The designer Ralph Lauren has accustomed us in recent years to breathtaking shows: in Central Park for the 50th anniversary of the brand, at the Museum of Modern Art recreating his Fifth Avenue lounge for Fall/Winter 2022 or a “Ralph’s Club” in the ballroom of Wall Street for his collection Fall/Winter 2019. After a long break due to the pandemic, the New York designer felt a strong urge to travel, and he chose the other side of the country, more exactly in California, at the Huntington Library, in San Marino, northeast of Los Angeles, which contains, among other things, galleries, extraordinary gardens and a museum dedicated to French and British art from the 15th to the 20th century, and to American art from the colonial period to the 1950s, founded in 1919 by a family of industrialists who made their fortune in railroads and real estate.
“I’ve always been inspired by the natural beauty, heritage and glamour of the American West Coast”, said Ralph Lauren in his show notes. “California has always been a land of dreams and contradictions – rugged coasts and red carpets. For the first time ever, I bring my dream of living here, sharing my worlds in an experience that celebrates a way of life I have always believed in – a mix of grit and glamour, energy and inspiration”.
In front of a front-row of celebrities and friends of the brand including the couple of the moment Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Diane Keaton, Laura Dern, John Legend, Chris Pine, Lily Collins and Robin Wright, to name a few, Ralph Lauren paraded the full variety of the brand’s universe, including more than 100 looks worn by more than 100 models from several generations.
The clothes, from Ralph Lauren Collection, Purple Label, Double RL, Polo Ralph Lauren and children’s wear depicted a representation of an idealized California life where one could jump from surfing in Malibu, to brunch in Beverly Hills, to a movie premiere in West Hollywood. The collection represents “the luxury and craftsmanship of the Collection and Purple Label lines, combined with the adventurous nature of Double RL, the youthful and irreverent spirit of Polo Ralph Lauren and the charm of children’s fashion”.
©Ralph Lauren
