Ralph Lauren’s SS27 menswear show was packed with the kind of clothes that make you want to book a holiday immediately – preferably one involving a vintage roadster, a Lake Como villa and a suitcase full of linen tailoring.
Purple Label kicked things off with a sharp run of silk-blend suits in sandy neutrals and deep indigos, worn with band-collar shirts and easy utility jackets. Then things shifted lakeside. Inspired by the golden age of Italian racing, there were buttery leather jackets, textured knits, featherlight ties and pinstriped tailoring that looked expensive in the most effortless way possible. A cream silk-and-linen evening jacket was a particular winner, while relaxed tuxedos brought a louche edge to black tie.
The collection’s best details came in the finishing touches – jewellery and sunglasses inspired by vintage rodeo buckles, Art Deco prints and a special collaboration with Japanese label Kuon, whose hand-worked sashiko embroidery added character to pristine tailoring.
Then came Polo Ralph Lauren, where prep got gloriously messed around with. Madras checks, patchwork, cricket jackets and varsity staples collided in a riot of colour and texture. Heritage pieces were chopped up, embroidered and pieced back together with plenty of personality. Three-piece suits arrived with ruffled shirts and Edwardian neckwear, looking less country-house heir and more eccentric campus heartthrob.
The final look – a hand-embroidered patchwork varsity jacket – summed it up perfectly. Ralph Lauren wasn’t chasing trends or trying to prove a point. He was simply serving up great clothes, great styling and a very good time. Sometimes that’s exactly what menswear needs.
Photography courtesy of Ralph Lauren.
