Sahara 1920s, image Wolfgang Wiggers via Flickr

Rock ‘n’ roll may be John Varvatos’ calling card, but the New York designer is throwing caution to the wind for SS15 with a collection that he says steers in a more nostalgic direction. Think Sahara sands awash with the paintbox colours of sepia film, a return to the raw – guitar pick still in hand, mind you.

John Varvatos SS15

“This season we wanted to stay within out DNA because we have our own handwriting but at the same time wanted to do something fresh and new,” says Varvatos. “We got on this thing that felt more organic and from a place somewhat like the Sahara. There’s a tonality to it, lots of sandy shades, whites and rusts. Mixed in with black. It’s a lot less straight ahead rock and roll for me, it’ s softer.

It’s quite artisanal in terms of the fabrics and leathers. It’s not rustic and not bohemian, it’s got a citified edge that meets this Sahara sensibility. It’s very much a city guy, no doubt about it.

It was really the books I had been trawling through at teh library and book stores. It was black and white photography at first then colour, and I found these spia tones in old photographs taken of the Sahar. Everything had a warm feeling to it, the whites and khakis were quite warm. A rust, caramel colour mixed within and elements of grey. All the colours felt simple and organic in these photos.

The lines of the collection are also quite unique. There’s a lot of proportion from hourglass shapes to a duster kind of feel.”

John Varvatos shows his SS15 collection in Milan tomorrow, Saturday 21st June. Stay tuned to HERO for full fashion week coverage from London, Florence, Milan and Paris