If asked what I think of as the most stereotypically All-American fashion brand, without hesitation, I know it to be Ralph Lauren. Just what makes his Americana fashion look so, well, American? Ralph Lauren has certainly- notably- nailed the preppy casual sophistication with his most recognizable items being staples commonly found in predominantly white and WASPy hoity Country Clubs and coastal boating circles: polo shirts, boat shoes, chunky knit sweaters.
Those specific Anglo elements aside, he also consistently leans into a sprawl of casual Western elements, incorporating bandana print and a whole lot of double denim and buckles. There is something specific and unmistakable about the American sense of style- a sense of freedom and rebellion, an ease of dress and practicality. It’s not one style, it’s a conglomerate look. It’s the patchwork cultural roots of a multitude of nationalities comprising the States, and it starts with its first inhabitants: Indigenous Americans.
Last week, Ralph Lauren launched an Artist-in-Residence initiative, with the purpose to honor the nationalities and artisans which Lauren- and many other designers- historically have garnered inspiration from, but were never directly involved with in the business, production, or design aspects (let alone given the opportunity to fairly profit from), for one too-long, too-large overarching reason or another.
The first artist to contribute to the Polo collection is the seventh generation 24 year old traditional Navajo (or ‘Diné’) weaver and textile designer Naiomi Glasses. Glasses reflected upon her own independent trade in local markets, trade posts and galleries before being tapped by Lauren, and recalled her parents asking who her dream fashion company to work for would be. You guessed it.
For this collaboration, Glasses focused primarily on knits with nods to plenty of Diné iconography- Spider Woman crosses, Saltillo diamonds- and worked in a color palette of muted desert tones with pops of red, reminiscent of the Navajo Desert where Glasses lives with her family. Completing the collection is an array of jewelry in native turquoise and silvers, commissioned by fellow members of her tribe. While the label has been drawing on inspiration from Native American patterns and materials for decades, this is the first time the American brand has directly collaborated with an Indigenous artisan. “Heritage and tradition are at the center of everything I love- things that encompass both beauty and utility, uncontrived and passed down for generations,” said Ralph Lauren.
A beautiful pairing. The collection would have made sense simply with Ralph’s name attached to the garments, as it has been done for over half a century. But this direct nod of appreciation is also an act of solidarity, making amends with a close knit community which has too long been extrapolated upon. The pairing reveals a story of where much of the brand’s inspiration has been sourced, and we are looking forward to see who is next in line to come out of the woodwork, being given the opportunity to serve not only as an American muse, but as a respected designer and facet of sartorial history.
