Peter Kuo a.k.a. “Preppy Pete” (pictured above)
Content creator, Hell’s Kitchen
What’s the chatter tonight?
It’s a lot of “What are you wearing? Where did you get this thing from?” We’re looking at each other’s outfits. We talk shop, we talk clothes, we talk girls, et cetera.
I see you’re wearing Ralph Lauren.
Well, Ralph Lauren is like the godfather of it all. He has paint for your house, homeware, couches, chandeliers, clothing. It’s also the only brand that has around 50 insignia. One I hold very dear is called the P-Wing — not only because of my name but because it encompasses that Ivy, collegiate, varsity style I love.
When did you start collecting clothes?
In the ’90s, so maybe freshman year of high school. I actually have to keep a lot in my living room because my closet is so full. Clothing has to be very in my face for me to get inspired by it. I don’t want to go into that closet, so I pull out a whole bunch of stuff for the month and I get inspired by that. My wife hates me.
Steven Guarnaccia
Author and illustrator, Prospect–Lefferts Gardens
Tell me about the children’s books you’ve written.
One of the first ones I wrote was a Halloween pop-up book called Skeleton Closet — a bunch of poems with little pop-up skeletons. My birthday’s right around Halloween, and I grew up loving the skull and crossbones as an image.
Rose Nguyen
Producer, East Williamsburg
Zane Gan
Photographer, Flatbush
Stephon Carson
Founder of Alfargo’s Marketplace, East Village
Brandon Mitchell
Marketing director, Pelham Parkway
Have you bought anything tonight?
I haven’t, but I did help somebody select a Burberry raincoat from another vendor. I helped convince him that, yes, he wants the long one and that, yes, it should go below the knees. You want it drapey. He was going to buy one that was a little too short and too tight.
Dylan Marlborough
Data scientist, East Williamsburg
Carl Cantin
Community manager, Prospect–Lefferts Gardens
Kamau Hosten
Stylist, Flatbush
Have you styled anyone interesting lately?
I styled my friend, who is also a designer, for the Met Gala. She was wearing her own pieces, and I did some tweaking. We decided she needed a sock with just a little sparkle. I sprinted over to Saks in the rain to get last-minute socks for the look. I had a panel later that night. I was drenched.
Felipe De La Hoz
Journalist, Harlem
David Mollé
Photographer, Williamsburg
Jake Wigham
Tailor, London, England
Your suit fits perfectly.
It’s a vintage Brooks Brothers pincord suit from, I would guess, the early to mid-’70s. I actually bought it on eBay — it came from the States. It was a proper bargain. I think I paid a hundred pounds for it, including shipping. I’m six-foot-four; to get a vintage suit that fits as well as this is quite a rare thing.
Elias Marte
Real-estate agent and watch dealer, East Village
Paul Chin
Photographer, Jersey City, New Jersey
Denny Balmaceda
Creative director, Jersey City, New Jersey
Have you always been interested in fashion?
Always. I was that kid in school who would wear a suit. I’d have gym first period and I’d be wearing a suit.
David Kim
Freelance fashion consultant, Bedford-Stuyvesant
Ritesh Gupta
Freelance creative and educator, Park Slope
Ethan Barnett
Medical researcher, Jersey City, New Jersey
I love your pants.
Funnily enough, they are my mother-in-law’s from the ’80s. I nabbed them out of her storage unit when we were helping her clear it out. I get a good amount of clothing from there. My favorite thing I’ve taken so far is a bright-red jacket with all these people stitched in sipping from martini glasses.
Chris Pizarro
TV and film costumer, Lower East Side
Photographs by Frankie Alduino
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