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It’s been a while since we checked in with John Varvatos, but it looks like he’s kept busy. These two items come from his newly unveiled leather goods collection. We’re not sure how well it fits in to his What-Would-Mick-Jagger-Do aesthetic—of course, Keith’s already pledged to Louis Vuitton—but it’s hard to go wrong with Italian leather luggage. We recommend the ones without the skull embroidery.
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Good news for Varvatos fans who can’t make it down to CBGBs: The rock star designer just launched a newly redesigned site and, more importantly, an eCommerce shop, offering gear pulled direct from his runway shows. The soundtrack? “Sharp Dressed Man,” naturally.
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We’ve been covering the beard revival pretty thoroughly, but it may have finally broken through to the mainstream.
Following Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop and Cheap Trick, the gentlemen of ZZ Top are taking on model duties for John Varvatos’ latest campaign, a sign that the fur-chinned community is finally getting some representation in the industry.
Can a Beardhead endorsement deal be far behind?
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It looks like John Varvatos will be getting a bit more rock cred in the form of his very own radio show, kicking off this evening with a live show from the New York Dolls’ record release party in his Bowery shop.
Of course, we’ll have to wait to see what his picks are like, but indications so far are that the show will focus on Detroit bands and fellow travelers, which makes us pretty damn excited. From Smokey Robinson to Juan Atkins, the city’s done more for American music than anywhere else we could name—we’re looking at you, Memphis—so it’s nice to have someone on the airwaves spreading the gospel. Even if we get the feeling he’ll be sticking to the earlier end of the spectrum.
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John Varvatos has been drawing on music-industry cool for long enough, it was only a matter of time before he made the connection official. But we were hoping it wouldn’t be quite so much like a reality show.
It’s called Free the Noise, and to be fair, it’s closer to the more credible custom known as the Battle of the Bands. Aspiring bands upload clips of their act onto the website, finalists are chosen to face off at JV’s Bowery location (former home of CBGBs, if you recall), and the winner walks away with a development deal from Island records and a series of spots in Varvatos’ Star USA ads.
Sounds like a good deal, but a record deal isn’t what it used to be. And doesn’t the whole thing seem a bit rockist?
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Speaking of canvas Oxfords, this slip-on from Converse by John Varvatos loses the laces and uses the Balmoral front for an entirely different purpose. The result is the kind of laid back California sneaker that Seavees specializes in.
We’d always thought of Mr. Varvatos as an east coast type…but it never hurts to stretch yourself.
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John Varvatos has made his name by channeling old school masculine icons, so it was only a matter of time before he worked his way around to the Hef.
We ran into velvet Lexington loafer at the designer’s SoHo outpost, and couldn’t help but notice Mr. Varvatos’ latest style obsession. Apparently Mickey Rourke picked up a pair during his most recent New York soujourn, and we can’t say we’re surprised. There’s a whole generation of men looking to Mr. Hefner as their sartorial guide, and these loafers might be the first time that impulse has served them well.
And if Mr. Varvatos ever feels like ditching rock photography for a more stirring kind of store décor…let’s just say we know where to look.
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When it comes to store openings, John Varvatos has basically never let us down. So now that his SoHo outpost has emerged from renovation, we figured we’d take a look. The result is a new emphasis on tailoring space, along with the same vintage rock stills and leather boots we all know and love.
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More than a few designers have made their names on the transformative qualities of black leather—Mr. Varvatos, for one—but nobody’s taken it as literally as this.
Welcome to the Men’s 09 line from Natalia Brilli, a French designer who specializes in making leather-coated embossments, like this credit-card covered wallet, or a laptop sleeve with a keyboard cut into the top. It’s not all mind-blowing, but the craft involved is much more complicated than you might think, given the way leather stretches.
And naturally, it’s all pretty tough.
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Apparently we aren’t the only ones with our eyes on desert boots. The latest Common Projects line just went up with the selfsame shoe tucked in among the usual leather shell-toes and upscale Chucks.
Mr. Varvatos cannot be far behind.
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Mods vs. Rockers Has John Varvatos’s strong “pro-rocker” stance invited a mod backlash? We’d buy it. If so, you’ll need these pictures to paste onto your GX scooter…[We Are the Market]
Movin’ Up in the World like Elevators: Our favorite rapper/actor/MOTH talks about his clothing line. We expect it to be better than his movies, but slightly worse than his music. [Esquire]
Crime Pays: A European government is offering up cash and amnesty for anyone who can put their hands on a few famous, stolen paintings. Like we’ve always said, it’s a good time to be an art thief. [Luxist]
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go: Sam Shipley (of Shipley & Halmos) releases a solo album. Does this mean Halmos is Garfunkel? [Men.Style]
You don’t hear much about biker culture as an influence on modern day designers, partly because the references are hard to name. John Varvatos usually gets a few references to The Wild One, but that’s like tracking British suiting back to James Bond. The look had to come from somewhere…
Rin Tanaka’s Harley-Davidson Book of Fashions gives a pretty good explanation of where. Covering the 1910-1950, Tanaka tracks the evolution of the bike from a useful novelty to a badge of outsider status, along with 40 years worth of bike helmets, any one of which would be enough to get a fledgling designer noticed.
