Paul Weller Is New Face of John Varvatos (Exclusive)

3:26 PM PDT 7/10/2012 by Shirley Halperin

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The British "Mod" icon poses alongside up-and-comer Miles Kane in a new campaign shot by acclaimed rock photographer Danny Clinch.

John Varvartos

John Varvatos’ latest ad campaign stars a beloved British rocker and his heir apparent. Paul Weller, known for his days with English punk band The Jam, then later with The Style Council and as a solo artist, poses with 26-year-old newcomer Miles Kane, outside a pawn shop on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

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Acclaimed rock photographer Danny Clinch shot the campaign, his 17th for the designer, each of which is meant to evoke the brand’s affinity for rock 'n' roll style-makers. Past collaborators include Green Day, Franz Ferdinand, Perry Farrell, Cheap Trick, Alice Cooper, Velvet Revolver, Iggy Pop, Chris Cornell, Joe Perry, Ryan Adams, Slash, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.

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Says Stephen Niedzweicki, creative director of design house Yard and longtime Varvatos collaborator, “The images were inspired by some of the early post-Mod portraits of Paul, as well as classic portraits from the British music scene of that time. By bringing together a veteran musician with another who’s just getting started, we were able to look both forward and back and introduce a whole new dynamic.”

Varvatos, who was a mentor and judge on NBC's Fashion Star this year, described the images as a “kind of passing of the musical torch. … You can see the influence that Paul, a fashion and musical icon, has had on Miles. These two Mod men dressed to the nines provide such a spectacular contrast to their surroundings. ”

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As a bonus, the new shoot also includes a video element, inspired in part by the music-driven films of 1960s England, like the Beatles’ 1964 A Hard Day’s Night. The soundtrack is Weller’s song “That Dangerous Age” from his latest album Sonik Kicks.

Says the 53-year-old “Modfather”: “Of course I’m proud of what I’ve done, but I’m interested in what’s next. I want to be relevant now, in 2012. I’ve done my bit for the past. I’ve only ever been about what’s next, really, and I’ll be that way until I keel over.”

See an image from Varvatos' Green Day campaign below:0