Image via Getty/Dia Dipasupil
From my side of the phone, it sounds like John Elliott is already at home in New York City. A friend passing by the designer’s latest flagship located at 270 Lafayette St. in SoHo briefly distracts Elliott during the conversation. The exchange sounds congratulatory, with Elliott thanking the individual and inviting them back later.
The community that Elliott has already seemed to build in New York City makes sense. He says the eponymous label, which has been around since 2012, was born there, despite its home base across the country in Los Angeles. Elliott says the city is where his highest concentration of customers resides. Setting up shop in the Big Apple, supplanting the old G-Star Raw flagship just steps away from Supreme’s shuttered OG storefront on Lafayette Street, is something that the designer says has always been a goal.
“Our first wholesale order was to Atrium. We’ve done nine shows in New York. We’ve had very meaningful moments for the brand in New York City,” Elliott tells Complex. “So in some ways it’s kind of like a homecoming, but in other ways you approach it with a great deal of respect because you recognize the fact that you’re entering a city that is fast paced and has a lot going on. If you don’t put your best foot forward, New York will definitely call you on that. So you wanna make sure that you’re the best version of yourself.”
The space itself is developed by the architect, Stephan Wiemer, who also developed John Elliott’s other flagships in Miami and Los Angeles. The minimalistic 2,700-square-foot shopping space will be home to a rotating selection of exclusives, such as limited-edition military-inspired outerwear and graphic mesh shorts, along with the brand’s seasonal offerings of sportswear, Japanese denim, Italian-made footwear, and more. Walls are covered by Japanese white tiles, while iridescent surfaces add a unique element thanks to the large floor-to-ceiling windows that let in tons of natural light. A shop-in-shop with art book publisher Taschen located on the second floor will be home to a curated selection of books.
“I honestly think that with our knitwear program, our jersey program, our French Terry program, our denim program, it lends itself to an in-person experience more so than online,” says Elliott when asked if there was any apprehension about opening another brick and mortar location. “It’s exciting because even in the pandemic people are shopping. I’m definitely not concerned. When you can do retail with an intention and you can do it well, there’s a space for you.”
A day before the official grand opening of the designer’s third flagship, we caught up with Elliott to discuss his brand’s latest milestone, his thoughts on the future of runway shows, what’s next for the almost decade-old brand, and more.
Check out the full conversation below.
Why did you feel now was the right time for you and the brand to put these roots in New York City?
Obviously, the first thing is finding a space that lends itself to the brand. I think we definitely checked that box by being on the corner of Prince and Lafayette. Just the amount of friends and people that we know who have just kind of walked by like, “Hey, can I pop in?” And the next thing you know, you give them a hug and you’re chatting about their family and life. So [the location] was pretty much a bullseye for our customers or friends. You’re talking about a space that has 20-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, tons of natural light, with a panoramic view of New York City, and a cross section between Nolita and Soho. It was too good to pass up.
The last thing would just be where the brand is at right now. I think we’ve been very much focused on evolving the brand into a young luxury brand, so making sure we have an assortment that feels like it’s catered to New York. So like, a robust outerwear offering, a fully realized leather collection, an Italian-made footwear collection, a healthy women’s business, checking each one of those boxes individually. It takes time and intention and effort. Once you kinda get each one of those propositions to a place where it feels right, that’s when it might be time to approach the big leagues, which is obviously New York.
Has a New York flagship always been a goal for you? Have you always seen that as a marker that you wanted to hit with the brand?
One-hundred percent. I mean, to be honest, this is where the brand was really birthed. Our first wholesale order was to Atrium. We’ve done nine shows in New York. We’ve had very meaningful moments for the brand in New York City. This is where our largest cluster of customers is, the majority of our social following is all in the New York area. So in some ways it’s kind of like a homecoming, but in other ways you approach it with a great deal of respect because you recognize the fact that you’re entering a city that is fast paced and has a lot going on. If you don’t put your best foot forward, New York will definitely call you on that. So you wanna make sure that you’re the best version of yourself. I’m proud to say that I’m very happy with how the design, the fixtures, the merchandise within the store, all turned out.
How long has this been in the works for you?
As the pandemic hit, I think people were probably looking to get out of physical retail. That opens up opportunities for young brands that have a strong direct-to-consumer base and are looking forward and looking for opportunities. That’s what we’re doing. We opened up in Miami in February. As soon as this popped up, we snagged it ‘cause we knew the power of this corner. We’re just really trying to play offense. I would never bet against New York. I think that this is a real opportunity for brands. If you’re in a position to make a play, you can have that in person back and forth with your customers, and I firmly believe in in-person retail. I don’t think it’s going anywhere. You just have to do it with intention and do it well.
