NPR’s Linda Wertheimer chatted with Barneys‘ creative director/fashion writer Simon Doonan about the resurgence of prep.

A sequel to the 1980′s The Official Preppy Handbook was just released. And if you haven’t noticed the preppy style can be seen on fashionistas around the world.

The Official Preppy Handbook was also a design inspiration for 80%20’s Fall 10 season.  Ce Ce uses traditional burnished leathers and schoolboyish staples such as woolen black watch plaid.  The desert boot gets a revamp with wooden toggle closures and red clay “buck shoe” outsoles.  There’s also a salute to that Americana outdoorsy girl- hiking boots, and shearling lined moccasins with our classic performing signature hidden wedge.

To listen or read the transcript from Wertheimer’s interview with Simon Doonan at NPR, go here.

Here’s a teaser:

WERTHEIMER: Let me ask you, Simon, since this is Fashion Week in New York, is preppy on the runways right now?

Mr. SIMON DOONAN (Columnist, The New York Observer): There’s a million different trends concurrently operating. But, having said that, I think there’s a renewed interest in preppy. And I think it’s probably a function of how slutty and trashy everything got in the last few years, like the “Real Housewives of Orange County” or the “Jersey Shore.” There’s this super porno chic that sort of dominated much of pop culture. And it’s natural that there’s this sort of conservative reaction to that and that people might rediscover the sort of simple WASP-y elegance of preppy style.