In GQ’s “Men of the Year” issue, John is named Designer of the Year and featured in a rollicking piece written by Barneys creative genius and man-about-town Simon Doonan.
“John's goal is to rid American men of their phobias about style. He wants American guys—regular blokes!—to start saying the F-word: fashion. Within the first few seasons, he gains a following with his honest, peasanty garments—sheepskin coats, moleskin pants, thick flannel shirts, textured knits, sturdy leather boots—in rich, dark hues. It is bold. There is nothing about these rough, tough, Gérard Depardieu, working-on-the-land garments that would challenge any dude's masculinity. If anything, John's rustic outfits make guys look even more butch rather than less so… Once John's followers are well and truly addicted to his rich, textured duds and his slip-ons, he goes in for the kill. He plays into the greatest of all dude obsessions, rock 'n' roll. This is the last straw. Once Varvatos injects his image with a lethal dose of Aerosmith, a whiff of Alice Cooper, a soupçon of Iggy Pop, and a whisper of Joe Strummer, men are powerless to resist.”
