Ralph Lauren & Me...
A Somewhat One Sided Relationship
Years back, I half knew a Saville Row Shirt-cutter, we were in a shop in Hampstead Village, looking at jackets by the designer who’s married to the playwright, I forget her name and his but on inspecting a coat, the cutter declared that the lining was too heavy and before long, it’d be hanging below the garment. I love this shit. People serving apprenticeships and becoming masters of their craft. Yet, I’ve probably got more clothes by Ralph Lauren than any other entity and Ralph’s no tailor. In truth, it’s unlikely Mr Lauren’s ever threaded a needle in his life. At least, his professional one.
According to a source on Google, I forget which, Ralph studied ‘business’ at Night School while working as a salesman during the day. I’m not sure if this went full Willy Lowman, with the boy from the Bronx schlepping around Manhattan, working out of a case but the fact is, Ralph was a salesman. This would have been in the mid-sixties as, in 67, he got the go-ahead to produce a line of the tool he’d been working, the gent’s necktie. According to the bio on the Ralph Lauren Corporation’s website, his ‘love of sports’ caused Ralph to adopt the name Polo and use a polo player as the company’s logo. Ralph’s fascination with the rich might be more accurate. That, incidentally, is not meant as a slight. I’m in pretty much the same boat. The difference is that Ralph made a few moves to join the club while I sat around, doing… fuck all.
His tie line, was the opposite of those currently being stocked. In that, they were wide and he had narrow or, they were narrow and he, had wide? Either way, somebody in one of those upmarket NYC department stores took a shine to Ralph and rented him a concession for his ties. From that small concession, Ralph Lifshitz created one of the world’s biggest fashion brands. If you’re interested in Ralph's life story it’s a Google search away. My interest lies more in my relationship with him - this is, lest we forget, ‘The Wonder of Me’. A relationship that began in the early part of the mid-eighties.
some (vague) background into the origins of Polo, might be required. The early years saw it biting large chunks out of the Ivy League/Preppy Look. The objections ran “If you want the real thing just go to J Press or Brooks Brothers.” There was undoubtedly some snobbery involved and, at a push, some anti-Semitism. Let’s face it, that’s never too far from the surface. Who, the subtext went, was this upstart passing his schmutter off as Ivy League? His critics though, were missing the point. The beauty was that Ralph was an outsider and, as such, saw where to tweak the original just enough, to make it more appealing and sell it, by the tanker load. The proof’s in the pudding, Ralph’s gone global and Brooks Brothers, have gone bankrupt. Those who objected failed to understand that, when it comes to clothing, adaptation is, was, and always will be, the name of the game and, when it comes to adaptation, Ralph Lauren, reigns supreme.
Like most my age, I’ve been sporting Ralph’s wares for over forty years. During that time, despite having flirted with many, many others I always return to Mr Lauren. Admittedly the Polo stuff, forty years on, is wearing a bit thin and I don’t mean the fabric. That logo on a shirt is more inclined to deter than tempt these days as a combination of market saturation and a drop in quality, has resulted in it being frowned upon. Fortunately, there are vast swathes of Polo gear that come sans logo and has done so, for the last couple of decades. In US TV shows the clue to a character turning out to be a douch-bag, is often the Polo logo on his shirt. In the States, that logo appears to represent corporate greed, a man on the make. Here in the UK, it has a very different connotation as it’s largely, almost exclusively, worn by working-class males. Quite often, self-employed working-class males. Those cats have no issues with the logo and I fancy, given the choice, will opt for it. Their money, their choice.
While Polo is still the Ralph Lauren Corporation’s mainline, it’s not, for my part, its best. Over the years Ralph’s had a few sidepieces Chaps, Polo Sport, Polo Jeans, Polo Rugby, Denim & Supply. There might be/have been a few more. Something called TRX springs to mind. Maybe a few of these are still going, while others have bitten the dust but during the ’90s, Ralph created two subdivisions that have more than stood the test of time “Purple Label” and “RRL” (AKA Double RL). The former, for those with serious money. The latter, serious issues. I jest but RRL does seem to hold a place in the hearts of men who refuse to grow up and, I count myself amongst them…
That childhood yearning to be a cowboy doesn’t leave and RRL enables us to keep the fantasy alive with a modicum of decorum. I mean, come on, there’s a lot of denim involved… I’ve got a few Purple Label bits. A dress shirt, a few polos (some feature a different logo, others – sans logo), a couple of ties and that A2 leather jacket out of TK Maxx… None of it’s overly inspiring but the quality is incredible. I suspect you have to dive in at the deep end to feel the real benefit of Purple Label. By which, I mean suits and overcoats but if I dived in that deep, I’d drown. Is the gear worth the price? I don’t know as it’s in a stratosphere way beyond mine. Yet, as it’s largely produced in Italy and influenced by Saville Row, my guess is you’d be better-served shopping in Italy or Saville Row. The shoes, at one stage, were reputed to have been made by Crockett & Jones. Along with Edward Green. For my part, I’d rather see either name inside my shoes but Ralph makes it convenient to pick up a pair up a pair of quality rhythms, whilst purchasing a suit and, an overcoat. Oh, and while you’re there, your wife wanted that blanket… Besides convenience, the secret with Ralph Lauren, is that it doesn’t so much cater to the connoisseur but rather, to the guy who doesn’t want to make any mistakes and ultimately, who does? Ralph knows this because he hasn’t created a global empire by being ahead of the curve… Let some other sucker do that.
