John Varvatos hopes to go global with rock-flavored menswear line

Next week, when his men's collection hits the Milan runway, New York designer John Varvatos will be firing the opening salvo in a bid to make his rock-flavored label the next American lifestyle brand to go global. In nine years, he's managed to make fashion safe for men, invented the laceless Converse Chuck Taylor slip-on and turned New York's CBGB nightclub into a clothing boutique. To paraphrase the Talking Heads, who got their start in the same 315 Bowery St. space where Varvatos now sells suits, "And you may ask yourself: Well, how did he get here?"

By Adam Tschorn

January 11, 2009