John Bates (Jean Varon)

Working under the name of Jean Varon, a name that he chose based on its implication of a French background, John Bates began his apprenticeship with Gerard Pipart at Herbert Sidon of Sloane Street in 1957. Only two years afterwards he began designing fashion freelance and while he contributed some important pieces to the 1960s fashion movement, namely the bikini dress and the striped tube dress, his truly memorable pieces came about in the 1970s.

By the time he had started his own label in 1972, Bates had become a member of the elite group of designers making up the core of British fashion along with Bill Gibb, Zandra Rhodes, and Jean Muir. Much like Halston, another popular designer of that decade, Bates wanted to produce quality fashion worthy of magazines and members of the social elite, but at a price that an office secretary could afford to pay. Under his John Bates label, he pushed the envelope and created more avant-garde designs, using expensive material like fur, leather, and pure silk, while under his Jean Varon label, he designed softer, gentler garments meant to play on a woman's natural, subtle beauty by accenting her femininity.

Perhaps the most important contribution that Bates made to the fashion world came about in 1973 when he designed a famous evening dress with a backless design, heightening the wearer's natural sensuality while refusing to completely draw an onlooker's attention away from the garment itself. With the garment's success, Bates continued experimenting with evening wear and met with considerable success. He implemented the Empire silhouette quite frequently in his evening dresses, giving his collections an old-world charm infused with bold, current colours. His use of Op art print fabrics is especially notable and relevant to fashion in that decade.

Eventually, the John Bates label fell into bankruptcy and with that loss of success, Bates opted to leave the world of mainstream fashion. Fashion designer Tom Bowker continued the Jean Varon label while Bates retired to Wales, where he took up work as an artist. While his name is no longer household, leaving only the most well-learned of fashion gurus to reminisce on his undeniable talent, Bates left his mark in the fashion world and garments from his self-titled clothing label remain valuable collectibles for those who appreciate his designs.