KID CUDI 'MOST STYLISH NEW YORKERS'

Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, 26, musician, actor and star of HBO’s new fashion-world dramedy How to Make It in America; Tribeca

His style: “Simple and classic.”

His inspirations: “I always took [style tips] from my older brother and sister, who wore simple, classic things. But I still layered a lot, and in high school, I was a young young’un, all Phat Farmed–out, wearing Sean John, Ecko, Rocawear and Akademiks. I felt like I needed to buy what was cool, instead of just wearing comfortable shit. Now I feel like my personality is this character, and when you watch a cartoon show, the characters aren’t changing their outfit every 15 seconds. That’s why I wear the same jeans every day.”

Favorite local stores: “BAPE, A.P.C. and American Apparel, though I think I’m gonna pass on [AA’s meggings]. I never want to be with my girl and have trouble figuring out whose leggings are whose. I like What Goes Around Comes Around for old concert tees. Oh man, I got this Sgt. Pepper cartoon Beatles shirt there; it was, like, $300. I didn’t even know how much it cost—I thought it was gonna be, like, $80 at most—till I got to the register and was like, Oh mah gawd! Good Lord. But it’s classic vintage rock, you know? I also love Opening Ceremony—I bought five adult-sized Max costumes from Where the Wild Things Are there. I’m trying to do a denim collaboration with A.P.C., but I haven’t reached that yet. Hopefully they’ll read this and they’re down. Hint, hint, wink, wink, chop, chop.”

Biggest splurge: “I never look at the price; I just look for comfort. Of course, the more it costs, the more comfortable it gets.”

Favorite designers: “I love what [Tomoaki] ‘Nigo’ [Nagao] does with BAPE (bape.com), and what KAWS is doing for Original Fake (original-fake.com). I hated suits until I wore a Calvin Klein; they just fit me. But I don’t know high-end designers and shit; that’s not my world. I dabble though. I like Louis Vuitton accessories, but I’d never wear their clothes. No offense, it’s just not my steeze.”

On launching his own line: “Never. I’m a fan of fashion; I want to be the consumer. I know it’s cliché for artists to have their own brand and shit, but that’s too much stress. No colognes, no perfumes, and if I did, it’d probably be, like, eau de Egyptian musk.”

On sneakers: “I’m into them, but I don’t collect. Hell no, I’d never sleep outside the Nike store. For some shoes?!? I like to get one pair of shoes and wear them till they’re dirty. Besides, I don’t walk—I glide, like butter. Float like a vampire. I’m like Louis Vuitton, but smoother. He wishes he were like me.”

On his HBO character: “His style is just like mine—very fly-casual, a lot of earth tones, nothing too flashy. I even wear my own jeans the whole season!”

On New York style: “Here, people’s style is expressed more through their personality than what’s in at the time. You see all different styles in New York, and that’s what made me want to stay here. I experienced more in the first six years I was here than I did the whole time I was in Cleveland. It’s cool.”