Billy Ykiro Nigel, Designer and Musician
BY nymag.com

"I used to be much bigger. I lifted weights and everything. But I decided that looking good in my clothes was more important than sports, so I started dieting. I just think being skinny helps complete my look."

What kind of name is “Ykiro”?
It doesn’t mean anything; I made it up. I wanted a new name to go with my new look. People assume it’s Japanese, but it’s not. Sometimes I tell people it means “rebel,” sometimes I say it means “outside the box.”

You’re starting your own fashion line.
Yes. I’m working on a summer 2010 clothing line called Laissez-Faire. I’m also a recording artist; my band is called Elements of a Cynical Union. It’s like electronic with a little bit of mixed hip-hop, like a crazy real new genre.

Are there musicians you admire?
Yeah, MGMT, Coldplay. Kanye’s been switching it up lately, which I like. Oh, and David Bowie. He brings the passion.

(Photo: Spencer Heyfron)