With gas prices showing no signs of slowing, we may be on the cusp of a scooter renaissance, so the book couldn’t have come at a better time. It may not have our favorite biker jacket, but it’s got more inspiration than anything we’ve seen on the racks lately.
Rubberized Chucks: John Varvatos has gone rainboot on us with his newest Converse. [Refinery 29]
Frat Boy Crushed: Tucker Max, infamous misogamist and blogger, somehow lands movie deal; critics have proceeded to trash the script and the man. [Gawker]
Bespoke Brogues: These understated leather classics will leave you wondering why you didn’t know about them earlier in the summer. [A Suitable Wardrobe]
Ballin’ Status: Young USA basketballers may have gotten into some scandalous massage-related trouble. Looks like Kobe may be buying another huge diamond ring. [NY Mag]
Estex Bags: This old saddle maker has transferred its prowess as a producer of fine goods into canvas bags. [A Continuous Lean]
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No Irons Required: Structured Garment’s wrinkly
spring collection. [
-garments-
ss09/"target="_blank">A Continuous Lean]
Up Chuck: A look ahead at Converse by John Varvatos’
fall collection. [
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Pipeline]
Cool As Ice: Metrosexual hockey bruiser has a special
way of saying, “I like you.” Very special. [
ery-will-jerk-off-to-you-now"target="_blank">Gawker]
The Averyator 5000: This interview with Avery ain’t
real, but it’s all true. Don’t cockblock the dream, bro! [
Final Period: And on that note, Hurricane Avery bids
a fond “peace the f*ck out” to New York. [
635.story"target="_blank">Newsday]
The Encyclopedia Douchettica: We don’t have to miss
Avery that much, as long as we pick up Hot Girls With
Douchebags.[
]
Jennifer Livingston for DetailsThe globe-trotters over at Details just put up a few backstage snaps from the Fall ’08 shows in Milan and Paris, and we were a little surprised at how many up-collar leather jackets and tough fabrics there were. From Calvin Klein’s woven take on the biker jacket to Louis Vuitton’s helmeted models, motorcycle fashion seemed to be the order of the season.
The *New York Observer* recently went batshit over gladiator sandals, oddly devoting the entire cover to a story entitled Ben-Her.
Cited as examples of the hot women warriors sporting the style this summer were Sarah Jessica Parker, Ashley Olson and Cynthia Rowley. However, we think mouthwatering model Erin Wasson wore them best by far, at the after-party for the CFDA Awards the other night—wore one, that is, accessorized with a matching pair of glossy black crutches.
*Photographed by our fearless lensman, Patrick McMullan.*
The information that downtown dude John Varvatos had opened a boutique in uptown East Hampton somehow passed us by, but then we spend more time upstate than on the East End these days—for reasons which should be obvious enough if you’ve ever been bumper-to-bumper on the Montauk Highway.
In any case, the designer who recently revamped CBGBs celebrated the first anniversary of his Hamptons outpost the other night with an exhibition of photos by the legendary Mick Rock, famous for his iconic shots of the likes of Iggy, Bowie, and Syd Barrett.
Hot Ash: The best can into which to put your cigar.
[Uncrate]
Berlin Boys: A look at the Spring/Summer collection
from Germany’s QED. [
Legs]
Cannes Do: The history of men’s fashion at the
festival by the Côte d’Azur. [
Deal Alert: The Underground NYC sale has John
Varvatos at 70% off all week (but get there early). [NYMag]
Varvatos in San Francisco: Meanwhile, on the other
coast, Johnny opens up new digs in Fog City’s Union Square. [DNRNews]
We don’t do this for just anyone, but our buddy John is having a shindig, and we thought we’d spread the love.
