A PRESSING DESIRE TO APPRECIATE THE MOMENT INSPIRED JOHN VARVATOS TO LAUNCH LUXURY LIFESTYLE LINE ON THIS DAY—AND OPEN ITS NEW SUNSET BOULEVARD FLAGSHIP.
After 22 years running his eponymous men’s fashion brand, John Varvatos has launched a new venture. On This Day, his luxury lifestyle clothing and accessory line for both men and women, was an idea that sprouted during the pandemic. “During COVID, I started thinking about what I really wanted to do,” says Varvatos, who stepped away from his namesake label in 2020. “I thought about how people dress today, and how there’s this crossover in fashion that’s happening where men wear women’s clothing and vice versa.” The designer also considered how pop culture—sports, movies, contemporary art, music—plays into how people dress. “I went to a basketball game in New York and it was like a runway show,” he says, also mentioning the influential fashion seen at art fairs like Art Basel and Frieze.
On This Day founder John Varvatos at the brand’s new Sunset Boulevard shop PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
Those thoughts eventually led to Varvatos creating mood boards, making sketches and noting any sort of reference that inspired him, eventually coming up with the concept for On This Day. The brand—which offers clothing, jewelry, footwear and accessories for all genders—came to life quickly. “The journey officially started in September 2020, and in October 2021, we launched online and opened a great store in New York on the corner of West Broadway and Spring.”
Pieces from On This Day’s spring ’22 collection PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
The recently opened L.A. store is located in the former H&M space on Sunset, next to Equinox, SunLife Organics, and the shops and restaurants of Sunset Plaza. Varvatos didn’t originally think he wanted a boutique on Sunset, but the area’s recent additions—Fred Segal, Kith and more—and renewed atmosphere changed his mind. “There’s a good energy here,” he explains.
On This Day has clothing and accessories for men and women—some of which are interchangeable and unisex. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
While John Varvatos the brand was almost solely inspired by rock ’n’ roll, On This Day’s collection of beautifully made track pants, blazers, knits and more—all of which have an elegantly casual style—takes cues from many references, and a wide range of pieces can be worn by men and women alike. “I don’t want to tell you how to dress,” he says, noting that OTD plans to open several more stores across the country this year. “That’s what I love [about] this kind of free-form dressing. I can give you the ingredients—the parts of the recipe—and you make your final dish the way you want to.”
On This Day has clothing and accessories for men and women—some of which are interchangeable and unisex. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
In addition to versatility, sustainability is a big part of the brand’s ethos—many pieces are constructed of fabric made from recycled bottles, and suede used is the byproduct from the food industry. “If it’s not used for food, we don’t buy the skins,” says Varvatos, who also stays busy with his record label John Varvatos Records, and with Villa One, the ultrapremium tequila brand he co-founded with Nick Jonas.
On This Day has clothing and accessories for men and women—some of which are interchangeable and unisex. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
So, what about that name? “I started to notice memories popping up on my Facebook feed, like a picture of my wife and my daughter on spring break on a specific date,” Varvatos explains. “It was always something special that felt like a great moment. We should really be celebrating these great moments in time, whether they be personal, or something in history or pop culture to remember.” otdnyc.com
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