Fall Risk by John Targon

John Targon, 36, New York

John Targon is already a familiar name in the fashion world. As a co-founder of the New York-based brand Baja East and the former creative director of Marc Jacobs’s contemporary ventures, the 36-year-old Chicago native has been in the industry’s limelight on and off for half a decade. In 2017, after leaving Baja East, Targon took a step back from fashion. “I wanted to shut the door on shame and bring forward my life’s learnings,” he says. This ultimately led to his new label, Fall Risk by John Targon, which he launched in April of this year. The name is lifted from the wristbands given to medical patients, which caught Targon’s eye when he was looking out for an intoxicated friend at a hospital in New York. “Life is unexpected and these chapters of our story are both humbling and hilarious — your clothes should reflect that,” he says. Instead of showing seasonal collections, Targon is selling his garments — which are inspired by retro sportswear and streetwear — directly to his customers while creating buzz through social media. A knitwear expert, Targon seeks to create comfortable yet thoughtful clothing that is seasonless and uncomplicated. “My clothes should be a second skin so that when you’re comfortable in them, well then, they’re yours,” he says. His latest collection, which will be Fall Risk’s fourth, is inspired by the idea of remix, and it references the ’70s and ’90s as well as pieces from his own past collections. There’s also a subtle sports motif, seen in an argyle polo shirt inspired by boarding school uniforms and a chunky powder-blue sleeveless sweater with a shrunken fit.

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