(Images via NY Mag)
Of all the classical Americana brands showcasing their wares at New York Fashion Week, I think Ralph Lauren has long been my personal favourite. While there isn’t the flash and glam of, say, a boundary-pushing Marc Jacobs presentation, the designer is nevertheless sublimely capable at showcasing an array of gorgeous clothes for the…shall we say more sophisticated, reserved lady? than some of the rest.
Anyway, for the F/W 2017 season, we got more of that, as might be expected, albeit with a little bit more sassiness and sensuality than, say, Michael Kors. Calling the showroom, where the collection was exhibited “transformed into a floral wonderland,” WWD went on to quote the designer as explaining that “It’s a little bit exotic,” as they themselves went on to reflect that “(t)he lineup’s opening palette drew from sand and dunes — off-whites, beiges, almost-golds — and set the mood of subtle sensuality borne as much from the models’ ownership of the clothes as from discreet displays of skin, whether bared shoulder or exposed midriff.”
Annoyingly (and I’m only quoting it here ’cause I want to slam it), USA Today wasted pixel space arguing that the collection was–grr–Mar-a-Lago ready: “Lauren refrained from sending any politically-charged garments down the runway, which was largely devoted to golden beachwear and billowing gowns with a Saharan vibe. With the Trumps firmly in the designer’s corner, it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine Ivanka or Melania wearing items from his latest collection, particularly the silky formalwear.”
To which I rejoin: fuck that noise. Mr. Lauren is always more conservative in his work than, again, the aforementioned Mr. Jacobs. But that doesn’t mean anything, ultimately, about his politics. So in my mind, they’re simply gearing up the rest of us to hate him, because otherwise, they’re adopting a political mantra–or lack of one–for the designer that just isn’t there.
(See the full show video here)
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