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2p ** Polo Ralph Lauren** presentation — a quasi-runway, quasi-presentation staged in an airy, appropriately barn-like venue in the 7th arrondissement. I’ve said this about past Polo previews, but it holds true that the styling of the collections is among the best seen all week, and it really brings the brand’s timeless pieces into the most immediate present.
Ahead of the collection unveil last week, I was able to talk to Karen Brown Brody, Senior Creative Director of Women’s Polo and RLX, about her and Ralph Lauren’s vision for the season. It all started with American summer: “When I’m packing for a trip, I want to make 15 outfits out of a few key pieces. Our dresses and separates are designed to be that versatile.”
That approach was immediately obvious to me when digesting the latest assortment, which was blended with carry-over products, many of which I recognized from my own closet—my Western, silver-adorned belt, my Polo ID bag—imagined in fresh combinations. Their iteration feels limitless. As Karen explains: “We have our muses that continue to inspire us. There is a lot old Ralph Lauren imagery, it’s such a rich archive with 60 years of history.” More styling notes down below.
8p Polo Ralph Lauren cocktail at Ralph’s Paris — attendees reconvened later in the day at the iconic Ralph’s restaurant to toast the brand’s newly launched Polo Blaze Bag. I changed into a second look. People were raving about the fried olives. Arca DJ’ed! Good party. While the daytime show offered styling inspiration on models, the evening brought a whole new wave of ideas as seen on guests who showed up in their own imaginings of Ralph. I particularly loved a letterman jacket worn by Monica Ainley and Lou Doillon’s suede pants; the bag of the night was unquestionably the Blaze.
Polo Blaze Leather Large Shoulder Bag, $1,298 / High-Rise Relaxed Straight Jean, $268 / Classic Fit Denim Shirt, $148 / Leather & Braided Cord Woven Belt, $98
Polo Blaze Leather Top Handle, $698 / Low-Rise Satin Kick-Flare Pant, $398 / Slim Fit Stretch-Cotton Shirt, $195 / Cotton-Blend Ribbed Turtleneck, $99 / Double-Strap Monk Shoes, $495 / Plaque-Buckle Leather Belt, $348
The belt is holding down fashion at large more than ever before, with plaque styles swelling and taking over torsos; they feel fun and swaggery, and they have the ability to anchor a look in a definitive way. At Polo, we saw them over tunics, cinching paper-bag shorts, and layered over scarves.
Related items: Crest Plaque-Buckle Leather Belt, $268 / Stirrup-Buckle Wide Leather Belt, $298 / Leather Concho Belt, $848
Love the incongruity of an opera-ready silk scarf worn with a windbreaker; it’s so disarming. The trick to make such opposite poles agree with one another is tucking the silky layer beneath a jacket so that the fringed ends peek out, plus loading on other complex accessories (beaded collars! brooches!) and telling an interesting color story.
Related items: Oversize Cotton Windbreaker, $298 / Fringe Silk Twill Scarf, $495 / Tasseled Equestrian-Plaid Silk Scarf, $198
I left the presentation with a newfound appreciation for madras, just how much good chaos a braided strip of the plaid can add to an otherwise classic wardrobe. I love the idea of layering different checks, as with a tie against a shirt collar or a printed bag over a coat, or just packing a bunch of different plaids into a single patchwork piece.
Related items: Patchwork Plaid Scarf Skirt, $998 / Plaid Tweed Sculpted Jacket, $698 / Polo ID Plaid Twill Small Shoulder Bag, $598
With a long stretch of minimalism finally being filed away, the appetite for texture and dimension is palpable. Embellishment (like on those windbreaker collars) and loud, crafty accessories can wake up a whole look, or take an already-vibrant one to another tier. Polo’s presentation had them in spades: chunky beaded pins, abacus belts, accoutrements for eyewear, and a curation of handcrafted jewelry created by Piki Wadsworth, a second-generation Diné and Hopi jewelry artist, using shells, turquoise and lapis.. It’s good exercise for our eyeballs to bounce around and take them all in.
Related items: Beaded Leather Bag Charm, $148 / Beaded Linen Dress, $469 / PRL x TÓPA Earth’s Embrace Beaded Belt, $198
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