Thanks to the new John Varvatos store, San Francisco's little Euro enclave known as Maiden Lane has received a long overdue jolt of masculinity - complete with manly wood floors, exposed brick walls, rock and roll paraphernalia as far as the eyes can see and, of course, the luxury rocker-chic clothing that has made John Varvatos one of the top menswear designers in the world.

At last week's grand opening party benefiting The Guardsmen, socialites sipped cocktails, ate hearty hors d'ourves and rocked out to music by the Grammy Award-winning band, Los Lonely Boys.

Amidst the high-society chatter and surrounded by the authentic rock and roll photos (which include everyone from Debbie Harry to Alice Cooper), I had the chance to have a short interview with the designer of the moment - Mr. Varvatos himself.

How long have you wanted to open a store in San Francisco?

It's a pretty good story because I looked at this same exact space in November 2002. I really loved it but it needed a lot of work. We were a fairly young company then. Six years later I came back and the space was available.

What kind of man wears your label?

It's a lot of different guys, but it's a guy who is confident. He's not necessarily a

fashion guru, but he likes style. He likes things that have lasting appeal to them. He's kind of eclectic. I don't think he's a uniform guy. He might wear an elegant suit, but I don't think he's about having every outfit be perfect. He's a little more eclectic. He's a confident guy who's well-educated and cares about his grooming.

How do you stay in tune with the modern male to gauge what you design?

Part of it is gut. It's also about being in communication with them all the time. I work in our stores so I get the direct feedback from them. It's all about communication.

When you design, how do you keep a balance of your own fashion vision and what the consumer wants?

I think there are a lot of guys who want what my vision is all about, so I try to stay true to who I am. That's been my success so far.

What would you like to see more in men's fashion today?

I think it's more about guys wanting to step out a little bit - to push the envelope. I don't think you should wear anything that you're uncomfortable in. I call it an evolution, not a revolution.

What do you like about San Francisco?

It's a walking city. I love the architecture. To me, it's like the west coast New York. I love the guys here. I think they are very into style, they're super-educated and they love masculine clothes.

What can we expect for your new collection in New York Fashion Week in September?

It's super, super elegant. It's the most elegant collection that we've done - but it's not that we don't have the elements that we have always done. Our next show is about the return to elegance.

The John Varvatos store is located at 152 Geary Street in San Francisco. Reach Dino-Ray Ramos at 925-945-4713 or dramos@bayareanewsgroup.com. To read more about the store opening and to see pictures visit the Dressed fashion blog: www.ibabuzz.com/fashion.