Born and raised in Ohio, John Bartlett is a graduate of Harvard University and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). He served as a designer for Willi Smith and Ronaldus Shamask before launching the John Bartlett collection in 1991.

Bartlett has served as Creative Director for Claiborne, renamed Claiborne by John Bartlett, Ghurka, and the Italian powerhouse brand Byblos. His collections have been shown at New York Fashion Week as well as internationally in Milan, Florence, and Tokyo.

The designer’s signature style embraces a rugged American authenticity that has earned him two CFDA Fashion Awards: the Perry Ellis Menswear Award for emerging talent in 1993 and Menswear Designer of the Year in 1997. In 2010, he was named Designer of the Year by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA).

Bartlett was also a winner of the 2011 CFDA/Lexus Eco-Fashion Challenge and made fashion week history with the debut of the first ever eco-luxe, 100 percent cruelty-free menswear collection at New York Fashion Week in February 2012.

He has long championed the issues of animal rights and welfare. Bartlett has worked alongside the Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary, PETA, the North Shore Animal League, and Dogs Deserve Better helping to raise awareness and spread the message of compassion.

Bartlett has personified his personal passions for animal welfare into the logo for all of his collections: his beloved three-legged rescue dog, Tiny Tim. The designer officially launched the Tiny Tim Rescue Fund, a nonprofit 501(c)3 in 2012. The Tiny Tim Rescue Fund helps support independent rescue groups across the country who are doing the heavy lifting of advocating for homeless dogs so that they may find their forever homes. The Tiny Tim Rescue Fund help these independent rescue groups with everything from medical needs, transportation, training, and temporary boarding.

Bartlett’s professional career has evolved and now includes working in the realm of higher education. After serving as Director of Fashion for three years at Marist College, Bartlett was recently named as Director of Fashion for Executive and Professional Studies at Parsons/The New School in New York City.