My NY: Prabal Gurung's 5 Local Hotspots

Sometimes fashion celebrity happens so fast you can barely remember who's hot and who's not. Prabal Gurung was one of those bright stars—suddenly after his spring '09 collection, his was the name on every fashionista worth a PS 1 bag's lips. But lest you think the beautiful (and ripped!) Nepali designer is just another flash in the pan, slow your roll. Last night, at the CFDAs, where Gurung was nominated for the Swarovski Award for womenswear, we were once again reminded just how much work went into his much deserved ascent, with some serious time put in at both Cynthia Rowley and Bill Blass. And the clothier, who's a fave of Michelle Obama and Demi to name a few, has definitely not let the fame go to his head—case-in-point, every time we see him out on the town he is unfailingly polite. So, just in time for his big night, we asked the designer to share the spots where he gets both grounded and inspired. We suggest taking some time this weekend to do some Prabal peepin', we're more than sure you'll find him vintage-shopping, eating oysters, or flicking through a book in his New York. He'll be gathering ideas now&dash;you know he's got to do it all again come fall.

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Here's Prabal's 5 must-stops for a designer itinerary second-to-none:

1. Marlow And Sons : "They have the greatest oysters and such an eclectic group of interesting and beautiful people. I always find myself so inspired by the unique and original [personalities] one can find throughout Brooklyn."

81 Broadway (at Berry Street); Brooklyn; 718-384-1441

2. New World Order: "This hidden gem offers some of the greatest vintage designs—clothes I only wish I had in my closet. Fortunately, it's right around the corner from my apartment, so I often stop in to browse, get inspired, or simply marvel at all of the incredible pieces from designers I love from the past and the present.

13 Avenue B (at East 2nd Street); 212-777-3600

3. Taschen Book Store: "It's my favorite place for fashion, photography and design books in New York. Their range of books is incredibly exciting and stimulating."

107 Greene Street (between Prince and Greene streets); 212-226-2212

4. kSeven: "This is one of my favorite boutiques in NYC. I have always loved their selection of designers and find that it is very avant-garde, selective, unique, and well merchandised. It is exciting to see the many different voices, styles, and designs represented throughout the store."

110 Mercer Street (between Spring and Prince streets); 64-654-0156

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5. Half Gallery: "Tucked away in an almost obscure corner of the LES is a gem of a gallery that showcases an eclectic group of artists. It's curated in such a different, precise, and unpretentious manner, plus it's conveniently located in my neighborhood."

208 Forsyth Street (at East Houston Street).

R29 DEAL: We know you need a little inspiration when you get a fashion freeze. Well, have no fear, Taschen's here! The cutting-edge publishing house, with more cool coffee table books than there are boutique hotel lobbies, is giving all y'all 20% off (the first discount on the series) their Golden Book editions today until Sunday at their seriously chic SoHo store. The special tomes, created to celebrate Taschen's 30th anniversary, are lower priced editions of some of their most popular titles, including a $39.99 version of Moonfire, which came out last year for $1,000. Our top pick: LaChapelle, Heaven to Hell. Just mention Refinery29 at check out to score the deal.

107 Greene Street (between Spring and Prince streets); 212-226-2212

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