The Ralph Lauren look is among the most unassailable in the fashion system: If you’re someone who pays attention to style—even remotely—RL is very easy to spot. This is what continues to make the brand so powerful, especially at the Purple Label level; it is the apex of American sartorial finery.
For Fall 2019, menswear creative director John Wrazej said that “they were reevaluating what made us who we are, and we came back with an equestrian focus. There have always been equestrian elements, but we gave the vibe a rest for a few years. Here, we looked at old silk scarves and archival company artwork, as well as our Stirrup watch, for inspiration.”
So call it horseplay, albeit in a different context. A long navy duffle coat had stirrups and bits as graphics down the sleeves; likewise, the scheme appeared on a pair of jeans. A suede leather grass green jacket boasted patched-on tackle icons. Belts featured large hardware buckles, mimicking the timepiece that Wrajez referred to above. Yet the collection wasn’t all focused at the stables; there were excellent velvets, either cut into a pinched-waist tan sport coat or a cloud gray double-breasted suit. RLX’s Purple Label edition continued, too, to complement the activewear needs of the company’s most deep-pocketed clients. Wrajez also noted a ramped-up focus on “the unexpected, or the more unique,” pointing to frog closures on a tuxedo jacket or a cashmere tartan blazer that almost had a gown-like drape about it.
Most unexpected, though, speaking of surprises: There was a decent amount of refreshing aesthetic indulgence in this collection—something more pop and grabby, with those equine motifs especially taking on an almost baroque ambience. But all in all, it was still unmistakably and iconically Ralph.
