MACHINE GUN KELLY CHOSEN AS FACE OF JOHN VARVATOS’ FALL AD CAMPAIGN

Musician Machine Gun Kelly has been chosen as the face of John Varvatos’ fall/winter 2017 advertising campaign. It was conceived by the YARD and includes a series of black-and white photographs by Danny Clinch, as well as a video.

“The energy we’ve captured in partnership with John Varvatos and Danny Clinch over the years has allowed us to constantly innovate,” said Stephen Niedzwiecki, founder and chief creative officer of YARD. “For this season’s ‘Rock Is Dead. Long Live Rock’ campaign, we collaborated with musician MGK, who represents the future of rock — one that doesn’t define itself through six strings and an amp, but rather one that builds authenticity through intimate connections to audiences. Creatively this season, we developed micro pieces of content that illuminate the meaning behind MGK’s iconic songs and pushed the boundaries of live video on Facebook, specifically meeting his fans where they engage most.”

Adds Varvatos: “As a big fan of his music, I’ve followed Machine Gun Kelly’s career as he’s risen from the streets of Cleveland to an international star. Not only has his music evolved but so has he. Our shared passion for music, mid-western roots, and living life with a rebel spirit has bonded us in friendship. I am extremely excited to have MGK as the face of the JV brand for our Fall 17 campaign.”

The feeling was echoed by Kelly (who closed Varvatos’ “Wild at Heart” runway show last February). He remarked: “We’re two rock and roll souls who were bound to come together and bridge the gap between generations. Glad it happened this way.”