RRL, Where the stars aligned for moi…
It’s Ralph's other sidepiece RRL, where I’m truly in my element. As, given my penchant for vintage gear, double RL is right up my Strasse. While it’s considerably less expensive than its more urbane brother Purple Lable, I still struggle to pay full retail but then again, who wants to pay full retail? The joy with RRL is that it doesn’t date and, as it’s well-made, one can wear it forever- with impunity. There’s a tendency amongst aficionados to discount the newer stuff because it’s produced in China, but the Chinese were weaving silk while most of us were running around in bearskins – at best. Also, quality is dependent on the manufacturer rather than the nationality. I’d imagine Ralph’s using better factories than Temu. RRL has a few aficionados too. There’s a thread on a site called Styleforum that began in May 2009. It’s currently on page 2987, with absolutely no sign of abatement. Man, those cats are absolute zealots. Therein though, lies the rub. Many of them get it all wrong, by wearing RRL from head to toe. Leaving no room for imagination. Or, dare I say it, style. Added to which, many look as though they earn a living coding or some other form of tech shit and let’s be honest here, those individuals… they’re not exactly out, pulling birds, are they.
Where Purple Label's price point puts it in direct competition with the world’s foremost brands, RRL’s competition comprises largely, of Japanese hipster/retro manufacturers. That’s not to say life’s easy for Ralph’s ode to Americana but within that fraternity, RRL’s the apex killer. Some younger folks sneer but what do they know?
Real Maccoys don’t fuck around. When replicating a garment, they do so, down to the last detail. Which is great if that’s what you want and believe me, plenty do. The RRL version, while not as sturdy is considerably more subtle. Maybe it’s an age thing? There’s a Hipster brand called ‘Mister Freedom’ that intrigues me. It’s a French guy who’s out in LA. Like RRL, he takes a good long look at an item and creates his own version. I’ve got a couple of his denim shirts and they’re good. Fits on the snug side. The guy seems to be something of a character, and models lots of the clobber himself…
I’m not going to do a breakdown of RRL’s history. Firstly, because I don’t know it and secondly, because it’s no doubt well documented elsewhere, by those with far greater knowledge than myself but here’s a rumour you’re unlikely to read/hear anywhere else. One of the inspirations behind RRL came, via a visit Ralph made to American Classics in World’s End, during the eighties. Classics had two shops up there, one selling new gear, the other “vintage”. Ralph was (reputedly) being shown around the stock room of the latter and, on staring at the masses of imported, second-hand Levi’s, realised there was an untapped market in vintage Americana. Untapped, at least, by his corporation and you don’t get to be Ralph Lauren by being slow on the uptake.
I love maybe seventy-five per cent of what RRL produce. That’s high but you have to bear in mind, that I love about ninety percent of what Turnbull & Asser make. So, it’s not like I’m an insane fanboy. Though I am a fanboy but then again, so is-
The Key to Vintage…
The sweet spot for vintage clothing tends to occur when the garment is not vintage. A good example would be Kramer’s shirts. For reasons unknown, any shirt with a “Camp Collar” has a vintage vibe and, if it comes in Rayon, that increases tenfold.
The big advantage of faux-vintage clothing is that while it appears dated, it doesn’t date. If you’re out and everyone’s in up-to-the-minute fashion but you’re on a subtle vintage vibe, you’ll look mildly odd. However, look back at the photos of that night in a few years, and they’ll all look fucking ridiculous. You meanwhile, will still just look mildly odd. Mock vintage gear like RRL might cost more than something out of a charity shop but it’ll not have little holes in it or stains you can’t quite get out. It’s a way of playing the long game and, when push comes to shove, the long game is the one you want to win. Giddy up Cowboy!
Thanks H. 👍👏