Ciao, New York

(NEW YORK) American editors and retailers accustomed to seeing John Varvatos' spring collection in New York during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will now view the collection a full three months earlier--in Milan.

Today, the designer's press office sent word that Varvatos will be showing his Spring 2009 collection in Milan during a breakfast  presentation on June 24 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 22 Via Alserio, sandwiched in between the Marni and Dsquared shows. "In past seasons, we have presented only to the International press and buyers while in Milan," the company said in an email. "This season we would like to invite all as we can not confirm a NYC show later in September."

This isn't the first time Varvatos has opted to show there. He presented his spring 2004 collection in Milan in what was then billed as a significant blow to the men's sector of New York Fashion Week. He also showed at Pitti Uomo in Florence in January 2002. At the time, Varvatos, who sells his spring collection in June to retailers--nearly three months before the Sept. shows in New York--expressed concern that he was showing too many months after opening the collection.

Since his most recent Milan show, Varvatos has staged eight subsequent fashion shows in New York with the exception of September 2004, when he sent out a lookbook instead.

Varvatos' strategic move highlights the importance fellow American designers have voiced in presenting at an earlier date. Calvin Klein Collection has staged its men's show in Milan since 2002. Other designers that have been in Milan or have spoken openly about wanting to show their men's lines there are Ralph Lauren, who used to show Purple Label, and Marc Jacobs.