Browsing Tag

Diet Coke

Fashion

FALL, RISK, REPEAT

THE EVOLUTION OF DESIGNER JOHN TARGON, THE ENIGMATIC DESIGNER , HOW HIS NEW BRAND FALL RISK IS NOT ONLY SHAKING UP THE FASHION WORLD, BUT TAKING IT BY STORM

John Targon is known as being a Jack (or John) of all trades in the fashion, marketing, and design world. John Targon alone is a force to be reckoned with. From his positions at Burberry and Celine, to launching his own brand Baja East; he went for what we wanted. When he left Baja East to start his new fashion line Fall Risk, some were skeptical, as he had recently had a short-lived tenure as the Creative Director of Marc Jacobs contemporary line for two months.

In that time period he freelanced, re-evaluated his life and what his goals were, and the vision for what he wanted his new brand to be. ENTER FALL RISK. Fall Risk is a label they put on hospital bands when a person cannot walk, and needs to be escorted. Being the savant that he is, he turned that into a brand, an exclusive membership, and fashion line to build upon with each volume. I am sucker wearing Volume 3 now.

Being a close friend of John for the past five years, it’s been inspiring to watch the evolution of his career. When we first met he was the co-founder of Baja East, and then I got to watch him grow into the person that he is today. Humble, kind, someone that actually speaks to their customers and doesn’t outsource. Not because he can’t, because he doesn’t wasn’t to. He launched Fall Risk Volume 1 to a complete sell out in 43 minutes, and not only was his team answering the phones but so was he. He was able to recognize certain customers and friends and ask their opinion, what they liked and didn’t like. Which other designer does that? An original one that has a vision people can’t perceive until it is set in motion.

I just returned home from Los Angeles back to New York City, wearing Fall Risk’s Ocean Blue cashmere waffle knit sweat suit, and have been complimented and asked about it at least 20 times. It has hard telling them it is sold out, because Targon’s marketing model is to make only 50 pieces of each item and then they are gone. But therein lies the genius, you build upon your knitwear collection with Fall Risk, otherwise you don’t. If you miss out, you have to wait.

Targon does not rinse and repeat, unless it is for charity in which he donated his time and waffle knit sweat suit to Gabrielle’s Angel Foundations’ inaugural Midsummer Gala for young entrepreneurs. We hosted it at the newly opened Moxy Hotel in Chelsea, in which he was down to graciously donate his time and very exclusive products before there launch date. His auction item was one of the most bided on for the event.

John clearly knows what he is doing. It is almost as if everything he touches turns to gold, like the gold Rolex adorning his wrist where he has Fall Risk tattooed. He knows what we wants, and he goes for it, and get it or finds a way to do so. When writing this post one of my favorite quotes from the press from his interview with Vogue was, “You’re not held back from your first fall or your second fall or your third fall.” That is something I relate to on so many different levels. 

So take your FALL RISK hard, and shop Volume 4!