Are you able to break down the store a little bit and just sort of along with that, what was your mindset as far as what you wanted to accomplish with the space that you’re presenting to the customers?
I appreciate you asking that. I think we want to try to subtly convey some design principles that are very much inherent within the brand. So we have a 16-foot fixture that is really like a continuous piece of metal. It allows for a shopping experience where there’s no breaks and you can kind of just wander in and out of it. It doesn’t really have a protruding feel within the store. My partner in development is Japanese and he was able to open up a pipeline to Japan for both denim and knitwear, cut and sew. We produce probably about 50 percent of the line in Japan. So, pre-pandemic, I was constantly traveling to Japan, Tokyo being the hub. You’ll definitely see those influences in the store. We have Japanese rectangular tiles and organic shapes. They’re supposed to be reminiscent of subways. We’re also trying to tap into Southern California a little bit, so we opened up the windows and let a ton of natural light in, to have a feel that feels a little bit reminiscent of California. You have those elements, and then we have a Taschen shop on the second floor. That highlights inspirations and interests that I have. I’m obviously constantly looking for inspiration and trying to stay off the internet and in a book. I think that’s something that also is like, a conversation starter for people in the store.
Image via John Elliott
Do you have a favorite feature of the space?
This is probably a little bit of an unexpected answer, but the height of the ceilings and the amount of natural light in the windows. It allows for a view into the store that almost feels like it’s a part of the city and that’s part of the street, but then when you’re in the space it’s clean, it’s serene, and it’s calm. I’m literally looking out at the city right now. This indoor-outdoor approach to how we approach the store is very West Coast, but it still feels extremely New York. It’s us.
What do you feel like John Elliott can kinda bring to SoHo and kind of introduced to the New York consumer?
We take a uniform approach to dressing, almost like this modular approach where things are intended to work together and every piece is very much considered. It’s treated with great respect in terms of how it’s made, and the materials that are chosen to try to convey this idea. We try to be as democratic as possible with our pricing. It’s this young luxury attitude that is very much American in spirit. And the elements that make up that wardrobe are denim from Japan, jersey and French Terry made completely from start to finish in Los Angeles, knitwear from Italy, footwear from Italy, technical outerwear done in Japan. It’s sourced from all around the world, but it comes through this lens that is focused and very much has a point of view. It’s from California, but it was born in New York. It’s a way of dressing. It’s unique. There’s twists. I think that’s when you go upstairs and you wander through the Taschen selection and you’re like, “What? John’s into astrology?” There’s quirks. There’s unbranded, very minimal artwork, but there’s like, there’s twists and turns within each product, in terms of either fit or details, that I think the hardcore customer has come to expect and revel in. I think, to new customers, it’s that learning that hopefully will excite them.
Are there any new drops that are going to happen to mark the opening? Will the store be carrying exclusive items moving forward that only people that shop in the store will be able to purchase?
I appreciate you asking that as well. So right now we have an exclusive outerwear capsule that is like a military selection that I’ve been working on for a couple of years rooted in 1940s Naval uniforms. I have an exclusive practice short in a Lynx print that I brought back. It was sort of sought after and I think it was resold on the secondary market for exorbitant prices. We’re bringing that back as an exclusive. The plan is that we will always have product in this store that will only be available at the store. There will always be a reason to pop in and see what’s what, as long as it’s in stock, is exclusive to SoHo.
The store is opening during New York Fashion Week. Throughout the pandemic, various designers have had to get creative with how they’ve been presenting their new collections to the world, you included. What is your outlook on the future of runway shows? Because even for instance, you used to present in New York, but this year you’re opening a store during fashion week instead.
I think runway shows are still incredibly important. I just think you need to have a reason and an intention for why you’re doing it. If you want me to be just totally candid, in the past it was kind of like if you got on that treadmill and you got off of it, the industry would have looked at you with concern. Like “What’s going on with that brand? Are they in trouble?” And I think a lot of brands and designers potentially felt that pressure to stay on that spinning wheel. I think now designers and brands, your only responsibility is to do what’s best for your brand, at least that’s how I feel.
I think that realization is like freedom. It’s like freedom to serve your customers and your potential new customers, and really do what’s best for you and not feel like you need to be as concerned with what the industry people think. That freedom is something that I’m completely embracing. But also I’m not gonna pretend like I don’t understand the power of a huge runway show. And we’ve had some massive moments that put the brand on that trajectory where I’m able to be sitting on the steps of my new SoHo store. I think when you can tap into it and do it with intention and understand that it’s a huge stage and you need to make sure that you treat that stage with respect and show up when there’s a reason. I think that’s the future of fashion shows, not so much being tethered to, like, a week, but maybe doing it on your own terms.
