SIMON SPURR

I'll never know - I'll never profess to know - anything anywhere near it all. It'sall a journey - life, work, and relationships. Mistakes and learning, and learning not to make your mistakes again.

When I started, I had that naïve mentality that you shouldn't have to dress celebrities if your product is good. But when you're an emerging brand and you don't have millions for advertising and marketing, it's a good vehicle to penetrate the demographic that doesn't read GQ - or Interview. But if they see Milo Ventimiglia in one of my leather jackets in Us Weekly, that's a new audience for me.

The biggest thing I'm seeing - and I have to be careful what I say here - is that people are tired of the old guard and the familiar brands. They're looking for more individuality and creativity, and that's coming out of this whole new wave of younger brands: Thom Browne, Michael Bastian, Robert Geller, myself.

I'm lucky that I'm inside the fashion industry and see clothes from a different perspective than the traditional consumer. Being able to curate, edit, and style product to make my own look is a privilege, but something I think men are becoming more aware of how to do.

Even though it's not a widely appreciated yarn, any suit made from a mohair-wool blend travels exceptionally well. The retention of the mohair fiber bounces back and minimizes any creasing that occurs whilst traveling. Mohair also breathes really well, keeping you cool or warm, and is therefore extremely versatile.

Everyone that knows me already know that I rarely stray from my black jeans, black T-shirt and a black jacket - tailored or leather. I like to have a uniform and one that's versatile. I'm a very hands-on Creative Director, and I need to feel comfortable and be able to move between both casual and more formal attire at the same time.

I like to think of us as a more European-fit American brand, and invariably, when you go to Savile Row for a suit, you'll find that the suit fits you like a glove. That's how it should fit: form to your body. Especially here in the States, men have to really understand the importance of that fit. If I'm dressing a friend, I'll usually give him a size down from the one he's asked for; he'll think it's too small, but after a while he gets it.

Spring 2010 is the second season that I'm showing the double-breasted suit. I think the right double-breasted suit is young again.

There are so many fashion shows during fashion week, and the fashion show has almost become theater. It's all about the wow factor. And it's easy to make a name when you're shocking people all the time. But when you just make really, really great clothes, it can be difficult to get press and build a brand. What you do when you pare things back and make something timeless, though, is build a foundation to have a longer career and a stronger clientele.

The whole process of being one of the 10 finalists for the 'Vogue' Fashion Fund award has to be my biggest achievement to date. Meeting Anna Wintour, Diane von Furstenberg, etc., has been an amazing experience that even now gives me goose bumps when I think about it.

Even though it's not a widely appreciated yarn, any suit made from a mohair-wool blend travels exceptionally well. The retention of the mohair fiber bounces back and minimizes any creasing that occurs whilst traveling. Mohair also breathes really well, keeping you cool or warm, and is therefore extremely versatile.

I'm lucky that I'm inside the fashion industry and see clothes from a different perspective than the traditional consumer. Being able to curate, edit, and style product to make my own look is a privilege, but something I think men are becoming more aware of how to do.

I'll always be a Brit abroad, and I love London so much, but New York is my home.

The biggest thing I'm seeing - and I have to be careful what I say here - is that people are tired of the old guard and the familiar brands. They're looking for more individuality and creativity, and that's coming out of this whole new wave of younger brands: Thom Browne, Michael Bastian, Robert Geller, myself.

I think the success of any brand reboot is to acknowledge the heritage but to embrace and interpret it in a way that makes it relevant and wearable to the modern consumer.

If you are already familiar with a brand, buying online is fast, convenient, and probably the way forward.

Spring 2010 is the second season that I'm showing the double-breasted suit. I think the right double-breasted suit is young again.

The biggest criticism would be buying clothes that are too big or trying too hard. I tend to like things a little leaner and more formfitting. I believe personal style often outweighs fashion. Just be yourself.

I personally like to shop in person so I can feel the product.

Everyone that knows me already know that I rarely stray from my black jeans, black T-shirt and a black jacket - tailored or leather. I like to have a uniform and one that's versatile. I'm a very hands-on Creative Director, and I need to feel comfortable and be able to move between both casual and more formal attire at the same time.

People can take away your assets, but not your DNA.

The whole process of being one of the 10 finalists for the 'Vogue' Fashion Fund award has to be my biggest achievement to date. Meeting Anna Wintour, Diane von Furstenberg, etc., has been an amazing experience that even now gives me goose bumps when I think about it.

To make a perfect t-shirt is hard - all you have is white cotton and fit. that's where experience comes in.

I like to think of us as a more European-fit American brand, and invariably, when you go to Savile Row for a suit, you'll find that the suit fits you like a glove. That's how it should fit: form to your body. Especially here in the States, men have to really understand the importance of that fit. If I'm dressing a friend, I'll usually give him a size down from the one he's asked for; he'll think it's too small, but after a while he gets it.

I'm not sure that being a man in the fashion industry has any advantage over being a woman. Why would it?

When I started, I had that naïve mentality that you shouldn't have to dress celebrities if your product is good. But when you're an emerging brand and you don't have millions for advertising and marketing, it's a good vehicle to penetrate the demographic that doesn't read GQ - or Interview. But if they see Milo Ventimiglia in one of my leather jackets in Us Weekly, that's a new audience for me.

With Spurr, I like to think we're a modern, European-influenced brand that does luxurious, handcrafted, and wearable pieces.

What's great is that there are a lot of brands - like Thom Browne, Michael Bastian, and Rag & Bone - but they're all doing their own thing. That's what's important: to remain true to your own DNA.

I'll never know - I'll never profess to know - anything anywhere near it all. It'sall a journey - life, work, and relationships. Mistakes and learning, and learning not to make your mistakes again.

From working with Ralph Lauren, I started to understand what it meant to build a brand. There were times when I was working there that it seemed so repetitive. At the time, I didn't understand what was happening. But when I stepped out of it, I realized what he was doing was achieving a signature look and reiterating that. That's why when you think about a polo shirt you think about Ralph - he owns that garment.

There are so many fashion shows during fashion week, and the fashion show has almost become theater. It's all about the wow factor. And it's easy to make a name when you're shocking people all the time. But when you just make really, really great clothes, it can be difficult to get press and build a brand. What you do when you pare things back and make something timeless, though, is build a foundation to have a longer career and a stronger clientele.