John Varvatos to show at NYFW: Men's

John Varvatos is coming home to America. After seven years of showing his eponymous collection in Milan, Varvatos has decided to show his spring 2016 collection at the newly minted New York Fashion Week: Men’s. Varvatos will be closing the event with a runway show on July 16th, the first show he will have in New York since spring 2008.

Varvatos showed in New York for eight years before he decided to move his show to Milan where he has had his runway show since 2008. With the timing between fashion week and the menswear calendar finally being aligned, he has found it sensible to return back to the Big Apple. While showing in Milan has done wonders for his international growth, his patriotism seems to have won out.

The idea of showing in New York began to occur to him a few weeks ago when he opened a flagship in his hometown of Detroit. Currently, John Varvatos is the only retailer in downtown Detroit, but, he sees this as “planting the flag,” so to speak. With NYFW: Men’s being so new he decided that it was only in his nature to be part of the fashionable new initiative. “I’m an American designer, we’re an American brand and New York City is my home, so we thought it was the right time,” Varvatos was quoted saying in Women’s Wear Daily.

Like many other menswear designers who are returning to NYC for NYFW: Men’s, Varvatos was vocal about his issues with seeing no practicality in showing his collection in September with women’s. “It’s three months too late,” he said to Women’s Wear Daily. “I would have shown June 18 in Milan, but in New York, I’d have had to show on Sept. 10 or 12. We’re into the next season by that time and every retailer and editor has already seen the collection.”

John Varvatos to close NYFW: Men’s

Steven Kolb, chief executive officer of the CFDA, said, “John Varvatos is quintessentially American, a leading men’s wear brand, a global success, and the CFDA is proud to welcome John back home. Having him show during New York Fashion Week: Men’s solidifies our efforts and emphasizes the importance of New York City as an international influence on the business of men’s wear.” Varvatos, like many other menswear designers, has long been an advocate for a separate men’s fashion week, but understood the difficulty and logistics it would take to make this happen. He is one of the many designers who has committed to participating, although not all of them intend to participate with runway shows.

So far, the designers and brands who have committed to being involved are Calvin Klein Collection, Michael Kors, Rag & Bone, Public School, Billy Reid, Todd Snyder, Michael Bastian, Ovadia & Sons, Robert Geller, Duckie Brown, Patrik Ervell, Timo Weiland and Kent & Curwen. Tommy Hilfiger and Thom Browne have also said they will participate in some form. Ralph Lauren has made no mention either way of whether or not he will be involved.

Calvin Klein and Thom Browne have already said they will continue to show in Milan and Paris, but still have plans to do something major for NYFW: Men’s. NYFW: Men’s is scheduled to begin on July 13th and end on July 16th, and will take place at the Skylight Clarkson Square in SoHo. Amazon, DreamWorks, and Shinola have committed to sponsoring the event so far, with two other sponsors expected to follow, although the details of who have been kept under wraps.

The CFDA is hoping that they will be able to replicate the success of London Collection: Men’s, and really give American menswear the attention it deserves. CFDA has already committed to sponsoring the trips of 20 key editors from around the globe, and is hoping that many regional and national journalists will attend the event to really help put them it on the map. With the transformative event only a few months away everyone better start getting their outfits ready, because it seems poised to be the event of the season.