It's no secret that New York city is home for Ralph Lauren. For years, the Big Apple served as the backdrop to the American designer's most memorable presentations (Remember when he turned the Museum of Modern Art into his living room?).
At the same time, Lauren is also quite infatuated with the West Coast, particularly California. According to a press release, one of the designer's wishes is to live along the famed golden coast (one of Cali's nicknames).
Breathing life into his dream of Cali living, Lauren staged his eponymous label's Spring/Summer 2023 runway presentation in California for the first time.
Honestly, Ralph Lauren's California was a full-blown experience, including the runway show and garden-side dinner at Cali's Huntington Museum.
Of course, a host of familiar faces filled the seats at Ralph Lauren's elegantly-decorated dinner table, including Jessica Chastain, John Legend, Diane Keaton, Sylvester Stallone, Chris Pine, and Angus Cloud, to name a few.
Couples Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck plus Ashton Kutcher and Milas Kunis checked off a date night off their lists as they grabbed dinner for two at Café Ralph Lauren (I just made that up, but the brand does own The Polo Bar in NY).
Often, where there's dinner, there's a show. And Ralph Lauren put on quite the display.
Lauren grew to love the plethora of personalities lining the coast, from the uber-cool surfer guy to the coastal fashion mom to the rising actress waiting to take over the big screen and red carpet.
Capturing the energy of Cali's lifestyles, Ralph Lauren SS23 infused coastal and western elements with its understated Americana ethos, as imagined through the house's sub-labels.
For instance, ranch-style denim, cowboy boots, and southwestern statement cardigan spoke to the essence of the Old West, envisioned through Ralph Lauren's Double RL, the brand's line dedicated to vintage western styles.
In short, Ralph Lauren was on its own yeehaw agenda.
The collection's breezy coordinates, silky jumpsuits, and vibrant billowing gowns nod to the laidback seaside aesthetic. At the same time, vibrant prints like tie-dye and camouflage deliver lesson on SoCal coolness — all courtesy of the Ralph Lauren Collection and Purple Label, the house's respective all-encompassing and premium lines.
Of course, Ralph Lauren doesn't love the east coast any less. Lauren's, and hence his brand's, heart lies in the concrete jungle (a New York Yankees collab doesn't lie). At the same time, there's no denying a piece of Lauren's heart resonates with the Golden State.
"A mix of grit and glamour, energy and inspiration," as Lauren puts it, Ralph Lauren SS23 marries RL signatures we've enjoyed for the past 55 years — top-notch tailoring and cozy luxury — with the Cali vibes he's always loved. It's truly the best of both worlds.
