He knows how to mix it up

Whether it’s producing the ambitiously eccentric Los Angeles Art Weekend or staging a Band of Outsiders fashion show in a New York loft, publicist Brian Phillips is a master of blending elements that have no business working with each other -- and yet, miraculously, do.

He’ll schedule a discourse on Soviet architecture at a sunny L.A. art fest, mix preppy and punk at the Outsiders show or throw a party in an abandoned New York City bar and invite Karl Lagerfeld -- a Phillips event always feels on the edge of going awry but comes off with stylish aplomb. Much like the man himself.

On a recent Sunday, the lanky 27-year-old was in town from New York, putting the finishing touches on the art weekend, which ends today (his company Black Frame co-produced it). He settled into a table outside the Opening Ceremony store on La Cienega Boulevard (a client) to talk about his personal style and taking fashion risks.

He’s wearing a lavender button-front shirt, sleeves rolled up past the elbow, a pair of slim-cut, dark wash jeans and a pair of brown, thick-soled work boots. On most people, a ridiculous combination. On Phillips, comfortable and chic.

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Who are you wearing today?

The shirt is Acne, the jeans are Dior and the boots are Redwing for Opening Ceremony.

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You represent two of those and used to rep the third. Do you feel compelled to wear clothes from your clients?

My company reflects my own tastes, so that’s a natural for me, but I don’t ever do a complete head-to-toe look. I like to mix in something that’s a little idiosyncratic.

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Like those chunky work boots?

Shoes are super important; they hold everything together. If I wear a Dior suit, I’ll put on a pair of Converse sneakers, or I’ll wear a pair of corduroys, a dinner jacket, an Alexis Mabille jacquard tie and white boat shoes.

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So are shoes the secret to a goof-proof outfit?

If you have the right shoes and jacket, you can’t really go wrong.

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What advice would you give a man who wants to mix up his wardrobe but isn’t sure he can pull it off?

You shouldn’t be afraid to try different things. I think you can try something you don’t feel comfortable with, but people will respond to it.

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Give me a personal example.

When you’re from California, you have a little bit of fear of formal wear, and I remember when I started wearing more dressy clothes, I wasn’t about French cuffs and cuff links.

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Where did your punk-preppy look come from?

I grew up in Fresno, so I was kind of preppy growing up. Then I moved to New York to go to Columbia and went darker. I was listening to music like Morrissey and My Bloody Valentine, and that was an influence.

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Does that melding of opposites make its way into your work?

Definitely. If I was planning a party at the Rainbow Room in New York, I’d make sure there were lots of young people invited -- but really dressed up. Or a party at a downtown nightclub for a really sophisticated crowd. Things you wouldn’t ordinarily put together.

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Do you dress differently in L.A. than in New York?

I think so. Here it’s jeans and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and in New York, it’s jeans and a blazer. That’s more the way I dress abroad as well -- New York style is probably more universal, but L.A. style is more fun.

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Is there something you always carry with you?

Two BlackBerrys. And I usually carry around this Patagonia backpack. I love the tech fabrics and everything on it -- the buckles and zipper pulls and everything are all black. It’s hard to find accessories that are all monochromatic, and I’m very particular about finding things that are finished in the appropriate way.

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Do you have a style icon?

I’ve always admired architects. I think they’ve got great style, and I loved the way Philip Johnson looked with those amazing glasses and the way he always looked pulled together.

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adam.tschorn@latimes.com