Every time I swing over to gay Paris for fashion week I am amazed at the great gap in trends between New York and Paris editors, stylists and publicists. Les American boys are in their colorful heritage brands while the French garçons are sporting their dark and artsy Dior Homme. Are our fashion worlds really that different?

I decided to ask a variety of men on both sides of the pond about their personal style and what they think the difference is between the fashion outlook from the City of Lights compared to the City that Never Sleeps.

THE NEW YORKERS

(L – R) Shapiro, Wood, Corrado, Hart

Adam Shapiro (Senior Publicist at KCD)
Personal Style: It’s all over the place. Lately it’s moved towards a very daring West Village meets Chelsea. I like to keep it street.

NYC vs. Paris: The funny thing is, in womens wear, Paris is couture and New York is street. But in the menswear market it’s the opposite. NYC men really make an effort to be manly, buttoned up and tailored, whereas the boys in Paris shake things up. In short it’s really House of Saint Laurent vs. House of LaBeija!

Eamon Wood (Advertising Sales Manager)
Personal Style: I dress like I do because I like how it makes me feel. When I put on a suit and tie, a bow tie especially, I feel like no one and nothing can stop me. The smiles and nods of “understanding” I get from people in public, on the street, in the subway, inspires me to continue to dress like I do. Seeing someone who goes from a frown to a smile because they realize I have a bow tie with tomatoes on it makes me happy. Also, know that trends come and go but prep will never go away!

NYC vs. Paris: I think they are so different because the mentality of the people in the cities is different. Paris treats their fashion more like an art form, taking risks that I don’t think people in other cities are comfortable taking. NYC is more form follows function and utilitarian in comparison.

Chris Corrado (Director of sales BPMW Agency)
Personal Style: My style has really evolved since I was in high school when my look was driven by rebellion, but not in the way you would think. I wasn’t Goth, skate, EMO, or anything like that. I grew up in Southern Maine, Kennebunk, the only village in the world so named. If you are from Maine, you either dress like a lobsterman, a woodsman, or a Kennedy. I wanted to be slicker than that — so became my rebellion. The best of the “trad” these days are oldies but goodies, Brooks Brothers, Gitman Vintage, J.Press, and a few newcomers like Our Legacy from Sweden.

NYC vs. Paris: When it comes to Paris, fashion has a different meaning to their total culture than here in NYC. Paris is the fashion capital of the world. When you carry a title like that, it’s hard to settle on something that seems “done already.” Paris will always push boundaries, take chances, and fearlessly take to the streets in the most impractical designs the runway has to offer. NYC, while incredibly fashionable, is still an American city, and Americans sure do love their functionality.

David Hart (Tie Designer)
Personal Style: For me, dressing has always been about looking to the past. I have a fondness for the “angry men” of America’s golden age of television. Guys like Rod Serling, Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite are among them. Most of my clothing is from the 1950s – 1960s, an era where men dressed like men just for the sake of walking out the front door.

NYC vs. Paris: A Parisian wants nothing more than to think of himself as an artist. A New Yorker wants nothing more than to think of himself as a self-made man.

THE PARISIANS

(L – R) Zaffuto, Moscatelli, De Almeida, Leblond

Marc Leblond (Creative and Sales Director of Noir Basic)
Personal Style: I like to mix influences in the way I dress: eclectic and edgy, but basic at the same time. I like to mash up vintage and modern and find that one special element that makes you stand out: whether it be shoes, glasses or even a scarf.

NYC vs. Paris:
In my opinion the main difference between NYC and Paris is the history, and it reflects well in fashion. We tend to mix a lot of influences that would not obviously meld in NYC. American hipsters are into one style, which seems to be very preppy at the moment — it would feel too much of a uniform for us. Here let’s say we could mix skinhead ranger boots with a worn out Levis 501 oxford shirt and vintage Persols — a mash up of cultures reflecting our old continent.

Jonathan Moscatelli (Publicist at Totem)
Personal Style: I think that there is a way to dress for each occasion. The most important is to feel good in what you are wearing, and I also like to differ from the masses. I like designers that take risks, propose something new and fresh and that are “art-inspired”. Being creative, especially in fashion, means being an aesthete. Being an aesthete, for me, means to live for art or that art rules your life.

NYC vs. Paris: NYC is more about preppy and classic and Paris likes to takes risks. But in Paris there is also a historic background and the fashion business here knows how to use it. But that doesn’t mean that all French people have style!

Sébastien De Almeida (owner of vintage shop BDA)
Personal Style: I don’t have a special style; my style if I have one, is of one who likes to play with identities, with periods, with origins – in a chic way of course. What can be an effort for some is a pleasure for me. Nobody can reproach someone for being overdressed; although the contrary is possible.

NYC vs. Paris: Because I live in Paris, I live in France — and I live in Europe where we have long since forgotten the uniform. On the contrary, in the USA, it continues to be in the vocabulary at work and at school.

Marc Zaffuto (Promoter – Club Sandwich)
Personal Style: I have a “day” look and the “night” look for work. During the day I just love to be very comfortable in a pair of old jeans, white t-shirt, a cashmere sweater, and a pair of Church’s or white Converse. My favorite outfit naturally is naked! At night this is the contrary: comfort is not the priority. I just want to look fabulous for Club Sandwich and my friends!

NYC vs. Paris: The shows in Paris are more creative and crazy for men and in NYC they are more classical. But when I go out I often meet New Yorkers with crazy outfits and French who are super classic. I am fine keep the idea of America a classic and prude compared to a very creative and crazy old Europe. But is it really true?!