I am Michael Bastian, men’s fashion designer, ask me anything!

3 things every guy should have in his wardrobe

1- a pink oxford shirt for days youre hung over or just feel like shit 2- a navy cashmere v-neck sweater 3- a good pair of sunglasses

Have a favorite pink oxford? My relatively cheap one is pretty worn down, looking to pick up a higher quality one for just this purpose.

we actually always make sure to have a pink shirt every season in every line we do-- and we always call it the hangover shirt

Why pink? Could any other color work? Does this have to do with the skin-tone of the hangover?

everyone looks a little more alive in a pink shirt-- they just do.

Ask UNIQLO when they're coming to Los Angeles.

I just asked (i'm actually sitting here in the Uniqlo offices) and they said say 'We hear you...'

What was your favorite part of the collaboration with Uniqlo? Thanks for doing this AMA!

That's an easy one-- seeing a bunch of guys on the street already wearing them! Thats actually the most rewarding thing for a designer-- seeing these things you made out in the real world

given that hamburgers are the ideal spring/summer food, do you think it would be reasonable to say burgers and burger themed accessories are trending in a way that fashion designers just can't ignore?

http://www.prismla.com/exhibit/andy-warhol-black-white-paintings/warho-2010-0022/

besides polo shirts, what other articles of clothing do you have plans of putting shiba inu patterns on?

I think he's been retired after the polo-- someone told me they're actually kinda mean

[deleted]

Satan-- and I don't know him personally

What's one thing every guy should have in his apartment, home, etc?

vodka

I haven't seen a designer collab at UNIQLO sell out as fast as yours did since +J was around. Will you consider to continue this collaboration with UNIQLO for future seasons?

It would be a blast to do something with Uniqlo again--

What is one thing you think men shouldn't wear?

This is a tricky one-- the minute you give an example of something no guy should wear, you walk out and see someone wearing that exact thing and rockin the hell out of it. Remember the old 'never wear a jean jacket with jeans? The Canadian tux? I just recently saw a guy wearing this and somehow looking like a young Nick Nolte-- circa 'A Star is Born' :)

What would you say is the biggest difference between designing for men and designing for women?

(also, you might want to add some proof)

The biggest difference is men always want to look like themselves, only a little bit better. Women are much more open to trying on new personas and are much less loyal.

What's the #1 faux pas that men commit in fashion?

relying on the advice of others-- trust your own instincts first...

are you so fashion?

nope-- i'm actually anti-fashion. much more into the idea of style vs. fashion.

I'm actually wearing your dragonfly polo right now, haha! What is your favorite piece in your closet?

my favorite thing in my closet is the red down vest i still have from college-- i really believe that somethings just become your lucky whatevers, and that's one of mine.

Haha, I just went to the 34th st Uniqlo and bought a few of the collab polos. Its great to see affordable clothes that have unique concepts and detail behind them i.e. V-neck polo collars.

Where did you get your ideas an inspirations from when you just started out?

here's my response

What do you think of the Abercrombie controversy?

How could it ever be considered a good business decision to alienate a bunch of people who want to wear your clothes??

What are some current trends in men's fashion that you see petering out soon, and which ones do you think are here to stay? (I'm thinking along the lines of lapel width, slim fit pantseverything everywhere, monk straps, etc.)

this is gonna sound strange coming from me, but I'm damn tired of Preppy-- even the word makes me crazy-- it's been basterdized to the point where its a reference of a reference of a reference....

If preppy is played out to the point of making you crazy, where do you see your designs moving towards in the future?

watch the video from our fall '13 show-- WATCH

What's the weirdest experience you've had in the fashion world?

Response

have you ever considered designing for women?

Yeah! We actually do women's in our GANT collaboration-- and she's pretty damn cute!

I have 2 of the shirts you made for Gant and I love them.

What's the coolest item from your upcoming F/W '13 line?

That season our inspiration was the artist Norman Rockwell and we actually reproduced the leather jacket from his painting "Freedom of Speech" it was nice to be able to see something like that come to life from an iconic picture.

How much of the price on an article of clothing is due to the materials/labor and how much is just paying for that "brand?" Obviously the stitching, etc. is better than some Sam's Choice bargain bin clothing, but what's the markup?

There's a bunch of moving parts when it comes to pricing-- materials and the actual labor make up a big part of the cost, but also there's a big 'economy of scale' factor-- it will cost you a lot more to make a dozen of something than a thousand of something... which is why clothes from smaller designers usually cost a bit more

I absolutely love the way you go about layering (button ups over henleys, plaid shirts under rugbys, etc.). Any tips on getting better in the layering game? Also, any personal tips for finding a great career? Thanks!

you mean a career in professional layering?

my mother says my pants are to baggy, I say they are comfortable. what is the latest fashion in pants?

what is an inexpensive way to be fashionable?

I walk all over the city, any shoes that are durable but fashionable? my shoes always fall apart. can i pull off different matching socks?

I rely too much on button ups to look nice for casual dinner, any advice? etc sweaters or what? on the same point is rolling the sleeves a good look on a button down?

you are an inspiration to the fashion world. I am truly excited for your new line of shirts and love your work. I hope your future endeavours are just as great as your past ones. Thank you so much for the AMA.

Thanks for the question - responding to this in video.

Here's my answer

Thanks for this AMA! Have you designed anything that you look back on now and think, "omg what was that?"

hell yeah-- i once thought 'how great would it be to have a bathrobe in super light shearling' In reality it wasn't as cool as I thought it would be-- ended up looking like some bad Mom wrap coat. No one is that cold in the morning also unless you live in the Ice Hotel.

With summer approaching it is getting insanely hot in NYC - what are some suggestions for combating the extreme weather while still looking cute? Is it all booty shorts?

depends on your booty :)

I love the quality and cut of the slim fit polos by Lacoste. Does your new line for Uniqlo compare? Or am I getting a $19 polo?

I can't answer that one-- anyone else out there have both and can compare? Let us know.

Why can't someone design mens pants with pockets of the appropriate size?

I feel confused and enraged every damn time I try on a nice pair of pants only to find that they have midget sized pockets.

If it can't fit a wallet, keys, and maybe some change or a lighter, it's not a pocket.

totally agree with you -- nothing worse than your phone clattering to the floor when you sit down. pocket depth-- one of my many OCD obsessions...

What's a good color/outfit combo for a pale lanky male to wear?

anything but pink :)

can you make clothes that actually fit bigger guys? i'm 6'4 280 and NO ONE makes clothes for me :( and it's MESSED UP!!!!!!!!

We're actually pretty good for bigger and taller guys-- I'm 6'2 and about 178 and I use myself as a medium. We also dress a bunch of sports guys like LeBron James (who's 6'8 and well over 2 bucks), Victor Cruz, Derek Jeter, Adam Scott, Buster Posey...