John Varvatos closed New York Fashion Week Men's last Thursday with his signature fusion of spectacle, elegance and "Mr. Brightside" blasting at the audience from all angles. His 17th menswear show in NYC veered from the typical runways of Skylight Clarkson Square for a grander venue: the historic Diamond Horseshoe, a restored ballroom in midtown complete with grand staircases and elaborate light fixtures.
"I didn't want to show in the regular box where everyone else does it, where CFDA does it," Varvatos told OUT. "I was looking for someplace that connected with the show. And we recalled this space - when you go down there you've just set the mood for it, it's pretty amazing. And most people haven't been there. I've talked to a hundred people today about it and only one or two had been there before."
Related | John Varvatos Discusses His New 'Urban Romantic' Collection at NYFWM
Varvatos' show ended Men's Week on a furry, textured note--his collection was complete with long, calfskin, leopard hair jackets, suede pants and handmade boots.
"Last season was the Urban Romantic," he says, referring to his menswear collection complete with elegant lacey cuffs and sophisticated wools. "We started this season thinking, 'That's our guy.' I felt it was really my note. But I felt there was another part of that guy, of all guys, that I call 'Wild at Heart.' He may have this business job, he may be in a suit all day. It may only come out once in a great while--for some it comes once a week, some only at night--but I felt there was this 'Wild at Heart' spirit and I thought, 'What's a great place to do that?' Down in the Diamond Horseshoe, which is a place of fantasy, where you go to escape. And the clothes also reflect that. There's that very romantic feel that we carry on, because that's our guy, but it's his side where he can be more adventurous."
Varvatos is so enamored by the textures and textiles of his fall '17 collection, he's hard-pressed to pick a favorite, standout piece.
"The first look coming out is just so gorgeous," he says of the lineup. "Then when we get halfway into it, and those lynx jackets start coming out--it's just so rich. You live with it, so it's hard to have a favorite piece. If someone said, 'Pick your eight favorite looks,' I might be able to do that."
Creating an entire new range is never easy, and only made more difficult during times of great political and cultural upheaval. On fashion as it fits into the current sociopolitical climate, Varvatos said:
"This week alone has been an emotional week for a lot of people, and last week, with all the things that are going on. Every night some other explosive thing is happening - it seems impossible. Part of me wanted to make a bigger statement on the runway about it all, but it's hard to do, to be politically correct, during fashion week, without offputting people. One thing I'm excited about, though, is people are raising their voices and being heard. There's marches, and protests, and I believe that a lot of young people are the future of voices being heard. think now that we're feeling the real impact [of this new presidency], our voices need to be out there. I'm proud of the people who are making themselves heard. This is a country we love, and people we love."
Watch the show, below.
