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a personal fashion aesthetic intersects with institutional values of
solidarity and connection,” says Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D.,
president of Spelman College.
While Ralph Lauren may have come late to the table in recognizing
what he is presenting as a yet-untold paralleled period of American
fashion, others are quick to point out his hypocrisy and late
“wokeness.” But if fashion is designed by that which is trending, then
Ralph Lauren achieved more than just putting out a new collection.
He sparked a conversation about fashion in America that is both
controversial and timely.
“The entire project is a risk in an era when social media
watchdogs are always on the prowl for missteps,” noted
Washington Post fashion critic Robin Givhan in a March 16,
2022, NPR interview in a Culture feature entitled, “New
Ralph Lauren collection explores collegiate style on historically
Black campuses.” So it comes as no surprise to Professor
Adrienne Jones that this conversation has prompted push-
back and dialogue. Jones teaches fashion at Pratt Institute,
where she curated an exhibition called Black Dress: about the
history of Black design.
“There will always be a lot of complaints when it’s a white Above: Spelman College students studying
brand telling a Black story,” she says in the NPR feature. But on campus in the 1940s. photo: Spelman College
it’s meaningful, she adds, because of restrictions on Black
history and stories from schools beleaguered by complaints
about critical race theory, for Ralph Lauren’s giant global Left: In 2021, the Ralph Lauren
company to make space for its Black designers, archivists, and Corporate Foundation made a $2 million
executives to explore Black style and its implications.” pledge to support scholarships for students
“It’s important to have those types of tensions and it’s at 12 historically Black colleges and
absolutely important for us to have that type of critique,” universities across the country – and
now, in an unprecedented creative
adds David Wall Rice, a Morehouse College psychology collaboration, the brand presents the Polo
professor who consulted on (and appeared in) the Ralph Ralph Lauren Exclusively for Morehouse
Lauren campaign. “We’re in an important partnership with a and Spelman Colleges Collection.
multibillion-dollar corporation that really is an aspirational photo: Nadine Ijewere/Polo Ralph Lauren
brand. So, it’s something that does not necessarily speak to
the least of us, or the marginalized among us.”
Frieda and Frank were Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants who had fled
Belarus, and the youngster grew up in the Mosholu Parkway area of the
family’s adopted borough. At the age of 16, Ralph and his brother Jerry
changed their last name to Lauren after having been teased consistently
at school. Another brother, Lenny, retained the family name.
Ralph was known for his distinctive fashion sense as a teen, finding
inspiration in screen icons like Fred Astaire and Cary Grant while
having a taste for both classic preppy wear and vintage looks. He went
on to attend Baruch College in Manhattan, where he studied business
for two years. After a brief stint in the Army, Lauren took on a sales job
at Brooks Brothers.

“People ask how can a

New Ralph Lauren collection honors “heritage and traditions” of Black colleges using Jewish kid from the Bronx
faculty, staff, alumni, and students as models. do preppy clothes? Does it
photo: Nadine Ijewere/Polo Ralph Lauren
have to do with class and

Ralph Lifshitz from the Bronx money? It has to do with
That the images from the yearbooks that Jeter shared with him in
2020 were unknown to Ralph Lauren should come as no surprise to dreams.” – Ralph Lauren
anyone who knows his story.
HBCUs were not a part of Ralph
Lifshitz’ world growing up, but
neither was the preppy white colle- In 1967, while working for Beau Brummell, Lauren began designing
giate world on which Ralph Lauren his own men’s neckties with a wider cut, branding them under the
built his brand. name “Polo” and selling them at large department stores, including
Ralph Lauren was born Ralph Bloomingdale’s. Lauren was able to develop his business more fully
Lifshitz of the Bronx in 1939, the
third of four siblings. His parents
Above: In 1967 Polo by Ralph Lauren is born, first as a selection of wide neckties,
handmade in fine Indian, Swiss, and English fabrics. “I worked on these shapes a long
time,” Mr. Lauren tells DNR magazine. “This has a slight mid-belly. It makes its own
Already sporting his own signature style, knot and dimple.” Though Polo was still a one-man division of the Beau Brummell
Ralph (Lifshitz) Lauren is seen here at the company, Mr. Lauren’s vision for his label’s potential was already crystal clear.
age of 13 in a Bronx, NY schoolyard.
“I am promoting a level of taste,” he says, “a total feeling.”
38 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles