Faux isn't cheating if it looks this good. With a giant flapped collar, and silky inner cuffs to squeeze inside your gloves, this jacket is rad, and is only available in real life at the store.

This faux zips up the front like an oversized bomber. To give you a frame of reference, I'm 5'8", 6'1" with the shoes; this is a small and it's this long. Super cool.

Inside a sliver of a store, packed with terrific trinkets and bursting with good buys, sits a mustard faux jacket, reversible to reveal the nylon stripes beneath.

If you’ve been any type of scenester this year, you know the sounds of DJ Price.  A regular at NYC’s model/actress watering holes the Darby, SL, Avenue, and 1 OAK or LA’s Trousdale, the Beverly, and Greystone Manor, he keeps the girls dancing and the boys feeling hotter than they are.  Maybe it’s because the kid resonates that certain cool factor that comes with the good kind of native New Yorker: humble, unassuming, and knows how to hustle (not in the crack slinging way, but more like the ‘anything is possible so I’m doing it’ kind of way).  We chatted with Price about his new store, what it’s like to be a DJ-designer, and got some recommendations on the best new men’s gear.

What inspired you to become a DJ? 

I was heavily influenced by DJ AM at an early age. They way he would tell a story with his playlists inspired me to push the limits with what I can do with two records.

How do you think music + fashion go hand in hand?

Fashion and music are both influenced by each other. We listen to all types of music, from rock, to house, and hip hop. We try to make clothes for each type of customer. We want everyone to find something from the Reason line to wear.

What are 5 words that describe the Reason guy?

MATURE. SMART. STYLISH. PROFESSIONAL. SUCCESFUL.

(photo credit: Gavin Thomas)

The weatherman is calling for mid 80s and sunny all weekend long!!

Keep it short.

*Bright striped high rise jean shorts: MinkPink

*Crop the button up shirt in shades of cerulean: Miss Selfridge

*Instead of a bra, have a small layer that welcomes unbuttoning: Topshop

*Shield the sun, but really look totally stuns in a wide patterned brim: Missoni

*Keep the shades clear and a touch catty: Cutler and Gross

*Rock the rope necklace to play with light: Proenza Schouler

*Cork wrapped in tie dye denim gives the leg a bit of coverage: Eight Twenty

Set the table bright:

*Recycled and speckled like confetti, these unbreakable dishes will make a splash. Zak Designs

*Memorial Day margaritas? Make it colorful and shatter resistant: William Sonoma

*Portable grill for guerilla grilling: Crate and Barrel

Now throw on the FashionIndie Mixtape Volume 3 and you’ve got yourself a poppin’ BBQ.

You come from an eclectic, non-traditional family of artists. What type of art did you grow up around?
My grandfather revolutionized the interior design industry. He was one of the first people to bring colored wallpaper to California during the late 1960s and 70s. My cousin was in the music industry and has written songs for Whitney Houston. My grandmother was an illustrator, my mom’s first cousin’s husband is a well-known sculptor and she is an amazing painter who began her craft at 50 years old. Hillary Clinton asked her to paint a portrait of Chelsea when they were in the White House. My entire family gets together in Ojai, CA for Thanksgiving, and it’s like Woodstock revisited – with all these artists together, it’s the best energy and love you could ask for.

So you were very encouraged as a child to follow your dreams and do whatever your heart desired?
Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, so it makes sense that my brother, sister and I are independent. I wouldn’t say art was pushed on us, but we went towards it naturally. I spent most of my early days as a soccer player, competing on the early Olympic Development Team and in college as well. But somewhere in college, I decided I wanted to do something creative. I thought maybe I didn’t have the art gene, but suddenly, it’s all I wanted to do. I went back to school to study interior design at Parsons and took milliner classes at FIT. I secured an interior design job working with Bill Sofield, where I worked on everything from high-end residential to Tom Ford stores to the SoHo and Tribeca Grand hotels.

Interior design can be a very mathematical and structural craft. How did working in that industry influence your millinery?
I always say I make structurally interesting hats. Because I worked for an interior/architecture firm, I consider proportion, scale and how things move and look. I have the mind of an interior designer and the advantage of having worked with different materials. Unlike many designers perfecting their craft in the fashion industry, I came from people working with wood and ceramic. I am always asking how can I take these materials and techniques and construct them into something else, something new. That is my challenge, working with non-traditional materials.

Hats are almost becoming a lost dressing art. What made you want to go into the millinery business? Was it a lack of good product in the industry?
My aunt was a fashion designer in California and was always putting us kids in the fun hats she was making. Apparently, my great-grandmother was also a milliner in New York. My husband used to go to a milliner in the East Village, who we loved. I wanted to figure out how a milliner worked, so I asked if I could apprentice her, an unpaid position. Unfortunately, she rudely said no. It was very discouraging, but it motivated me to learn the trade and prove her wrong.

It came to the point where I was working long hours at the firm and was constantly stressed out. I asked myself “if I only had six months to live, would I be doing what I am doing now?” And I thought, “no, I would be working on my own. “ I looked down, saw all these hats I made and realized how much I loved making them. Selling hats to friends turned into selling them online. I just began selling at Charles Nolan, ABC Carpet & Home and will be in Treasure & Bond in the fall. But my big goal is Bendels.

Where does your inspiration come from on a daily basis? Do nature and people inspire you? What about the architecture of the city?
It’s so random. My husband and I travel a lot, and I spent a lot of time photographing anything I find interesting. I often find myself searching for things I photographed more than fives years ago and is relevant to my current project. I could be walking down the street, see something and think it would make a terrific structure or a cool color combination. People must think I’m a tourist because I walk the city with my head up. I see plants and flower arrangements and examine the proportion compared to the vase. I don’t make many large hats; I try to take the idea of a big hat and make it more me. I just styled women for the Frederick Olmsted Awards at Central Park and the Kentucky Derby with small fascinators and headpieces. I think small is the new big – fascinators are really in this season.

In the future, is there any other type of art you want to explore? What else could you design that the Satya woman would love?
I am a huge fan of dresses with pockets. Charles Nolan and I began our friendship over it – he always made them and I always love them. So I think next year, there might be a collection of vintage-inspired dresses and smoking jackets for women. I strangely like uniforms. Like the cartoon Daria, I work towards wearing the same thing every day. I want the same dress in a dozen colors and patterns to wear with black tights, black shoes and a jacket. I don’t like to think hard about what I’m going to wear. Comfortable, beautiful and chic is my motto. That is the Satya woman.

You can see more photos of Satya’s work and read her blog on her website.

You grew up in creative New York neighborhood SoHo in the company of artists and in the midst of your family’s loungewear business, Perfect Negligee. What influences from your background, both culturally and business-wise, do you interpret for your own line?
My grandfather left Lebanon in 1920 and started Perfect Negligee based on the caftan. My great-grandfather was cultivating mulberry trees for silk worms, so there has also been a history of textiles and silk in my family.

I grew up with Canal Street in my backyard and spent time rummaging through the odds and ends I found there. I was seeing the emerging scene in the East Village and SoHo, and loved it because I’m a creative person. There is always a refined angle to my designs because you can’t take elegant out of my DNA. I grew up in velvet robes with lace collars. Sunday at my grandmother’s was layers of china, crystal and silver. My family was extremely formal and my father very dapper. He never wore jeans. I remember going shopping with him and I would be like “look daddy this is so cute” and he would say “no honey look at the poor stitching.” I couldn’t buy anything that was bad quality.

So you spent a lot of time in your grandmother’s attic and exploring the treasures of Canal Street. Do you have any favorite pieces that continue to inspire you?
Oh yes, I have a lot of those things. I saved all the leather suitcases and lots of jeweled shoes. I have this bronze statue of a 1920s girl arched back holding a dish. I saved perfume bottles from the 20s that belonged to my grandmother. I discovered these Elizabethan-looking velvet sleeves adorned with white mink and tubes of black velvet. I was saving everything as soon as I got my paws in the drawers, and those objects continually inspire me.

I found this really cool chain on Canal Street once. It’s an intricately designed, cast leaf texture on figure-eight shaped link. I found out it’s a chandelier chain because I recently saw it on the Bowery in a store going out of business. I loved all the little trinkets I would find on Canal.

Your father always made you pay attention to the quality of a garment, and your customer is looking for this same type of elegance. What do you do to make sure your product stays consistent with these expectations?
It all starts from the beginning. When I decide to work with a material and a factory, I have to be able to trust the quality. If I think the material is too fragile, I decide not to work with it, even if I love it. We ship internationally and a material must withstand production, handling and wear. There are things I can’t do because I know the quality will disappoint my customer.

Do you ever find you are inspired to create around a fabric rather than starting with the design itself first?
I look at many aspects when I approach design. I look at all materials to see what I like and then figure out what to do with them. I look at the attributes and obstacles to working with them. What are the confinements and what are the opportunities? Then I look at all of the manufacturing possibilities. Some pieces require handwork, and others are made with machinery. I take everything into consideration before settling on a final design.

What can the Colette Malouf lady not leave the house without? Who is your customer, and what is she like?
She is highly educated, likes to travel and try new things. She has a very strong sense of integrity. Before buying something, she carefully decides if she identifies with its quality or originality. She’s curious and a culture seeker. She goes to the theater and listens to music – she’s so interested in life. She shops in the most expensive stores, but also goes antiquing and likes to find unusual things to mix with her collection of modern pieces. Something old, something new, always elegant in her motto.

You occasionally lecture students at Parsons about design and the fashion industry. What do you tell young designers in the industry about starting a business? What can you learn from these students?
I tell young designers to think about what it means to have your own company because it’s a huge sacrifice to have all that responsibility early in life. I can’t even count how many times I couldn’t attend Sunday brunch or go on vacation. Owning a business isn’t for some but inevitable for others. I couldn’t work for anybody else because I needed to express this strong vision I have. My life is dedicated to my vision, and I’m sure you’ll hear the same story from many designers.

I look to young people in the industry as a checkpoint. I ask myself if I’m getting too serious or too safe. I try to listen to my assistant because even if I can foresee obstacles with certain designs, it’s good to be open to others’ opinions.

Do things like nature, architecture or other designers inspire you? What really speaks to you?
For a long time, I was really nature and object-inspired. But now I’m much more passionate about being experientially-inspired. I feel a piece can be inspired by one single element, but it doesn’t work that way for the collection as a whole. A recent trip to Turkey heavily inspired me, as do the 1920s. I think about what I would wear sitting in a cabaret in 1920 and bring the customer into a narrative. It’s the storytelling that I really enjoy and find inspiring.

Sometimes its hard to remember why I get into something, but seeing a picture, texture or material can start to spark my inspiration. I have all these impressions of life stored in my memory bank that I build upon and turn into a story.

All photos are from the Colette Malouf Fall 2011 collection lookbook. To view past collections and learn more about the brand, visit her website at colettemalouf.com.

1. Loveday 31, Astoria
Owner and curator Ivona Bilicic knows her stuff – she used to be a buyer at famous rip-off Manhattan vintage store Screaming Mimi’s. But the merchandise at Loveday 31 is far from overpriced and much more carefully selected. Eccentric metallic shirts from the 80s share a rack with silk Givenchy shirts and Prada dresses. Uniquely shaped vintage bags are shown among locally designed jewelry and antique brooches. I recently bought a black, intricately knit shirt with metallic silver threads and 7-inch long fringe for $40.

Credit: Free Williamsburg

2. Beacon’s Closet, Williamsburg & Park Slope
Perhaps the most well-known local Brooklyn thrift store chain, Beacon’s Closet has something for everyone. Both locations have their fine points: the more-crowded Williamsburg store has about four times the merchandise ranging from beat-up tees to Pucci pumps while the slightly more refined selection at Park Slope requires less digging and waiting. Some of my best buys include an $18 Marc by Marc Jacobs sweater and $18 brand new Betseyville shoes.

3. Buffalo Exchange, Williamsburg
You won’t find a ton of vintage merchandise at Buffalo Exchange, but you might come across some cool new digs along the way. Designer denim for men and women usually costs less than $20 and a brand new chunky necklace will set you back about $8. There are great vintage finds too, like a pair of Marc Jacobs sandals I bought for $24 a couple years ago.

4. Housing Works, Upper East Side
Where do all of the wealthy UES women take their Ferragamos and Pradas when they don’t want them any more? Housing Works, of course. In my opinion, this location is the best of the 10 retail stores around the city. There aren’t a million downtown vintage hunters in your face, and the merchandise comes straight from Park and Madison Avenues. It also has the best vintage jewelry selection -  I have at least a dozen pieces from my summer living in the same neighborhood.

