Bio

John Stavros is a Greek-born, New York–raised cultural pioneer whose five-decade career spans sports, fashion, music, entertainment, design, and creative direction. From the 1960s London rock revolution to the rise of American soccer culture, and from New York’s artistic avant-garde to global multimedia innovation, Stavros has left an indelible imprint on multiple cultural movements on both sides of the Atlantic.

A scholarship athlete at Long Island University—later inducted into the LIU Hall of Fame—Stavros was drafted by the New York Cosmos in 1974, becoming part of the era that brought international football to the American imagination. His influence in sports was not only personal but also structural: in 1977, he founded one of the first modern women’s soccer teams in the United States, the SSTs, recruiting talent from the emerging worlds of fashion, theatre, and athletics at a time when women’s football had no defined path. That initiative helped open the door to America’s future dominance in the women’s game, leading to the first full athletic scholarship for a female international player at NC State, now considered a foundational hub of U.S. women’s soccer.

At the age of 18, Stavros saw Jimi Hendrix perform at the Singer Bowl in Flushing Meadows Park—an experience that changed his life. He recalls thinking: “If Jimi Hendrix can influence the public, I can do the same with soccer.” Stavros’s early professional life unfolded in New York City beginning in 1968, where he worked for three years as a stage manager at the Pavilion and the Singer Bowl in Flushing Meadows Park.

Simultaneously, Stavros became deeply embedded in New York’s fashion, art, and glam rock underground. He promoted the iconic Granny Takes a Trip, contributed to the glam rock movement, and collaborated with figures such as Johnny Thunders, Sylvain Sylvain, and Bill Aucoin (manager of KISS) on visual branding and cultural presentation. As part of his creative circle, Stavros worked alongside Antonio Lopez and moved within the same social orbit as Jerry Hall and Andy Warhol, who photographed Stavros for his famed “Body Parts” series.

His visual and cultural influence expanded into media and performance through art direction for funk icon Betty Davis, a four-page centrefold appearance in After Dark—the global LGBTQ arts publication of the era—and coverage in major national newspapers, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The St. Petersburg Times.

In Hollywood, Stavros spent 30 years as Creative Director for Nelson Entertainment, reporting to CEO Richard Northcott. He was involved in films including 9 1/2 Weeks, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and When Harry Met Sally, among others.

He also worked with Playboy TV, contributing to the creation of its number-one show Night Calls, as well as other live and special programming over a nine-year period.

His complete body of work in film and television—as Production Designer, Art Director, and Costume Designer—is documented on IMDb under John Stavros.

Stavros played a role in relocating Andy Warhol to the New Factory on Madison Avenue with HQZ Enterprises, contributed to the development of the New Museum in SoHo through HQZ Enterprises, and founded PMP Studios on West 37th Street, focused on production, marketing, and promotions.

He was also the owner of 320 Studios NYC, one of the leading private event spaces in New York, and led promotions for the Champions World Series featuring top international football teams.

Today, Stavros channels this legacy into active contemporary creation through multiple ventures, including:

• A multi-volume publishing trilogy (with Olympia Publishers, London, UK)
• Team Gear94, the original 1994 U.S. World Cup licensed apparel line, now being relaunched
• Galena Soap Design Company, an art-driven luxury brand
• Vision Girls, a multimedia superhero franchise centered on female archetypes
• Kingston Pop Museum, his cultural headquarters and mentorship space in New York

He is currently writing multiple forthcoming titles, including Ramona 009, The Foreigner, The Creation of the SSTs, and Soul Fire, which explores the Gay Mafia of the 1970s.