When Bowie’s “Rebel, Rebel” blasts from the speakers at Carnegie Hall at eight in the morning, it means fashion and fragrance iconoclast John Varvatos is in the house sharing rock-and-roll secrets.
As an honored guest of The Fragrance Foundation, Varvatos took the stage with his fragrance partner Rodrigo Flores-Roux, Givaudan Vice President of Perfumery, for a conversation moderated by Ann Gottlieb, President, Ann Gottlieb Associates.
Since its inception in 2000, John Varvatos has become the sartorial personification of rock-and-roll, which is in keeping with a flagship housed in the former domain of CBGB, downtown’s most rebellious rock club. Raised in Detroit, Varvatos grew up on the music of Led Zeppelin, Iggy Pop, The Who, and other groundbreaking bands whose transgressive spirits have infused the Varvatos brand.
Rebel, Rebel: “We’re not always following the rules,” said Varvatos in recalling his initial foray into fragrance with Flores-Roux who recently celebrated his 30th anniversary in the fragrance industry. What bonded the two rebels was a visit by Flores-Roux to the Varvatos flagship in order to “smell the perfume of your studio.”
Since then, the pair have created fifteen fragrances in the signature Varvatos flask, an iconic design object that has been clad in materials such as leather, gold, rope, metal, and hand-woven rattan.
Born to Be Wild: In revealing the inspiration behind one of their fragrances, Flores-Roux recalled a time soon after Varvatos had acquired his lake house. According to Flores-Roux, Varvatos loved driving to his lake house in his vintage automobile, the breeze wafting through the open windows. Such was the incarnation of Varvatos Vintage with its notes of evergreen, balsam, lavender—and patchouli.
Initially Varvatos had admitted to Flores-Roux that “incense and patchouli give me bad vibes,” joking that this aversion might be connected to the head shops of his youth. Flores-Roux was undeterred, thinking, “We’ll get there”—because, as he noted, Varvatos has “a discipline and a love for the craft alongside a desire to learn.”
Smells Like Teen Spirit: Sponsored by Givaudan, the fourth annual iteration of The Creatives brought together a roomful of fragrance dignitaries and aficionados who delighted in hearing that the recent collaboration between Varvatos and Nick Jonas was sealed with tequila. “We bonded over this bottle of tequila,” Varvatos said. “We had a connection on family and music and we talked the entire night. But it was really the bottle of tequila.”
During his tenure at Calvin Klein, it was Varvatos who made the boxer brief famous—by putting them on Mark Wahlberg. With Jonas, Varvatos has co-created two JVxNJ fragrances, which have expanded the Varvatos demographic into Jonas’s terrain.
Whole Lotta Love: In keeping with his love of music, Varvatos co-produces the annual concert Love Rocks NYC at New York’s Beacon Theatre as a benefit for God’s Love We Deliver, the New York non-profit organization that feeds over 7,000 people a day who suffer from more than 200 ailments.
This year’s concert features a reunion of Heart, as well as performances from Robert Plant, Sheryl Crow, Buddy Guy, Ivan Neville, and numerous other special guests.
Gimme Shelter: Founded in 1949, the Fragrance Foundation is a non-profit institution whose mission is “to inspire the world to discover the artistry and passion of fragrance.” Currently headed by Linda G. Levy, The Foundation’s membership includes more than 80 of the world’s most renowned corporations in the world of fragrance. The annual Fragrance Foundation Awards will take place on the 5th of June in New York City.
