Los Angeles-based menswear designer Vincent Flumiani has two passions: literature and fashion. The launch of his debut line, Caulfield Preparatory (available at Bloomingdales and Kesner), marks the clever combination of these art forms, as each season of the collegiate-inspired collection derives from a self-discovery story written by Flumiani himself. Influenced by J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, the Caulfield Preparatory "plot" follows the west-to-east travels of young protagonist Finnegan Sinclair as he escapes his conservative past in search of his identity -- a theme that resonates particularly with the designer, who lived out of his Volkswagen van in his early twenties.

For Fall 2009, the line's opening chapter, young Finn is clad in relaxed henleys and cotton shirts, and the earthy autumn colors evoke the arid Californian terrain. Darker tones like grey and purple that appear in chapter two -- Flumiani's Spring 2010 line -- are a nod to the protagonist’s final destination: New York City. Flumiani has paid close attention to detail and fabrics in his endeavor, which is apparent in Caulfield Preparatory's slim-fitting jackets and cropped vests. Soft prima cotton, Japanese fleece and hand-woven Argentine knits are used throughout the charming debut collection, and vintage-inspired leather buttons and tabbed collars separate the brand from its competitors.