Da Vinci California operates at the intersection of heritage menswear, vintage-inspired fashion, and elevated lifestyle apparel. Born in 1952 and reborn with purpose, Da Vinci California captures a moment in time — when style was effortless, confidence was quiet, and clothing had soul.
Our designs draw from a deep archive of West Coast cool — from mid-century motels to Vegas stages — and reinterpret them for the modern individual who values authenticity, nostalgia, and quality. Every shirt tells a story, blending classic silhouettes with thoughtful details, premium fabrics, and a fit that feels like it was made for now.
This isn’t fast fashion. It’s the Californian way of life.
Da Vinci California was founded by The Berke family in 1952, but it had been producing high quality leisure shirts since the 1940's. In 1952, Da Vinci quickly becomes the style and choice for members of the swinging Rat Pack. Frank, Dean and Sammy simply can't get enough and the rest of Hollywood were quick to follow. The 1950s Da Vinci shirts were mainly Rayon Gabardine flap pocket shirts in both solids and patterns. The late 50s and early 60s shirts are the most collected. These are the shirts that have color blocking, striping and embroidery and usually made using the iconic Shirley fabrics.
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The Berkes sold the business sometime around 1967/68 to Milton Glazer.
In the late 60s / early 70s Da Vinci California® added two labels - Scene III by Da Vinci and Da Vinci presents Delfina. John Cosgrove describes them in his Coffee Table Book about Da Vinci as "Scene III" being very Greg Brady while "Delfina" was more Mr. Brady. The first being really groovy targeted to teenagers and young men and the latter being less trendy, appealing to a more mature audience. There have been several other labels and John continue to find the odd sub-label from time to time and will be including them in the book. We hope to be able to offer John's book here shortly.
The third era was 80’s / 90s when we took it over (under a different company name).
And here we are today - Da Vinci of California 4.0
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Da Vinci clothing endures, not just as a name that stands for quality, but also as a state of mind, calling upon the swinging hot shot romanticism of the '50s and to the Rock Stars and Surfers of today. The pure beauty of the Da Vinci product is evident in the authenticity of the design. Da Vinci is a high quality product made with reproductions of authentic fabric. Buttons, trim and specialty embroideries that are manufactured exactly from the original designs of the '50s, '60s and '70s are the heart of the Brand. Da Vinci is still a pure classic vintage collection due to the fact that a lot of the designs are taken from the company's massive archive of original product. Designs that combine unique color-blocking to reproduce that classic two-tones, with authentic specialty stitching gives Da Vinci a unique authentic feel. "Original since 1952" classic styling, timeless treasures to wear.
That's Da Vinci California® - "Wear the Lifestyle".