Varvatos Blends Celebrity and Fragrance with Star USA

Fashion Star John Varvatos' new show is getting mixed reviews, but his latest Star fragrance seems to be a hit.

The menswear designer is among judges on the new NBC show Fashion Star, which premiered last night. He's also promoting his newest men's fragrance, John Varvatos Star USA. The fragrance features top notes of red ginger, juniper berries and cedrat; a heart of blue spruce, green cardamom absolute and osmanthus absolute; and a base of vetiver, Venzuelan tonka and belambre.

Packaged with a cap inspired by vintage beer bottles, and a topper that replicates an old subway token, the men's cologne was created with the casual jeans-wearing guy in mind. The scent is part of Varvatos' Star USA fashion collection, which consists of high-end jeans, suits, shoes and accessories.

Detroit native Varvatos, who gave a shout out to his hometown in the pilot of Fashion Star, is head of a virtual fashion empire, and is poised to accept the 2012 Spirit of Design Award at the Philadelphia University Fashion Show on April 28.

And with the debut of Fashion Star, he can add reality show judge to his resume. The show pits up-and-coming designers against each other to vie for actual contracts with department stores that put winning merchandise up for sale the next day.

Along with Varvatos, Fashion Star features celebrity judges Nicole Ritchie and Jessica Simpson, host Elle Macpherson, and buyers from Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and H&M.