the space that formerly housed the underground music club [[CBGB]].

2009 saw the launch of ''New York Nights…Direct From the Bowery'', a monthly radio show hosted by Varvatos on [[Sirius XM]]'s The Spectrum channel. The show includes songs and interviews from various artists who have influenced Varvatos throughout his career in fashion.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Varvatos to Host 'New York Nights…Direct from the Bowery' on Sirius XM|url=http://hollywood.greekreporter.com/2011/07/31/john-varvatos-to-host-‘new-york-nights…direct-from-the-bowery’-on-sirius-xm|access-date=July 8, 2014}}</ref>

In 2012, Varvatos joined the cast of celebrity mentors on [[NBC]]'s ''[[Fashion Star]]'', a reality competition series that searched for the next big brand in fashion.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fashion Star on NBC|url=http://www.nbc.com/fashion-star|publisher=NBC|access-date=November 14, 2017}}</ref> In 2013, he saw the release of a limited edition [[Chrysler 300]] in his name. In 2014, he partnered with Monte Lipman's Republic label to launch John Varvatos Records, initially signing the [[Zac Brown Band]].<ref name = tennessean>{{cite web | url = https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2018/12/21/badflower-ghost-scott-borchetta-john-varvatos-big-machine-rock-music/2361200002/ | publisher = The Tennessean | title = Scott Borchetta and John Varvatos are on a mission to revive rock 'n' roll| accessdate = 5 March 2021}}</ref>

Varvatos credits his early obsession with [[rock 'n' roll]] as the catalyst for his interest in [[fashion]]. The ad campaigns for the main collection, shot by [[Danny Clinch]], have featured such musicians and bands such as [[Iggy Pop]], [[Alice Cooper]], [[Velvet Revolver]], [[Chris Cornell]], [[Dave Matthews]], [[The Roots]], and [[Green Day]].{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

The John Varvatos company filed for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11 bankruptcy]] in May of 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Varvatos Files for Bankruptcy |url=https://www.apparelnews.net/news/2020/may/12/john-varvatos-files-bankruptcy/|publisher=Apparel News|access-date=May 18, 2020}}</ref> In 2021 Varvatos founded [[OTD (company)|OTD]].

In September of 2023, Varvatos was appointed Chief Design Officer of [[Under Armour]], a publicly traded US performance apparel company founded by [[Kevin Plank]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.businessoffashion.com/news/retail/under-armour-appoints-john-varvatos-chief-design-officer/ | publisher = The Business of Fashion | title = Under Armour Appoints John Varvatos Chief Design Officer | accessdate = 26 June 2024}}</ref>

==Philanthropy==
Music is central to the brand's philanthropic efforts, including the [[Save the Music Foundation]] and an annual Stuart House benefit.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stuart House Charity Benefit|url=https://www.johnvarvatos.com/about/first-annual-stuart-house-charity-benefit|access-date=July 8, 2014}}</ref> In July 2014 it was announced that [[Ringo Starr]] would be modelling for the fall/winter advertising campaign, and that an associated charitable initiative would benefit The Ringo Starr Peace and Love Fund, in aid of the [[David Lynch Foundation]]. Commenting, Varvatos said, "Both inner peace and global peace are very important topics to me".<ref name="instyle7/14">{{cite web|last1=Faure|first1=Tiffany|title=Make Ringo Starr's Birthday Wish Come True—Post a Peace Sign Selfie For a Good Cause!|url=http://news.instyle.com/2014/07/07/make-ringo-starrs-birthday-wish-come-true-post-a-peace-sign-selfie-for-a-good-cause/|access-date=August 1, 2014|quote=This charity fund, which is in support of the David Lynch Foundation, teaches Transcendental Meditation and other stress-reducing techniques to at-risk populations suffering from chronic stress and stress-related disorders that fuel crime, violence and costly medical expenditures.}}</ref><ref name=wwd>{{cite web|last1=Tran|first1=Khanh T.L.|title=John Varvatos Throws Ringo Starr a Birthday Bash|url=http://www.wwd.com/eye/parties/john-varvatos-throws-ringo-starr-a-birthday-bash-7786915|website=WWD|date=7 July 2014 |access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref><ref name=jv>{{cite web|title=Show Us Your Peace Sign|url=http://peacerocks.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com|website=John Varvatos|access-date=August 1, 2014}}</ref>

==Partnership with Converse==
In 2001, Varvatos and [[Converse (shoe company)|Converse]] formed a partnership and Varvatos was licensed to create a line of high end sneakers,<ref>{{Cite web|title = About|url = https://www.johnvarvatos.com/worldofjohnvarvatos?fdid=about|website = www.johnvarvatos.com|access-date = 2016-02-11}}</ref> John Varvatos' sneakers were usually produced in the style of High Top [[Chuck Taylor All-Stars]].{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}  The partnership has since ended, and Varvatos now produces a "Bootleg" line in a similar Chuck Taylor style.

==Awards==
Varvatos had first received accolades from the [[Council of Fashion Designers of America]] (CFDA) in 2000 when he was honored with the [[Perry Ellis]] Award for Menswear. The following year he won the 2001 CFDA's Designer of the Year award.

In 2005, Varvatos received the CFDA's 2005 Menswear Designer of the Year award at the [[New York Public Library]]. The recipients are determined by a selection committee of top magazine editors, journalists, stylists and retailers from around the world.  He competed for the top honor along with [[Ralph Lauren]] and [[John Bartlett (designer)|John Bartlett]] for his third CFDA win. In 2007, Varvatos was named ''[[GQ]]''{{'}}s Designer of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.observer.com/2007/gq-crowns-men-year|title=GQ Crowns 'Men of the Year'!|last=Foxley|first=David|date=November 29, 2007|publisher=The New York Observer|access-date=June 14, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222032130/http://www.observer.com/2007/gq-crowns-men-year|archive-date=February 22, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website|http://www.johnvarvatos.com}}
* {{fashiondesigner|id=john-varvatos}}
* [http://www.adversus.com/interviews/john-varvatos/index.html Interview with John Varvatos on Adversus]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Varvatos, John}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:American fashion designers]]
[[Category:American people of Greek descent]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Artists from Detroit]]
[[Category:Menswear designers]]
[[Category:People from Allen Park, Michigan]]
[[Category:University of Michigan alumni]]