5. Monk Vintage, Williamsburg
Where can you buy a rainbow striped bow tie, cummerbund and pocket square matching set? Monk Vintage in Brooklyn has about 10 for you to choose from. From the tutus suspended from the ceiling to mounds of vintage jewelry, you will find super fun and unique vintage pieces here. Dresses run from around $25 – $40 while a full suit will cost you about $100. Everything is in pretty good condition and the store is small, so you won’t spend hours looking for an outfit. The peach Polo Ralph Lauren Western shirt I got for $35 is still one of my favorites.

6. Goodwill, Chelsea
Of all the Goodwills in the city, why this one? Are the workers nicer? Absolutely not, but the selection is all that. This fairly new outlet isn’t too crowded, but it is fairly organized. If you’re familiar with Goodwill, expect all of the same prices and merchandise categories. Last week, I found a leather Coach computer bag in good condition for $20.

7. Vintage Thrift, Gramercy
From Manolos to mink throw pillows, this store literally has everything. You can get a stack of records with your dining room table and Italian designer ties with a retro KitchenAid mixer. Not only has Vintage Thrift been named Zagat’s #1 NYC thrift store four years in a row, profits go to The United Jewish Council of the East Side.

8. Viceversa, Williamsburg
Maybe the most overlooked Williamsburg thrift store, Viceversa is definitely worth your time. Stocked with equal parts men’s and women’s apparel, you can find everything from red cowboy boots to sequined muumuus. Prices here are dynamite – you can snag a fur coat for as little as $40. I bought an 80s rainbow sequin dress for $20 last year; I recently saw the same exact dress on Nasty Gal retailing for more than $200.

9. The Antiques Garage, Chelsea
Lauren from Corvus Noir introduced me to The Antiques Garage last summer when I interviewed her for FashionIndie. This place is insane. From 9 am – 5 pm every Saturday and Sunday, you can walk through this concrete jungle of every antique imaginable. It can be a little overwhelming, so take it slow – one table at a time. I bought a gorgeous leather, color-block bag with a chain strap for $10 the last time I was there.

10. No Relation Vintage, East Village
Nestled among the dozens of nail salons and pizzerias on First Avenue, No Relation Vintage is a rare gem. Little nooks throughout the store hold specifics like shoes or sundresses while scarves sit in a basket by the register, waiting to be impulsed purchased. In true East Village fashion, you won’t find a shortage of leather jackets or distressed band tees. Many a silk scarf from this old school thrift store hangs in my apartment.

Did I miss anything? What is your favorite NYC thrift store?

A variety of clothes for sale

Credit: Free Williamsburg

The spiked return to puff-paint and Santa applique sweatshirts and Alpine-inspired sweaters is something we haven’t seen since the mid-80s. Even Ebay’s sales of holiday sweaters are up 24 percent from last year. But you’d better get yours early next year. Stores like Buffalo Exchange in the East Village sold out of the novelty knits super quickly this year, leaving many sweater-less for kitschy Christmas parties.

“At this point, I’ve given up,” says Eric Foster, a 27-year old production coordinator from Brooklyn, who had hoped to find a green sweater, preferably involving snowflakes and reindeer, to wear to holiday gatherings this year.

Better luck next time!

LINK LOVE: Wall Street Journal

Just about a month of living in the East Village and if I’ve learned one thing, it is this: never make eye contact with people you pass on the street. Instead, look at their feet. But all of this foot-looking has got me a little worried about the American taste in sneakers.

On my three block walk to dinner the other night, I spotted 33 pairs of Puma Future Cats (that is, 11 per block and 11 too many). But God forbid I say everyone wears Puma Future Cats. Red Pumas. Lime-green leather Pumas. Leopard print suede Pumas. High tops. Low cuts. Laced. Unlaced. There are far too many options when it comes to these conformist sneakers! Are we really that desperate for a pair of sleek Euro sneakers? 

Okay, so you’ve been living in Pumas for the past six years…now what? Let me make a few suggestions. Opt for a pair of Bikkembergs, Pony or Diesel kicks. Unique, Euro, stylish and they will set you back just about as much as a pair of Pumas. Do us all a favor and put the cat to rest.