John Elliott heads to Paris for spring 2018

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
May 13, 2017

John Elliott announced on Friday that he is debuting his spring 2018 collection in Paris during Paris Fashion Week. The California-based designer is the latest designer to exit the New York Fashion Week schedule in favor of Paris, joining Proenza Schouler and Rodarte.

 
The CFDA designer has presented 10 collections in New York City. Initially, Elliott presented during New York Fashion Week, but he joined the NYFW: Men’s schedule when the men’s fashion week was created in 2015. John Elliott runway shows became one of the main attractions for NYFW: Men’s, alongside John Varvatos, Todd Snyder and Rochambeau.
 
The departure of John Elliott takes some star power away from the men's fashion week. NYFW: Men's received renewed attention with the addition of Raf Simons and Hugo Boss in February, but the week still lacks major names like its counterparts in London, Milan and Paris.

American heavy-hitter designers such as Thom Browne, Virgil Abloh, and Rick Owens show in Paris and continue to show in the city despite the creation of the dedicated men’s fashion week. In addition, menswear stars such as Public School and Pyer Moss among others show prefer the traditional NYFW schedule over the men’s schedule.
  
Rodarte, one of the New York Fashion Week regulars that will show in Paris next season, said in January that the best audience of buyers and editors assemble in Paris during fashion week. Aaron Lavee, co-founder and CEO and John Elliott, shared a similar response saying that the central location in Paris gives the brand a business opportunity, and going to Paris is "a logical next step."

Lavee also said that the CFDA has been very supportive of the label, and they plan to continue to work together in other capacities.