Ralph Lauren Polo Originals

A breeze is blowing through fashion collections and marketing as humans adjust to pre-pandemic life. Not that reality is faraway, mind you, or that a decade of streetwear’s dominance is over.

Coincidentally, posting images of the just launched on September 15 Polo Originals collection by Ralph Lauren comes on the heels of sharing incredibly-glamorous images of the spring 2023 glamorous Schiaparelli collection.

I can imagine critics calling the Ralph Lauren Polo Originals campaign a celebration of robber baron wealth. Photographer Richard Phibbs [IG] made harmonious artistry out of these images starring Hamid Onifade, Hugh Laughton-Scott, Kit Butler, Rishi Robin.

To me, I see a modern, honoring nod to traditions and classics — to wellmade clothes that are designed to last. The marketing materials that support the new campaign are rich with information about the mills that wove the fabrics or a particular artisan with such distinctive looks that he ended up in the campaign as a model.

Some would say this is an example of robber barons and capitalism on steroids trying to co-opt working people. Our beloved Senator Bernie Sanders would probably scoff at these images.

IMO, we must also filter the campaign images into the larger totality of the Ralph Lauren brand and the totality of its business strategy and new initiatives.

Ralph Lauren celebrating two historically Black colleges Spelman and Morehouse , in which Polo Ralph Lauren explored the rich tradition of HBCUs [historically Black colleges and universities] comes to mind.

An American Dream for All

“It’s so much more than a portrayal of a collegiate design sensibility,” says Ralph Lauren, executive chairman and chief creative officer of Ralph Lauren Corporation, which pledged $2 million toward supporting scholarships at Morehouse and Spelman. “It’s about sharing a more complete and authentic portrait of American style and of the American dream—ensuring stories of Black life and experiences are embedded in the inspiration and aspiration of our brand.”

On the one hand, Polo Ralph Lauren is merely setting the record straight — in the case of the HBCUs-inspired collection. Ralph Lauren is acting on multiple fronts to address historical realities — and not only in Black history. The brand is investing money and creativity to honor America’s indigeneous peoples history, as well.

Beyond honoring and telling the stories of America’s complex history — including that of immigrants and the vibe that seeps throughout this new Polo Originals campaign — Ralph Lauren is looking to the future.

Not every capitalist is a bad capitalist. Entrepreneurialism drives America. Not every white person is a racist, although those of us with a conscience know that our heritage is factually-awful on many fronts.

However, we’re all stuck with each other as humans with a long history, and we must find a way forward together. Our obligations to each other crisscross class, wealth, skin color, gender identity — all the segmentation that divides people as easily as uniting us.

With right-wing fascism on the march globally — winning early fall 2022 elections in Sweden and in Italy — and perhaps in America’s November midterms — we have no option but to figure our this human-condition balancing act. Otherwise, the concept of democracy will not survive.

This is the lens through which AOC is posting and commenting on the Ralph Lauren Polo Originals ad campaign, as part of our new project in development called The Wokes.