John Varvatos is an American contemporary menswear designer. The Varvatos family comes originally from the Greek island of Kefalonia. John Varvatos grew up in Detroit (in the suburb of Allen Park). He attended Allen Park High School.
Varvatos first worked for Polo Ralph Lauren in 1983 then worked at Calvin Klein in 1990, where he was the head of menswear design. He decided to return to Polo in 1995, where he was made VP of menswear design. In late 1999, he started his eponymous company, debuting his first clothing line at the end of 2000.
Is John Varvatos Greek?
Yes, his family is from the Greek island of Kefalonia. Here’s what John said about his Greek roots in a 2008 interview:
Have you been in Greece? Once. When I was little my parents always wanted to take the family and visit Greece but we did not have the money. My family was not rich. Later I was in school and I was working too so there was no time. Then again I started my career in fashion and again there was no time. Unfortunately, I travel mostly for business and in Athens, I have been once, two years ago, when we introduced our products to the Greek market. I always wanted to go and because of that when I went out of the plane and as I was going to the center of Athens I was emotionally shocked went I saw the Acropolis. I stayed only two days and my relatives did not believe me when I told them that I could not see due to my busy schedule. This summer I am planning to come for vacation and I hope after that I can come every year.
Do you have Greek-American friends? When I was in Michigan there was a Greek-American community and I was going to the Greek school but after I lost contact with the Greek element. When I came to New York and I started my business Melina Kanakaredes called me and told me that she liked my clothes and she wanted to meet me. We did not know each other before that. She came with her husband and we all had lunch. From then she is one of my best friends. – Greekreporter.com – March 13, 2008
