‘‘This is the Class of 2008 - the ones to watch,’’ says GQ creative director Jim Moore.

Don’t read too much into the non-tieness. These designers have no problem outfitting men for Wall Street or weekends. Yeah, they offer suits - cut slim. And ties - skinny ones, worn askew. The kind Holden Caulfield might have worn slouching through Manhattan.

Yep, J.D. Salinger’s mischievous prepster malcontent of ‘‘The Catcher in the Rye’’ seems to have been the fit model for menswear designers this year - upstart and old guard alike. Fall collections are brimming with WASPy tradition: sensible gray suits, cable sweaters, cords, herringbone, Donegal tweed, clothes that take you from prep school to college to Madison Avenue office. But always with that slightly rebellious vibe.

‘‘We’re in a good moment for American style,’’ says Moore. ‘‘Designers have revisited the classics and made them cool.’’

That was apparent last week, on Wednesday night, when GQ threw a pre-Fashion Week bash for its anointed newbies, offering a peek at their fall line-ups. Obedient Sons (designed by Swaim Hutson and wife, Christina) was perhaps the most Caulfieldian, with fresh-outta-prep-school Continental jackets, shrunken cardigans, and black tweed Rider pants (with leather patches). A two-tone, gray tux jacket with shawl collar looked perfect for someone uber-stylish - and up to no good.

For more collegiate looks, there’s Steven Alan, whose peacoats, down jackets over brushed cotton suits, even bow-ties, come in guy-friendly shades - gray, navy, pops of yellow. Spurr (by Simon Spurr) offers a metro take, layering worsted wool vests and blazers with an oversized oiled-cotton touring jacket.

Engineered Garments (by Daiki Suzuki) has the townies covered, in flannel jackets, plaid work shirts, rumply knits and slushy weather workboots. Rag and Bone (the former denim line from Marcus Wainwright and David Neville) has workwear, including suave, three-piece Connery suits, and vests, vests, vests.

‘‘The vest should be a key item for fall,’’ suggests Tom Julian, director of trends at McCann Erickson. Checks and plaids stay strong, he adds, as do ‘‘jackets that tell a story.’’

At Gilded Age - the last of GQ’s faves - the jackets speak volumes, like the leather-trimmed coat inspired by a vintage railroad conductor’s uniform. The line (by Stefan Miljanic) looks plucked from the early years of the Industrial Revolution. It’s made that way, too. Super-soft knits are hand-crafted using artisanal techniques, or vintage, recycled looms; the organic denim and canvas pants are treated with plant dyes, then worked over with sandpaper so they ‘‘look like they’ve been through a war or two,’’ says Miljanic.

More established lines expressed their own sense of nostalgia.

Nautica kicked off Fashion Week Friday morning with a sportswear regatta inspired by ice sailing - a ‘‘dangerous, sexy sport,’’ says designer Mirian Lamberth. The winners: peacoats (in cashmere, nylon), racy tech pants, can’t-go-wrong cables (sweaters, hoodie, robe).

John Crocco at Perry Ellis led a hunting party, with Britishy Norfolk jackets, lodge vests and unexpected, ‘‘exploded’’ prints - oversize windowpanes and a great mongo snowflake sweater. ‘‘I’m not a hunter,’’ he said, laughing. ‘‘Those deer heads on the runway are fake.’’

John Varvatos offered glimpses of fall at a recent European presentation. Think Edwardian: nipped jackets (herringbones, tweeds), stand-up collars, jauntily tugged-at ties. Coats are narrow in the shoulder and cashmere-soft; leather rocks, in antiqued silver and pewter.

Later this month, a panel of editors and industry experts will name one of the GQ faves top dog - the winner gets $50,000 and a chance to create a collection for Levi’s, plus mentorship from pros like Varvatos. It’ll be a tough decision, says Moore.

‘‘Boy, they’re serious about clothes,’’ he says. ‘‘Some of them are gonna turn into the next Ralph Lauren.’’

Guess there’s nothing more classic than that.

For more than 100 years, Hickey Freeman has served industry leaders from Wall Street to Washington, Eisenhower to Gore. So it’s only fitting that in this election year they should launch a new, high-end Presidential Collection. Inspired by Ronald Reagan, the line combines a more modern silhouette (trim waist, a ‘‘strong’’ - not ‘‘square’’ - shoulder) with the ultimate in luxury materials (supersoft yarns and microfibers, silk linings, genuine horn buttons from England).

‘‘It’s like Microsoft Vista, the next level of technology,’’ says designer Bruno Castagna.

The line starts small for spring, then blows out wide for fall with suits, shirts, ties. Presidential pricetags ($3,000 to $4,000) are about twice their regular suit prices.

But, hey, you wouldn’t be the first presidential type to suffer from deficit spending.