An American Constant

Longevity and relevance are the two words this collection, and Ralph Lauren in general, conjure for me. It’s Ralph, but it’s not played. It’s fresh, but it lives squarely within the world the designer has been building for decades.

What always shocks me at a Ralph Lauren show is just how matter of fact the clothing is. It’s obvious without being banal.

It’s clothing designed with the sort of confidence that only someone like Ralph Lauren could possess, the confidence that comes from years spent understanding your aesthetic and your client.

To me, Ralph is to Americana what Rick is to Gothic, what Miuccia is to utilitarianism. He is a living embodiment of the aesthetic, telling one continuous story across a legendary career. The conversation doesn’t stop when the collection ends. These aren’t isolated ideas. They sit inside a story. They’re chapters in a book.

Ralph isn’t just reflecting on the current state of fashion. He’s reflecting on his own influence on fashion, too. He is referential without becoming overly indulgent, always finding a way to weave his singular vision into the larger conversation. I see the classic Ralph customer in this collection, but I also see Ralph welcoming in a new kind of customer.

I see clothing for a younger, more alternative client. The same client who feels comfortable in the worlds of Conner Ives or Chloé can now step into Ralph Lauren and feel entirely at home.

It’s so difficult to “meet in the middle,” so to speak, when it comes to catering to the fashion lovers of today. Do you sacrifice your vision to appeal to trends and prevailing sartorial winds, or do you beat on in spite of outside influences? Ralph so tactfully does both, digesting and participating in the zeitgeist without letting it consume his work.

Maybe most importantly, though, the clothing is stunning. In one moment, it’s astounding in its simplicity; in another, baffling in its construction and visual density. It isn’t mentally cumbersome. It’s clothing you can see yourself wearing. It’s clothing that can be worn.

Some designers present fantasies that are wonderful to look at and dream about, but in practice, difficult to imagine ourselves in. Ralph Lauren is not one of these designers. He creates clothing to live with, clothing to live a life in. These are pieces to be worn frequently and into the ground.

Sometimes it’s nice to know that, in a world of fashion catastrophe, we can rely on a few pillars to always deliver.

Ralph Lauren always delivers.