Over the course of his four-decade career, Ralph Lauren has made many looks his own—equestrian, country club, ski-lodge chic. Bohemian gypsy is a little more unexpected, but there were definite strains of that in today's show, and not only because Stevie Nicks was singing Fleetwood Mac's "Sisters of the Moon" on the soundtrack. Lauren got there via the Edwardian tailoring and romantic florals that his fans already know and love—not to mention a trove of beaded necklaces, beanies, and fingerless lace gloves.
Puffed shoulders made repeat appearances, here on a fitted charcoal herringbone jacket, there on a cotton flannel plaid blouse or jewel-tone velvet top; a black suede tunic with leg-of-mutton sleeves was sashed at the waist over flaring leggings. Mixing masculine and feminine with his usual deftness, Lauren slipped a chesterfield on top of a floor-grazing georgette dress, and cinched distressed leather belts around the washed Shetland wool jackets he paired with ruffled skirts.
There was a pinstripe interlude that looked tailor-made for his tony clientele, but not unlike his Spring collection, with its Great Depression-inspired beaten-up blue jeans, this one seemed pitched to a more downtown crowd. That was especially the case when it came to evening. A passementerie embroidered silk ottoman coat was plenty posh, ditto a black silk georgette and tulle beaded gown. His flower-print long dresses, however, were layered over lacy long-sleeve tees in a way we've seen young designers doing all week. If this felt like strange new territory for Lauren, there were moments—as with that silk georgette fils coupe gown—when it was fertile ground indeed.
