Just last night the New York Giants were battling it out in the Superbowl and with New York Fashion Week set to kick off on Thursday, the Big Apple is very much in the cultural spotlight. So we figured it was the right time to look at what the Empire State's first city has to offer, style wise.

Unsurprisingly from a destination forever associated with the likes of Edward Hopper, John Lennon and Woody Allen, it's a confident cocktail of quirky and style-forward pieces from a pair of big personalities - Marc Jacobs and Phillip Lim. Both keep it casual, creating pieces that are seriously considered.

Both are lauded. Phillip Lim's award shelf heaves under the weight of Vogue Fashion Fund and CFDA awards, while Marc Jacobs is one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people and is pretty much the man of the moment after scooping the 2011 CFDA lifetime achievement award (The CFDA is the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which rules the fashion roost state side), despite only being a very spritely forty something. Diffusion line Marc by Marc Jacobs has never been more sought after and this season it is all about adding a little something extra to menswear staples. The T-shirts come adorned with the most arresting graphics, including the animal dystopia print, a Technicolor scene of exotic proportions which stands out from its soft or mid grey background

(choose your favourite). The sweats are classic crew necks, but with a soft marble treatment that gives them a much-wanted vintage feel and a soft handle to match. Similarly washed down is the leather hoody jacket which teams expertly with the red jeans - and if you're ready to add a little zest to your colour palette here is where to do it and keep it wearable. Add in the steel blue shirt and cobalt polo, smoky checked blazer and skim chinos and you have the attention grabbing wardrobe of the modern urbanite.

Cooler in execution is Phillip Lim. The man who stormed the New York shows with his expertly cut womenswear back in 2005 has impressively matched that reputation with his menswear styling in his 3.1 line. Look out for hard to resist summer whites and ombré detailing for the season ahead. Check out the new-ins this week. We reckon you'll be planning your summer wardrobes already.

There are plenty of good things about New York. From the way the light reflects off of all those 'scrapers to make you feel like you're professionally lit to Grimaldi's Pizza (under the shadow of Brooklyn Bridge), Barnes and Noble bookstores and the quaint brownstones of the West Village, the MoMA, and the infinity of Delis. But it's the very distinctive sense of style of these two American heroes that does it for us.