The store that you have now is stationed on the corner of Lafayette. The original Supreme store was just steps away. I know that Supreme and your brand are very different things, but just in general, have you thought about sort of the significance of this section of the block and what it sort of means to be able to have your new flagship stationed here?
Without a doubt. I was in the store last night till like 1 a.m. and you walk past the park and you look to your left and you see like the row of dudes, you know, skaters posted up hanging out and you know what this section of the city means to the residents and the greater American experience. So, no, it’s definitely not lost on me. And I think you can feel that like, sitting here today in the store and seeing who is walking by and what they’re wearing and what their interests are, what they’re experimenting with, it’s inspiring. It honestly makes me feel excited to contribute and excited to be a part of it. It’s definitely not lost on me.
You always hear people sort of say that brick and mortar is a dying aspect of the fashion world. Was there any sort of apprehension about adding a third store to what you guys are doing?
[Laughs.] Obviously, no. I mean, look, you have to be calculated, right? You have to do your homework. It’s the same thing with doing a show. You have to make sure that you’re making the investment with the intention of making sure that it’s going to pencil out and it makes sense for your brand. Every one of our stores is on a trajectory that is definitely additive to the business in its own way. We’re a brand that very much, I think, lends itself to the in-store experience. We invest so much time in developing new fabrics and customizing fabrics, customizing techniques, and I think that really lends itself to an in-person experience. Obviously we have a very healthy e-commerce business and that’s kind of how we built the brand for almost 10 years now. But I honestly think that with our knitwear program, our jersey program, our French Terry program, our denim program, it lends itself to an in-person experience more so than online. It’s exciting because even in the pandemic people are shopping. I’m definitely not concerned. When you can do retail with an intention and you can do it well, there’s a space for you.
So now you have a store on each coast, you have the Miami store, and you have the e-commerce site. And like you said, your brand kind of lends itself to that experience. Has that sort of affected your view on wholesale moving forward? Have you thought about moving away from that at all?
No, no. I mean, look, it’s kinda like having friends, right? Like, when you’re friends with someone for 10 years, you don’t just look at them one day and be like: “I’m over you.” These are people that helped us get to this point. I think we will definitely be looking at distribution as an entryway into the brand and a way for us to introduce ourselves to new customers. It’s probably obvious we’re not looking to aggressively grow wholesale, but at the same time we appreciate our partners and are looking to steadily take care of that business.
The partnership that you’ve been doing with UCLA Health throughout the pandemic has been really amazing. Do you plan on continuing that partnership and are there any sort of New York-based initiatives that we can expect the brand to take on in the future at any point?
Another great question. I really appreciate you asking this. This is something that honestly doesn’t get highlighted enough, but that partnership has allowed us to try to feel a little bit of control in a time when we all as a country and as a planet have felt out of control. It’s allowed us to feel like we are making a contribution in a significant way. It’s been something that we’ve been able to really kind of change people’s lives. When you think about that and you get to meet those people and talk to them and understand what the contributions have meant to them, it’s something that’s humbling. We definitely plan to continue that. Now, that’s just a part of the brand. I think that’s the exciting thing. Once we started, that’s not going to be something that stops. And I think as we get more ingrained in New York City, I do anticipate that we will try to find causes that feel like they really speak to our interests and principles and we can make significant contributions.
Someone that’s remained a really huge supporter of the brand has been LeBron [James]. You’ve worked with him officially before. Can we expect that partnership to continue in some form or fashion down the line?
I would just say stay tuned. I so appreciate having the opportunity to have worked on a project with LeBron and Nike, one of those things that you honestly can’t even believe is happening while it’s happening. I think there’s a great deal of mutual respect there and all I can say is we’ll have to wait and see.
Along with the new stores and the initiatives and all that, the brand’s actual output is growing as well from season to season, whether it’s you experimenting with a new pattern or introducing the footwear line last year. What’s next? What do you want to accomplish or improve on?
I’m really trying to, for lack of a better term, sharpen the sword on men’s and women’s right now. Just get each collection as dialed as it possibly can be. We definitely have a hardcore following that we appreciate and want to continue to grow with, but I’m excited to meet new people. I think women’s is a huge opportunity. I think the footwear program is a huge opportunity. I think our leather program, this new outerwear program, this gives us the opportunity to meet those new people. So just continuing to subtly expand in those categories.