Ralph Lauren, the man and the brand, is an icon. A pillar of the fashion word. A titan of industry. A visionary who doesn't know the meaning of "good enough." Of course, Ralph, a Bronx-born-kid-turned-billionaire got there by selling millions on the American dream. He even lived it in the ad campaigns he used to front for his namesake label. But Ralph isn't pulling all the levers these days. In fact, at 76-years-young, he's stepped back from CEO duties. (Rest assured, though, his role as creative mastermind behind the multi-billion dollar company's every move remains intact.) Regardless of what he does during office hours these days, one thing remains unchanged: the man can still put together one hell of an outfit.
During his brand's Fall-Winter 2016 runway show at New York Fashion Week today, the designer stepped out in a kit that was part East Coast prep, part Southwest cool. The mix makes for an outfit that isn't costume-y in any one direction, and incorporates various trends aesthetics in a seamless, elegant way. In other words, this look is distantly Ralph Lauren.
Let's start from the ground up. Lauren's always had a love affair with the American Southwest, so cue the worn-in leather cowboys boots and distressed jeans. He even threw on a big ol' belt and a suede vest under his jacket for good measure. But just when you think he's going left, Ralph goes right and balances out those frontier vibes with a crisp white shirt, slim black tie, and proto-preppy tweed jacket with elbow patches. One of the elbow patches was even ripped—and style god Ralph didn't seem to care. Now, that's the kind of IDGAF style move reserved exclusively for legends.