John Varvatos Announces Launch of U.S. eCommerce Store and Redesigned Brand Experience Website

John Varvatos Enterprises is pleased to announce the launch of its eCommerce and redesigned brand experience website. The eCommerce site, which will serve customers within the United States, is being developed in partnership with Onestop Internet, a full service eCommerce technology and distribution company. The design is a collaboration between John Varvatos, Pod1, a New York-and London-based creative digital agency, and YARD, the Varvatos creative agency of record. The site will go live today.

The eCommerce website will offer John Varvatos Collection looks shoppable straight off the seasons’ runway, as well as the opportunity to shop the full breadth of the lifestyle brand including clothing, footwear, bags, belts, watches, eyewear, fragrances and skincare. In addition, the site will feature an assortment of John Varvatos Star USA apparel and footwear and Converse by John Varvatos footwear. Exclusive merchandise only offered on the eCommerce site will highlight the shopping experience and include items such as limited edition leather jackets, sunglasses, and Converse by John Varvatos sneakers. Hallmark items of the John Varvatos Collection will be redesigned, hand-crafted and available to a few lucky customers who are first to snap up the only two or three pieces made.

Catering to the sophisticated sensibility of the John Varvatos customer, the website emphasizes a refined and modern user experience. The brand exploration portion of the site will offer the opportunity to view runway shows both in video and still image. “The World Of” presents the latest in celebrity, events, press, campaigns and JV TV – an ongoing archive of various musical performances and projects captured on video. “The Story” offers a chance to visually explore the history of the brand from its inception, and “The Community” links to social networking sites and “JV’s Funhouse,” Varvatos’ blog that brings the user inside as he tours through his latest musical finds and concerts.

John Varvatos said, “We are thrilled to add the eCommerce channel to our business. It is a great growth opportunity and will enable us to reach our customers across the U.S. who may not have access to John Varvatos boutiques. Our goal in redesigning the website to integrate with eCommerce is to provide a customer experience comparable to going into any one of our boutiques - to truly welcome visitors into the brand.”

“The John Varvatos project is a great opportunity for Onestop to demonstrate our expertise in bringing fashion brands alive online,” said John Tomich, a partner at Onestop Internet, Inc. “We are working very closely with Pod1 and YARD to mesh the sophisticated John Varvatos image with our own proven offerings in technology, customer support, order fulfillment, and other key elements. The team will create a highly refined customer experience, from the design of the product pages to the way the shipping boxes are packed. We look forward to our continuing relationship with the John Varvatos brand, helping them grow their business and reach new market segments.”

“This was a fantastically exciting site to create. Inspired by the in store experience and the music fashion legacy, Pod1 worked closely with John and his team to deliver a unique, high impact, rich media experience,” said Marc Caudron, Pod1 Founder.

ABOUT JOHN VARVATOS

Launched in 2000 with a collection of tailored clothing and sportswear, John Varvatos now represents an entire men’s lifestyle that includes footwear, bags, belts, eyewear, limited edition watches, men’s and women’s luxury skincare and fragrances, as well as the younger, edgier John Varvatos Star USA Collection and Converse by John Varvatos. The designer has been recognized three times by the CFDA with an American Fashion Award for New Menswear Designer (June 2000) and Menswear Designer of the Year (June 2001 and June 2005) and was honored as GQ’s “Designer of the Year” in 2007. The collection is distributed in freestanding John Varvatos boutiques across the US, as well as in better specialty stores throughout the world. www.johnvarvatos.com

ABOUT ONESTOP INTERNET

Onestop Internet provides turn-key e-commerce services to companies on a completely outsourced basis. These services include marketing strategy, design, fulfillment, customer service, technology platform, and photography. Clients include Seven for All Mankind, Betsey Johnson, lululemon athletica, True Religion Brand Jeans, J Brand, Paul Frank, Nicole Miller, and Splendid, among other esteemed brands. Onestop is based in Rancho Dominguez, California. www.onestop.com

ABOUT POD 1

Based in New York and London independent creative digital agency Pod1 is a 50 strong collective of creative, strategic and technical specialists; all passionate about delivering cutting edge creativity. Established in 2001, the agency creates highly effective ecommerce solutions for its clients, by investing time to understand a client’s business and combining this with exceptional consumer insight. Superior client service and planning underlie every campaign, the customer journey is fully explored, and conversion ultimately achieved.

Pod1’s specialist areas are retail and fashion with expertise in web design and ecommerce development. The agency is also skilled in online marketing and online strategy solutions, with services including social media marketing, search engine marketing (SEO & PPC), banner advertising, email marketing and campaign micro sites. Pod1 works with leading fashion ecommerce brands including John Varvatos, Matthew Williamson, UNIQLO, Catharine Malandrino, Kenneth Cole, Anya Hindmarch, Marks & Spencer’s and Lord & Taylor. www.pod1.com

ABOUT YARD

Since its founding in 2002, YARD has conceptualized, art directed, and produced an award-winning range of work in advertising, packaging, and product design. A hybrid creative agency, YARD marries a style-driven eye for fashion with a consumer-minded gut for branding. YARD’s clients in fashion include John Varvatos, Converse, Kenneth Cole, and LeSportsac; in beauty, NARS, Bobbi Brown and Henri Bendel; in healthy/green lifestyles, Method, Smartwater and the Sundance Channel; and in entertainment, WE tv, Ubisoft, The N, and MTV. www.yardnyc.com

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