Damian Finch is 12 years old.

And another six years was apparently too long to wait. So, instead of going for “Project Runway,” he decided to become a fashion designer before his Bar Mitzvah. Based in New York, Finch initially made a name for himself in denim. Now he goes around swearing that he’s just trying to make clothes he “would want to wear.” His first full collection was shown last week to a handful of buyers and editors in Los Angeles and New York and will hit stores for fall 2009 — Confederacy (LA) and Odin (NYC) already bought several pieces. Remarkable level of maturity? Probably. Too much of an attitude? For sure. The annoying part is that his clothes are good, but only in a fashion-world way. As in, I would never wear this weird surfer-tuxedo thing, but it does look like something Galliano would approve of.

Sebago + Vane

OK, honestly, there is no way this sort of shoe can be taken seriously anymore. This week, Vane opened a pop-up shop in NYC at the same time they unveiled their new collaborative effort with Sebago. Three new versions of the classic Sebago Dockside are offered, including my personal favorite: “Tuxedo,” as they describe it: “all patent black on black for a subtle flashiness. When you need to dress up without losing your downtown style.” Dear Lord. Patent leather and boat shoes for some reason do not go together. It’s like a fur lab coat. Not even Courtney Pannell ’11 would think of that. But anyway, in case you’re interested:

$110 a pair, each comes with contrast stitching — except “Tuxedo,” because that wouldn’t make sense.

Leather

Alright, leather jackets are expensive, but they do get better with age. Not a myth. Buying one is an investment that I’d dare to designate necessary. Ollie Amhurst just launched a new leather line that I’m thinking has all I would ever want a jacket of this kind to include: cotton wrists, hand pockets, a subtle neck (also cotton) and a slim fit. True, the one in the picture will come out this fall for $1,100, but it has the nice, smooth design that I think I’ll be looking for at places with more affordable prices.

TOPMAN is here, brings presents

In New York City, TOPMAN opened their first store in America on Thursday morning. It was about time for the British brand to get here, especially after having stores in Gibraltar and Cyprus. The better news is, they have a bunch of their current collection on 50 percent sale, also available on their Web site. And, in celebration of the new store (located on Broadway & Broome streets): free shipping. Boy, I missed the opening, but am I making up for it at www.topman.com.