John Varvatos: Men also love shoes
By Jeremy Thiry published, updated
On November 2, the price for the best designer was awarded to one of the most influential stylists in our era.The Ace Awards rewarded John Varvatos, for his shoes, an accessory increasingly present in the dressing room of men.A great first.
This is the first time that a fashion designer has received such a trophy.But this award encompasses a route.After having worked for 7 years for Ralph Lauren, the designer of Greek origin will really prove to be in Calvin Klein in 1990, where he was appointed to the head of men's clothing and responsible for the launch of the male collection.During this period, the 30-year-old creator became the pioneer of a brand new kind of underwear: the boxer.Following the international success of the advertising campaign in 1992, with the American actor Mark Wahlberg, these hybrids of underneaths and briefs are qualified as "one of the largest clothing revolutions of the century".In 1995, Varvatos returned to Ralph Lauren as chief of male fashion design for the whole brand.
Four years later, the creator launches his first line of clothing, with belts, handbags, glasses, watches, perfumes and shoes.Today, fifteen years later, his genius continues.All shops on behalf of the creator distribute his collections, including in Manhattan, in the mythical space which once housed the Underground CB's music club.
To give intensity to his next campaigns, he calls on emblematic rock musicians, such as Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, Dave Matthews, Chris Cornell, or even Velvet Revolver, The Roots and Green Day groups.For Varvatos "music and fashion are intimately linked".
A rewarded creator
John Varvatos accumulated the awards, in 2000 and 2001, then in 2005 and in 2007, the year of the consecration by GQ.He is each time awarded for his talents as a menswear creator, receiving the praise of the council of American fashion designers.And during the 18th annual edition of the ACE Awards in New York on Sunday, November 2, the creator received the designer prize for the year.For John Varvatos, this reward symbolizes a change."I have the impression that men's fashion, especially accessories, is never really recognized, so I am very honored.The great misunderstanding on men's accessories is that they do not interest a priori too much.But in the past ten years, men have started to have more shoes in their closet than women ”.The creator's collection has a wide range of shoes (sneakers, boots) and even collaboration with the Converse team."I am very happy to have worked with her, because her sneakers were a very popular product for years.»The accessory is an integral part of the brand's signature.For him, the shoe is much more than a storage, it translates the identity of the brand.
