Without formal design training, Whitledge developed Trovata’s first capsule collection of vintage inspired menswear that was quickly picked up by Barney’s New York and a handful of exclusive specialty stores. Shipping out of Whitledge’s Claremont McKenna dormitory in 2002, the company was established. With the help of three of his friends the collection grew in subsequent seasons, as the Trovata look was identified by its mix of East Coast prep with an easy, laid back West Coast feel. After two seasons of designing menswear and in response to high demand from Trovata’s first piece of major press in VOGUE magazine, coupled with an increasing female fan base, the first Trovata women’s collection debuted in Spring 2005. Recognized for its unique spin on American fashion, in Fall 2005, Trovata won the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award for menswear. The following season, the company won the Council of Fashion Designers of America/VOGUE Fashion Fund Award and Whitledge became a member of the prestigious CFDA. In 2006, Trovata’s menswear was lauded again and awarded the CFDA’s Swarovski Perry Ellis award. Three years after its inception, Trovata had complete men’s and women’s collections, global distribution, and a loyal following of fashion’s elite.
