The audience was younger, more looksmaxxed, and more TikToky than normal during Ralph Lauren’s seasonal presentation in Milan last June.
After more than 55 years in business, the house that Ralph constructed then seemed to be leaning into an unexpected success on TikTok, the preferred app for Generation Z. Users have criticized Ralph Lauren in recent years for being a part of the old money trend, which is a crude summary of affluent style that equates wearing expensive clothing with looking like Chevy Chase from “Caddyshack.”
Ralph Lauren benefited from whatever caused young people to go toward pleated khakis and tucked polos once more. The resale portal StockX sent me a press statement in the days preceding Milan’s men’s fashion week, revealing that Polo Ralph Lauren sales on the site had increased by 600% in 2024. The “emergence of Ralphcore on TikTok,” where “a new generation of consumers has embraced and even redefined what the label stands for,” was cited as the reason for the growth.
However, Saturday’s gathering at the most recent launch of Mr. Lauren’s suit-wearing Purple Label collection was more business-oriented. Instead of mustachioed 20- and 30-something TikTokers taking pictures, the palazzo’s cream-carpeted halls were occupied with editors wearing leather jackets and department store buyers wearing turtlenecks.
Was the business separating itself from TikTokers in the run-up to the app’s impending ban? Maybe. (Notably, the presentation took place the day before TikTok was to be banned from American users, despite the company’s insistence that it was a “press day.”
However, the muted compilation, which was a stroll through the label’s tried-and-true favorites, and that guest list also had a nice harmony. You could close your eyes, visualize almost everything available, and think of Ralph Lauren: A rollneck sweater, a Fair Isle ski cardigan, meaty British-inspired overcoats, olive green parkas, and double-breasted suits with Glen checks.
A few notable pieces, like as a suede jacket with braided lapels that was created in Italy, demonstrated a level of sophistication that went well beyond the TikTok era. The collection as a whole served as a reminder that Ralph never has to chase. Whether on TikTok or whatever short-lived app comes next, the business will attract customers if it produces some attractive sweaters and sturdy jackets.
Some of the fundamental Ralph characteristics surfaced in more than just Mr. Lauren’s brand. Mr. Plein sent out what could only be described as his version of the popular Polo Bear sweater during the Philipp Plein show, which was held at the soon-to-open Plein Hotel, a black marble cathedral with a chandelier and the sensibility of a Miami strip club. The three knits featured a cute bear dressed as a bellhop, a beachgoer wearing a cabana shirt, and a gentleman wearing a tuxedo.
