Thank God for Ralph Lauren

[Marc Chevalier]

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Truly, no other designer has mined the Golden Era as successfully as he. If it weren't for Ralph Lauren, we'd have practically no contemporary menswear with the style and panache of the 1930s.



Exhibit "A":

Exhibit "B":

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[SMUPhil]

I own the exhibit 'a' suit. I have yet to wear it, need to let the hem out just a little, but the coat fits very well and I love the overall look of it.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I own the exhibit 'a' suit.

Congratulations! :eusa_clap Great suit at a great price!

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[GoldenEraFan]

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Truly, no other designer has mined the Golden Era as successfully as he. If it weren't for Ralph Lauren, we'd have practically no contemporary menswear with the style and panache of the 1930s.



Exhibit "A":

Exhibit "B":

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What about Domenico Spano? Not only does he design suits in the '30s style, I think his fabric samples are literally from the '30s.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

What about Domenico Spano? Not only does he design suits in the '30s style, I think his fabric samples are literally from the '30s.

Yes, but Ralph Lauren has made it accessible to millions of consumers. Domenico Spano (and others) are equally keen on the Golden Era, but their production and influence are limited. Ralph Lauren spans the globe.


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[Marc Chevalier]

Except for Ralph Lauren, what other global, mass-market clothing company would bother today to tape the seams of a belted-back sportcoat? Probably none.

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[GoldenEraFan]

Yes, but Ralph Lauren has made it accessible to millions of consumers. Domenico Spano (and others) are equally keen on the Golden Era, but their production and influence are limited. Ralph Lauren spans the globe.


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Thanks for explaining. I hadn't realized how well known Ralph Lauren is.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Thanks for explaining. I hadn't realized how well known Ralph Lauren is.

Polo "flagship stores" are all over the world. Just as the NYC store is located in a converted mansion, so the Buenos Aires store is in --you guessed it-- a huge, early 20th century mansion. (The weekend uniform of well-heeled South Americans always includes short-sleeved polo shirts by Ralph Lauren.)


It's primarily because of Polo Ralph Lauren that upper middle class and upper class people from India and China to South Africa and Argentina wear khakis, loafers, polo shirts and buttondown shirts.

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[Feraud]

Agreed. RL does a great job of making affordable classic styled clothing.
Here is an RL white db jacket with a belt and darted back.

Let's not forget the the chambray work shirts, pants in classic materials like tweed, wool, silk, linen, the Rugby thin lined ties and suspenders.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Don't know about now, but 'Polo Ralph Lauren' trousers used to be available in the widest selection of "classic" fabrics, colors and weaves imaginable ... and at affordable, though not cheap, prices.


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[Tomasso]

What about Domenico Spano?

AFAIK, Mimmo only does custom.

 

[YETI]

In Japan...

They have several coffee table books in homage to RL and his expanse collection of classic menswear with an emphasis on preWW2 work wear.

 

[Feraud]

Free & Easy is available in the U.S. for those not able to get to Japan.

 

[Mr. 'H']

I love this label - quite tongue in cheek!

 

[Feraud]

That is hilarious! lol

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I love this label - quite tongue in cheek!

I remember when those "Guaranteed to wrinkle" labels appeared. It was around 1985, when --after 2 decades of poly/cotton blends everywhere-- 100% cotton (or linen) once again became THE fabric to have. One way to show the world that you were wearing pure cotton or linen was to have it wrinkle terribly. (Poly/cotton resists wrinkles.) Ralph Lauren's label gave you a "guarantee", as it were.


Also, Miami Vice was the hit TV show of that time, and its lead character always wore pure, wrinkly linen and cotton.


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[volatile]

Exhibit "A":

$81? Seriously?

Damn. I need to check Ebay more often.

 

[Mr. Rover]

These days, for the most part, if it's in my closet, it's either Ralph Lauren Polo/Rugby/RRL or vintage with a few smatterings of J.Crew and custom pieces here and there.
I'm a little biased as an alum from RL, but I don't really see the same attention to detail paid to classic iconography elsewhere.
Sure, the polo shirts and $450 cashmere sweaters are their bread and butter, but it's just so that they can make perfect raw denim jeans in RRL, belt-back double breasted cotton/linen suits (true story), tweed jackets rough enough to rub the skin off your cheeks, 1930s style ties, vintage football and rugby sweaters, and extremely vintage-detailed suits in classic fabrics.

All PRL or Rugby except the shirt and hat.

Sweater and tie by Rugby and Polo respectively

We picked out our own clothes for work...and this is what we put on in the morning.

 

[Orgetorix]

I love RL's stuff. It has, consistently, the best aesthetic and standards of quality of pretty much any large retailer today. I'd even say its better than Brooks Brothers, and as a former BB employee I have quite a bias to overcome.

I have just two problems with RL. The first is availability. Out here in a medium-size city away from the coasts, RL's better stuff is practically impossible to find. I can't even find a Polo suit or anything at all by Rugby. Forget about Purple Label, Black Label, or RRL.

My second problem is the price controls that RL seems to impose on anyone who sells any of their merchandise. As an inveterate bargain hunter, I've become adept at knowing when to get department-store goods for pennies on the dollar. But you just can't do it with RL. Other makers' ties that start at a similar price point to Polo ties eventually can be had for $5-10. I've never seen a Polo tie go below $30. Same for polos, sweaters, khakis, etc. I know RL doesn't have any interest in letting their goods go too cheap, but it still burns me when that $250 sweater I've been coveting doesn't ever go to a price where I can afford it.

 

[mike]

All PRL or Rugby except the shirt and hat.

What is that jacket specifically and is it possible to still find them? Mighty nice!!! When are you back on this side of the world? Your ears might have been ringing last night. You should have answered the call.