In dark political times such as these, the idea of a great escape is undeniably tempting. For designer Ralph Lauren, that happy place is currently Jamaica, with its sandy white beaches and mystical blue mountains. Lauren set the mood for his latest see-now-buy-now collection with a mise-en-scène that appeared to be transported straight from his luxurious Caribbean retreat. The reflection of rippling blue waters could be seen in the white blinds and cabana furniture at the end of the runway. His models were clearly in full vacation mode, too, bounding out barefoot and dressed in sun-bleached batik and woodblock-print summer dresses with woven tourist baskets and canvas totes swinging at their side.
The island vibe made way for a more traditional yacht club aesthetic and classic nautical tropes that have been associated with a certain kind of American prepster for decades, including Bermuda shorts and double-breasted navy blazers replete with gold buttons. There were slick reworkings of seafaring anoraks covered in prints that alluded to the splashy glamour of the French Riviera, specifically Cap d’Antibes, a destination that’s long been popular with the rich and famous—Coco Chanel had a holiday home there. That jet-set milieu won’t be foreign to the high-profile women who Lauren dresses including Blake Lively, Melania Trump, and Katie Holmes, who sat front row at his show today. Though the clothes seemed more geared to an out-of-office wardrobe than anything else, the collection did offer new options for those with a schedule packed full of black-tie engagements. The sweeping primary-color evening gowns took inspiration from yacht sails and lent a dose of sporting style to a red carpet wardrobe. You could imagine Holmes or one of her Hollywood colleagues packing a number of those looks for some star-studded adventure, be it at home or away.
