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[title]Austin McCormick, 27; founder, artistic director and choreographer of Company XIV (companyxiv.com); Chelsea
His personal style: “If I had it my way, I would wear Company XIV costumes on the streets of New York every day—powdered wigs, corsets and heels—but I’d be locked away in the loony bin. I live in a fantasy world; my style is a combination of the theatrical and practical. Everything in my closet can be mixed and matched and worn together. I believe in investing in high-quality pieces I’ll have forever and mixing them with inexpensive T-shirts, jeans and accessories. I’m also crazy about vintage. What would life be without beautiful clothes that express who we are?”
His inspirations: “Oscar Wilde, Louis XIV and Sid Vicious.”
Favorite stores: “I have found some fantastic pieces at the West 25th Street Market (W 25th St between Broadway and Sixth Ave; 212-243-5343, hellskitchenfleamarket.com), both for costumes and daily life. I also like Melet Mercantile (84 Wooster St between Broome and Spring Sts, suite 205; 212-925-8353), an appointment-only vintage outpost with one-of-a-kind treasures from accessories to Victorian corsets. I absolutely love Muji (locations throughout the city; visit muji.us) for underwear and housewares and American Apparel (locations throughout the city; visit americanapparel.net) for T-shirts. And I’ve found incredible vintage shoes at the Quality Mending Co. (15 Prince St at Elizabeth St; 212-334-5334, thequalitymendingco.com), like brown leather boots from World War II. Plus, the prices can’t be beat!”
His signature accessories: “I am never without a skull ring by Stowellen (stowellen.com) or a colorful scarf by Dosa (dosainc.com).”
Favorite designers: “Christian Lacroix (christian-lacroix.fr), Vivienne Westwood (viviennewestwood.co.uk), Jean Paul Gaultier (jeanpaulgaultier.com), the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte (rodarte.net), and the most amazingly artistic genius of our time, Alexander McQueen (alexandermcqueen.com), whose past work continues to inspire me daily.”
How he describes New York style: “Where else can one rendezvous with moustached Williamsburg hipsters in skinny jeans, Lower East Side drag queens and Upper West Side ladies in couture at Lincoln Center? New York is where everything converges, a melting pot of styles and ideas. It’s an unending source of creative inspiration; one need only to walk the streets in any neighborhood to feel the energy and fall in love with the concrete jungle and its inhabitants.”
How his style has evolved through the years: “My mother used to dress me in Petit Bateau as a baby; years later, I would go through her shoe closet and try on her pink-feathered heels. I wore an embroidered purple Mexican wedding dress over my boy clothes for years. I’ve been marching to the beat of my own drum from the beginning, so really, nothing has changed. I’ve just gotten older.”