Stealth Ralph Lauren Is Peak Ralph Lauren
The name Ralph Lauren has become so diffuse that it could mean anything to anyone. Hats! Ties! Yankees caps! It's all Ralph, baby. But at the core of the label is a jewel-box presentation of idealized Americana, dapper staples in their most timeless forms. Good clothes, in other words.
Because at the core of Ralph is the wardrobe, perfected. Of all things, this little three-piece capsule created for a Japanese boutique is the perfect distillation of it all.
Ron Herman is a longstanding Californian retail institution but in Japan, it's part of a conglomerates portfolio of licensed labels. Ron Herman Japan is thus more of a West Coast pastiche, its balmy stores outfitted with wood floors, shuttered windows, and enough surfboards to stock a Malibu surf shop.
In Japan, where they're idealized as two perfectly American conceits, Ralph and Ron thus make a perfect pair. And Ron Herman Japan's Ralph Lauren exclusives, which tend to arrive seasonally, really get at the heart of things.
Admittedly, the latest Ralph for Ron offering may seem a tad left-field.
The exclusive shirt, slacks, and cap are particularly subtle for a Ralph outing, cut from oxford cotton and cotton twill garment-dyed to a nuanced fade that renders even the Pony tonal.
But this only highlights Ralph's best side.
On one hand, the wash treatment is of the moment, what with greater culture's fixation on garments that look anywhere from worn-out to downright destroyed. And though its subtle texture is tasteful, it also serves to underscore the dialed-in silhouettes that define the entire Ralph Lauren project. That these are garments are so stealthy only serves to underscore that they, in a typically Ralph way, also look quite wealthy. This is Ralph sans gimmick, in its purest form.
A comfortably lived-in dad cap, the perfect collared shirt with tapered trousers to match: it's the complete closet, all anyone needs to dress well and live easy. That it happens to be a tad goth is an amusing twist but it can't distract from the fact that, if modern classics are what you seek, Ralph always has the answer.
Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit HS Shopping for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.