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Belly Up to the Bar: Thank ??? someone out there is poking around Russian Elle for Bar Refaeli shots. [Goldenfiddle]
Casual Friday: We’re a little surprised that this internal memo from Interview on office dress code was even necessary. We could guess that this has something to do with the magazine’s new Capo di tutti capi, Glenn
O’Brien—but then again, the guy doesn’t always hew to the rule himself. [Gawker]
Spice on Set:
fashion designer Victoria Beckham teams up with failing movie mogul Tom Cruise for what will almost certainly be Ben Stiller’s ugliest film since “Meet the Fockers”. [FemaleFirst
UK]
Bowery Boy: Does John Varvatos even have time to design anymore with all these CBGBs questions? [NYTimes]
Cheap Shots: The best suits under $500 photographed by Scott “The Sartorialist” Schuman. [Men.Style]
Word Games: Watch as three out of four panelists stuff their feet straight into their mouths while attempting to define “Hipster.” [PSFK]
Shwing!: Tom Ford wants you to appreciate the human dingle as much as he does. [NYMag]
Funny Money: In these penny-pinching times, who couldn’t use a little more levity in their wallet? [Refinery29]
The Family Business: Father-and-son art aficionados bond over checks and English cuts. [NYMag]
Brooklyn Boys: Racked takes the F over to Boerum Hill’s new And Then Some. [Racked]
Drip Dry: Forget the cleaners. A new Japanese suit is designed for cleaning in the shower. Loofa anyone? [Theindian]
The Great Rock and Roll Swindle: Legendary venue goes from club to store, back to club and then right back to store again.
Protestors still desperately searching for lives. [Vanityfair.com]
Sky King: Per usual, Prince William makes us commoners look like chumps. [Daily
Mail]
Hail Married: Eli Manning wraps up his improbable championship season by beating both brother Peyton and arch-rival Tom Brady to the alter. [UPI]
Foxy Boxing: Adriana Lima, Doutzen Kroes and,
sigh, Karolina Kurkova have been practicing the sweet science
at a local gym. We kind of like the fact that they could beat the snot
out of us. [Observer]
“Women Love You in Pink Shirts”: We have personal,
experiential evidence that this is true. [
a Guy Thing]
Barney and Friends: The appearences of Michel Gondry,
Timo and Panama-hat wearing ping-pong champs at Matthew Barney’s
National Arts Club dinner add up to the first party report that
actually made us jealous. [
Daily]
One Step at a Time: Just like everything else there,
shoemaking in Iraq is a study in tragedy and persistence. [
Neighborhood Watch: How could we have missed this
one? Not only has our beloved Style Guy returned from the
on CBGB’s, but he also waxes nostalgic (in his own unsentimental way)
about causing a minor riot with his “socialist-realist rock band.”
Awesome. [GQ]
Acne Treatment: What? You still haven’t hit
Acne? [Paper]
For Whom The Bell Tolls: Kristen Bell twice in one
week? What? You got a problem with that? [
Den and Geller: Kempt fave
Odin’s satellite store. [
Can I Turn it Up for You?: Always classy that Dov
Charney. [AnimalNY]
Pay it Forward: Got an extra, unused suit? Pass it
on. [EarthTimes]
Get Ready to D.A.N.C.E.:
clothing line is just as hip and French as you might expect. [
Deal Alert: Yoko
Devereaux springwear starting tomorrow. [Racked]
COS Play: Monocle takes a hard look at H+M’s new
branch line and the takes the temperature of European retail. [
Rock and Roll Will Never Die: Except when it does.
Hey, maybe you kids should have been out there protesting, say, three
years ago. [Gothamist]
Where’s Waris?: You ask. We’ve
delivered. [
Continuous Lean]
The Man Who Would Be King: P Diddy’s fashion week
documentary about his quest for LOVE! INSPIRATION! and REBELLION! and
style’s CROWN! was so MIND-CRUSHINGLY AWESOME! that we couldn’t watch
more than 12 seconds of it. [
We’ve been fans of John Varvatos for some time, but his takeover of the old CBGBs space looks to be yet another feather in his cap, renovating the space with a lot of respect for the venue’s storied past. It’s not his fault the previous owners lost their lease, but he’s managed to keep a lot of the old spirit alive.
Here’s a few pictures we managed to snag, courtesy of our friends at UrbanDaddy.
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Negative Reaction: Kenneth Cole falls $3.1 million
into debt. Where be your cheeky billboards now? [
Cardigan Cabal: The
press is
conspiring to make the Cardigan today’s, “
sexy chick magnet.” Almost
Orwellian, ain’t it?
Restoration Hardware: John Varvatos’ conversion of
CBGB’s is taking for-frigging-ever. [
Lil’ Bit More: Crunk poet and Renaissance man Lil’
John not only has his own
way, but is currently vintnering up a storm at
Winery. All class that one. [
Hop]
Collateral Damage: The new Bond film is an absolute
blood fest, destroying one innocent Tom Ford suit after another. [
Co-Ed Naked Design: Matthew McConcaughey and his old
lady create new clothes to shed while walking on sunny pacific beaches. [Gawker]
