Very Ralph, the title of a new documentary on Ralph Lauren’s life, also happens to sum up the spirit of the brand’s latest collection. For those who’ve seen the recently released HBO film, the first look—a model dressed in a gray cashmere turtleneck, flannel blazer, and white high-waisted shorts—will be familiar. It’s a reference to a photograph of the designer himself, taken on the steps of the historic Hotel du Cap in southern France back in 1977.
Over the last five decades, Lauren has drawn on numerous cinematic references to build a framework for his vision, though his most quintessential fashion ideas often spring from the fabric of his own life. Pre-fall brings many of his personal style signatures together for reinterpretation. The classic gray flannel blazer is lightened up and remade a few different ways, with the most glamorous version finished with a smattering of sequins. The designer’s love of denim is apparent here too, with the classic five-pocket silhouette made cocktail hour–ready thanks to a metallic velvetlike treatment.
In the outerwear department, the traditional Lauren tropes—motocross jackets and trench coats, for instance—were given a tactile, earthy hand with canvas trimmed with brown leather; they’re ruggedly elegant pieces that will likely only get better with age. The artisanal items had a similar charm, including one knee-length skirt overlaid with hand-knotted macramé leather. And it wouldn’t be a Ralph collection without a cameo from the Bedford Bear, the Lauren mascot that was first inspired by his brother Jerry’s collection of Steiffs. Fittingly, the teddy on this particular cashmere sweater is dressed in an outfit straight out of Lauren’s closet: jodhpurs, sports coat, and a simple white tee.
