Meet the Menswear Stars of Fashion Week

New Yorkers hustle; that much we know. Michael Bastian, Simon Spurr, and Steven Alan are three of the best New York menswear designer talents; that much we know as well. But what do these guys do on their time off? Where do they go for inspiration? Where do they eat late at night and people-watch in Manhattan? We caught up with the designers backstage during New York Fashion Week before they unveiled their fall 2012 collections and hit them with some rapid-fire questions.

SIMON SPURR

Where’s your favorite place to shop in Manhattan?
Any thrift store.

Where do you go to find inspiration in Manhattan?
MoMA. Well, actually, anywhere. Could be a film, a bookstore, a museum...

Besides you, who is the designer to watch in NYC this year? How much trouble can we get you in right now?
[Laughs] I think whether you like it, dislike it, understand it, or not, what Thom Browne has done for American menswear is really important.

What’s the most original store in NYC?
It could be Melet Mercantile.

Best late-night dining?
Oh, man, it used to be Florent, but it closed down. I don’t really have one now.

What about best people watching?
It’s got to be anywhere with an outside table in the Meatpacking District. Preferably not the stereotypical places but off the beaten path, like Macelleria.

Favorite neighborhood?
The one I live in, the Upper West Side. It’s nice and quiet. I’m able to detach from the craziness of my daily life.

Favorite NYC Hotel?
I don’t stay in that many hotels.

Okay. Hotel to have a drink at?
The Jane Hotel. To have a drink, for sure.

Most relaxing spot in Manhattan?
Riverside Park or Central Park. Anywhere there’s really bad cell phone reception.

Favorite NYC story and/or moment?
Oh, God. Probably beating Lenox Lewis playing pool at the Gramercy Hotel.

MICHAEL BASTIAN

Where’s your favorite place to shop in Manhattan?
The little scent shop Aedes de Venustas, on Christopher Street.

Where do you go to find inspiration in Manhattan?
Washington Square Park.

Besides you, who is the designer to watch in NYC this year?
Creatures of the Wind. Something interesting is happening there.

What is the most original store in NYC?
I love the tiny Monocle shop on Hudson Street. It's the size of a closet but so perfectly edited.

Best late-night dining in Manhattan?
The Standard Grill.

Best people watching?
The little median park opposite the Apple Store on 14th Street on a Saturday afternoon.

Favorite neighborhood?
The NYU/West Village area. It reminds me of my college days in Boston. All the students running around are a great source of energy and inspiration.

Favorite NYC Hotel?
The Carlyle.

Most relaxing spot in Manhattan?
The dry sauna in the Great Jones Spa. Somehow it reminds me of Arizona.

Favorite NYC story and/or moment?
On my first night living in Manhattan, I went out to grab a slice of pizza after unpacking all day. It must have been garbage night in my neighborhood, because right there on the curb on top of a huge pile of black trash bags was a full-size disco ball, just glittering there all perfect and out of context. I immediately grabbed it and took it upstairs, thinking what a great, sweet welcome gift from the city. Somehow it was just right, and made me love this city even more. Where else do you find disco balls in the trash?

STEVEN ALAN

Where’s your favorite place to shop in Manhattan?
I really only shop in my own store. We kind of have everything, from sportswear to suiting.

Where do you go to find inspiration in Manhattan?
In Manhattan it's really easy to find inspiration. Our offices are in Tribeca, so we don't have to go far. Whether it's having brunch at a restaurant in Williamsburg or being on the subway, it's really all over the place.

Besides you, who is the designer to watch in NYC this year?
There are several. I have a showroom in New York that represents 22 brands. If you go to our website, you can see we're picking the ones that make sense.

What’s the most original store in NYC?
I have a place called Stella Dallas that I like to go to. I also like to go to authentic camping stores, because I like technical outerwear.

Best late-night dining in Manhattan?
It depends what I’m craving. I really like ethnic food. I go to Koreatown for Korean food, or on Lexington in the 30s for Indian food. I also live near Chinatown, so I regularly go there.

What about people watching?
The L-train.

I think that's the best answer I'm going to get all week. Favorite neighborhood?
I like Tribeca. It’s peaceful, and you can get everything you need there.

Favorite NYC Hotel?
Probably the Carlyle.

Most relaxing spot in Manhattan?
I go to a place in Queens called Spa Castle. It's a Korean bathhouse.

Favorite NYC story and/or moment?
This is it. The first show of the week during New York Fashion Week. And I am up first, at 9 a.m.