14th Street, Justyna Sroka, Student, Film, Media and Political Science Major for Downtownfrombehind.

WASHINGTON PLACE, Yigal Azrouël, Fashion Designer & creative director of Yigal Azrouël for Downtownfrombehind.

Yigal Azrouël has a laid-back beach vibe and warm smile that has you convinced he spends most weekends surfing and bbq’ing with friends year round.  The self-taught designer, who still produces around 70% of his collection locally, is known for a refined, cool and wearable aesthetic. Every season feels like a fresh classic, with high-quality fabrics and an attention to detail that has many of his menswear pieces migrating from my boyfriends side of the wardrobe to my own. Last year he launched women’s diffusion line Cut25, positioned at a lower price point than the original women’s wear line, and it has very quickly become a commercial hit (and worth a look). Go behind the scenes with the designer and see what inspires each collection at the brands blog, Inside the Studio. In the meantime I’ll be circling his flagship store doing my best to resist retail temptation. DFB.

COMMERCE STREET, Alex Williams, writer at the New York Times, and Joanna Goddard, writer and creator of A Cup of Jo, with their son, Toby for Downtownfrombehind.

Alex and Joanna have one of those romantic New York stories. She liked his glasses, he liked her toothy grin, they met at the Oscars over a bowl of guacamole. First date and Alex opted for a movie. He spent the entire time wondering if Jo was into him. Jo spent the entire time thinking about making out with him. Fast forward, and they’re the proud parents of Toby Goddard-Williams. Forbes just named Joanna’s blog, A Cup of Jo, one of the top 10 lifestyle websites for women. Nice. Alex is a staff writer for the New York Times Styles section, specializing in trend stories, lifestyle features, and profiles of downtown tastemakers in restaurants, nightlife, fashion, and the media. He has worked for the Times for seven years, and now shows off his team spirit by peddling around town on a three-speed, 1974 Schwinn Speedster—the very model ridden by his octogenarian colleague on the Styles desk, photographer Bill Cunningham. You can catch this duo on weekends in the West Village, and, Alex is most often greeted with “Hey, you’re Alex from Cup of Jo!” despite the fact his work in the Sunday Styles appears in front of some thirty million readers each week. Toby is trying to like stinky cheese at Murray’s, but prefers swinging, bananas, guitars, and skipping baths. DFB.

CROSBY STREET, Warriors of Radness, surfers, dudes and brand muses for Downtownfrombehind.

Josh Lyons, Nova Bleckley, Bradlee Coleman, Kyle Robbins, Kurt Narmore, and Levi Yaokum Prairie are Warriors of Radness. They love surfing, drinking, sunshine, women, and cool beach style that is soulful and authentic. Their clothing line has an underground following, and they seem to be collaborating with all the right people, including both Opening Ceremony and Saturdays here in New York. They’ve also just created an Endless Summer–inspired collection for John’s, their favorite surf store in Japan. Not just brand muses, Levi is a talented singer and songwriter, Kurt created a nonprofit called Hand Me Ups, Bradlee dropped out of high school for three months as stunt double for Jay Adams in the Lords of Dogtown, Kyle plays drums (as Richard Gere when in the Hamptons), Nova sports an infamous ALOHA tattoo (a la Sailor Jerry) on the back of his head, and Josh surfs, very well. DFB shot the guys on Crosby Street the frosty morning after they partied at GQ’s fashion week event, celebrating their label’s nomination for Best New Menswear Designer. They were in relatively good condition all considered. Just one small spill, Bradlee, the semi professional stuntman. More here. DFB.

CEDAR STREET, Roya Kazemi, NYC Mayor’s Office, Director of GreeNYC.

Roya, a lover of big cats who dreams of one day hugging a tiger, is also a downtown junkie. She’s been satiating her raging social habit across lower Manhattan since she was barely a teen, has lived in Battery Park City for more than twelve years and has worked below Houston Street for almost as long. Her career started in the music industry, working at Virgin Records America and later at indie labels. Since then, Roya has found her groove in greener pastures: the NYC Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability.  As Director of GreeNYC, she is now all about motivating New Yorkers to make sustainable lifestyle choices. When not at City Hall or running along the Hudson, you may spot her strolling through town with GreeNYC’s lovable 7-foot mascot, Birdie. Roya says the stares they get are all worth it if even just one New Yorker is inspired to act on Birdie’s messages to help green NYC. Birdie’s not the only furry love in Roya’s life. Her pitbull rescue, Daisy, is a regular winner at the Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog parade – and this Jackie O costume explains it all.  DFB.

HOUSTON STREET, Colin Brice and Caleb Mulvena, architects and founders of Mapos for Downtownfrombehind.

Colin and Caleb have had somewhat of a professional romance for almost fifteen years. They worked at opposing firms, chasing one another from Aspen to Boston during their careers before finally deciding to tie the knot (so to speak) in New York launching their own studio, Mapos, in 2007. Perched in a modern loft on the Bowery, their office is full of architects, designers, and hard-to-label creatives who provide the multi-disciplinary services for creative concepts, architectural environments and experiential branding. We first stumbled upon their work, the restoration of the former YMCA building on Bowery now green retail store Green Depot at its opening. Green Depot is a great destination for several reasons, for us it’s the retail hit and history fix all in one. The original pool tiles still dress its beams and what was once a pool (you can still see the concrete outline) is now full of green products. The guys are currently working on a full rebranding for skin care and cosmetics national store Fresh. The first of the new look stores was unveiled recently at the Broadway and 18th street location just north of Union Square. Colin and Caleb are fearless bikers, coffee enthusiasts, and occasional models (see J. Crew catalogue circa 2009). They frequent Tom and Jerry’s for cold beer. So do we. DFB.

LISPENARD STREET, Candice Lake, Photographer, Writer and Blogger for Downtownfromhehind.

Her official title is Global Client Relations Manager for the quintessential Parisian fashion house Rue Du Mail. But twice yearly she joins the fashion circuit as a contributing photographer, writer and blogger for Vogue US, UK and Australia (amongst others), sighting trends, snapping models and interviewing key personalities along the way. The best part about this junket?, is of course ending it in Paris - merci beaucoup!  There’s a good chance you’ll find her at Cafe Charlot in the Marais district at the end of the night (it’s opposite one of the oldest converted markets in Paris XV1 century, and a perfect place to find champagne and stinky cheese).  A bit of a humble style icon herself, think Meryl Streep in Out of Africa meets Helmut Newton, at the end of the day she calls London home where she lives with her architect beau. Her home, she says, is their luxury. DFB.