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Ralph Lauren: It's All in the Details
By: Godfrey Deeny
Photos by Gruber-FWD
Milan, Jun 29, 2002/FWD/ --- If anyone ever asked you to introduce them to a perfectionist,
just fix up an introduction to Ralph Lauren.
Six months ago, Lauren unveiled his elegantly grand European headquarters in a sumptuously
renovated villa in central Milan with a triumphant men's collection, his first runway show for
guys in three decades.
Yesterday, guests at his second Purple Label show were stunned to discover that the villa
had developed a beautiful mature garden with enormous hanging creepers, micro-orange trees
and thin Mediterranean poker pines.
And, after a week of sweltering in an Italian heat wave, Ralph even got the temperature just
right, installing impressively silent and efficient air conditioners in the space where the
collection was staged after a glass of the best bubbly of the season.
Opening with cool cocktail jazz courtesy of his music-consultant-son Andrew, Lauren took
his collection where few of his colleagues dared to venture this season.
Where Milan designers have been obsessed with the beach, Ralph focused on the boathouse and
boardroom.
The collection itself was classic, evoking 1930s with its Oxford bags linen pants, slim-fitted
sweaters and belted back jackets.
But though timeless, it also seemed timely, partly due to the right amount of styling
tricks (belts made of club ties) and innovation, like great striped shirts with unusual
prints and contrasting white collars.
The runway was packed with great, classy clothes -- superb, brown linen herringbone jackets,
a truly ideal leather zip-jacket, exaggerated cricket captain looks and gentlemanly linen
dusters.
In suits, few and far between in Milan this season, Lauren showed his strictly cut with
broad flattering shoulders, and a nipped-in waist though worn in a relaxed manner - like a
fantastic navy blue two-piece worn with a French boatneck sweater.
Linen was the dominant fabric.
Far too many designers keep telling you here that linen should be left rumpled to show off its
hand.
Not Ralph, his collection looked like an army of valets had slaved on it with irons.
Which was only right, as attending a Lauren show is like entering into an elite.
For despite the evident expense of this production, barely 150 people saw the show.
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