Rock ‘n’ Roll has been inspiring John Varvatos’ ad campaign imagery for a decade and following the brand’s 10th anniversary campaign in Fall 2010, which featured 39 of the world’s most iconic and influential rockers of all time, one could say that the brand definitely owns rock ‘n’ roll in the fashion industry. For Spring 2011, Varvatos has chosen Dave Matthews, the lead vocalist and guitar player of the Dave Matthews Band (the leading touring act of this millennium) to continue the heritage of creating beautiful fashion images that stand the test of time—just as the music of the artists they feature. Photographer Danny Clinch shot the campaign in studio and on location in the streets of New York City, with Dave Matthews portrayed as a “One-Man Band” – a role the South-African born musician played naturally.
Two time Grammy Award Winner Dave Matthews and his band got their start in Charlottesville, North Carolina, in 1991. The band has since become one of the most successful touring bands in music history; following 20 years of non-stop roadwork that dates back to the band’s inception, the tours and live concerts of Dave Matthews Band have become a huge part of many people’s lives. Dave Matthews is known for his balance of styles and musical understanding that produces a rock-jazz-funky-blues sound, along with his deeply moving lyrics and powerful performances that carry his audience in and out of time.
John Varvatos comments, “Dave has reached a milestone in his musical career and is taking a well-deserved year off in 2011. We feel honored that he has chosen to collaborate with us to create such timeless imagery for this season’s campaign. It’s inspiring to work with such a master—Dave is the real deal.”
YARD Creative Director, Stephen Niedzweicki, drew the campaign’s inspiration from Dave Matthew’s love for old things and vintage instruments, combined with a curiosity for images of carnivals, carnies, and street performers. In order to create a classic portrait of Dave, and after exploring imagery from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s of street performers, the concept of Dave as the “One-Man Band” was born. A one man band contraption was built from scratch using various vintage instruments. Once this was incorporated with John Varvatos’ vision for Dave’s look—and the mischievous “Coco the Monkey” was introduced—it was the perfect recipe for an amazing image.
“Dave was perfectly suited for the one man band idea. He embraced the concept fully and it really comes through in the imagery. I feel this is a true and authentic expression of Dave and his personality. Although our primarily studio approach this season was different than in past, we have created an image of Dave that stands out and seamlessly fits amongst the other iconic images that have been created for Varvatos,” said Stephen Niedzweicki, adding that “Coco the monkey and Dave have created a special long term friendship…I love when that happens on shoots!”
The concept allowed Danny Clinch and YARD to create a short art film that was more conceptual and story-telling than just a typical behind the scenes capture. This is an abstract piece that will be appreciated by both John Varvatos and Dave Matthews’ fans alike.
Click here to view the Dave Matthews for John Varvatos short film.
http://www.johnvarvatos.com/the-world-of/tv#/dave-matthews/
Concepted by YARD and photographed by Danny Clinch the previous ten campaigns have served to underscore the brand’s affinity for eclectic and iconic style makers. Past seasons have featured Franz Ferdinand, Perry Farrell, Cheap Trick, Alice Cooper, Velvet Revolver, Iggy Pop, Chris Cornell, Joe Perry and Ryan Adams, as well Slash, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, to name a few.
Danny Clinch stated, “I’ve known Dave for quite a while and we have worked together many times. When the idea of having him part of the new campaign came up we all knew he’d be a great fit. Dave’s personality and sense of humor are unique and he’s the type of artist who always participates in a shoot and brings something memorable to the table. This makes a big difference. It is very satisfying to collaborate on a campaign and have so much creative freedom. It turned the shoot into a great hang and an unforgettable experience.”
For nearly two decades acclaimed music photographer and documentary filmmaker Danny Clinch has captured some of the most iconic names in music: Cash, Springsteen, Dylan and Tupac, just to name a few. The organic feel and texture of his work lets the subjects breathe and the music flow. His work has appeared in such publications as Vanity Fair, Spin, Rolling Stone, GQ, Esquire, the New Yorker and the New York Times Magazine, and his photographs have appeared on hundreds of album covers.
Since its founding in 2002, YARD has conceptualized, art directed, and produced an award-winning range of work in print and television advertising, packaging, editorial, and product design. YARD is a hybrid creative agency that blends the expertise of a style-driven fashion shop with that of a consumer-minded ad agency. By marrying an artistic eye for image-making with a strategic gut for brand-building, YARD creates arresting visuals that drive contemporary culture while crafting relevant storylines that resonate with the targets of fashion clients such as John Varvatos, Converse and LeSportsac, beauty clients like Bobbi Brown, Henri Bendel and Method, and entertainment clients like The Sundance Channel, Lifetime and MTV.
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 luxury fragrances, as well as the younger, edgier John Varvatos * 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.