Harvard Yard & Caulfield Prepatory: Scholarly staples.

Being a college student with somewhat of an interest in things sartorial, I was stoked (and rather surprised at the extent of this excitement, too, never knew things so aesthetically conservative could prove so covetable…) to see what the Cambridge MA school Harvard’s new line, The Harvard Yard, would offer. Unsurprisinlgy, the collaboration between the University itself and manufacturer Wearwolf Group looks to be the epitome of Ivy League elegance what with tailored shorts, roll-up-cuffed chinos and a healthy dose of dandy provided by pinstripe blazers.

Still, it’s not worth a first. Such an accolade could only be awarded to Vincent Flumiani whose slightly-rough-around-the-edges-academic-esque line, Caulfield Prepatory, has me eager to get back to the books like never before, if only to have an excuse to don those slim-fitting shirts and wool blazers.

Inspired by J.D. Salinger’s classic beloved of adolescent misanthropes the world over, Catcher in the Rye, the line pays homage to rebelliousness. This AW09 collection is based on a story penned by Flumiani himself which concerns a youth who embarks on a pretty epic road trip, Kerouac-style. Literary-references aside, the pieces comprising the collection itself are impressive, irrespective of concept. Elegant staples of Uni-uniform (slim blazers, shirts, thin polos and poker-straight ties) are combined with workwear-inspired components (brown cordurouy, rustic boots, thick knits and fingerless gloves).

For what must be the first time, however, I’m jonesing after SS more than AW. Culprits responsible (from Caulfield Prep’s SS10 nautical collection) to be found here.