Shop of the Week: John Varvatos

John Varvatos recently did some spring cleaning, redesigning his SoHo boutique and adding a few lighter, personal touches to the 5,000-square-foot space. New walnut floors, freshly painted white brick walls and antique furniture handpicked by the designer himself all reinforce the brand's masculine cool. A dramatic lighting fixture with more than 1,200 dangling vintage bulbs was installed above the stairwell, leading to a revamped downstairs area now dedicated to the label's tailored menswear.

Antique rolling racks and a gorgeous wet bar from a flea market in Paris are two of the newer display pieces, though the store's extraordinary collection of exclusive rock photography prints is still going strong. If you can peel your eyes from the mesmerizing shots (Peter Frampton, The Stones, Janis Joplin, Blondie, Iggy Pop, et al.), do scope the brand's new watches -- a limited edition collection of ChronoScope timepieces made in collaboration with Swiss masters Ernst Benz. Give the latest John Varvatos fragrance (called Artisan) a whirl, too. Drawn toward the look of a hand-woven flask, we were pleased to find more than a pretty prop and a sexy rugged scent inside.

The enhanced store design and dozens of rocker cuties milling about make the John Varvatos Spring Street boutique a required downtown visit. What can we say? In the words of Z.Z. Top, "...every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man."

John Varvatos
122 Spring Street
(212) 965-0700
www.johnvarvatos.com

Photos by Rebecca Prusinowski