Ralph Lauren takes NYFW (a day early)

Look 10

Ralph Lauren:

Ralph Lauren presented his S/S26 Collection with an intimate experience last night September 10th. Deciding this year to stick closer to home for his spring ’26 fashion show. He returned to his own private design studio at 650 Madison Avenue in New York. 

While the official NYFW schedule officially begins Sept. 11 and runs through Sept. 16. The designer has for the last few years been staging runway shows in experiential spaces, not always within the official window. As he nears his 60th year in business, I think this gives him the right to have his own dates for the season! 

Now let’s get into the show… 

Colour palette: White, Black, Tomato Red.

Patterns: A myriad of stripes, Lace, Floral 

Favourite looks: Look 2, Look 10, Look 12, Look 19, Look 31, Look 32, Look 33, Look 45 

With a collection of 50 looks there is lots to see, below is a video of the entire collection: 

Lauren has a talent for creating collections that feel youthful, understated, and effortlessly timeless. Season after season, he delivers pieces that are unmistakably Ralph Lauren, a skill few designers truly master.

All the stripes displayed screamed Spring, paired with raffia heeled sandals that felt relaxed yet refined. Summer energy flowed through the show, but the bold Tomato Red touches (as I predicted in an earlier blog post…) allows for an equally Spring appeal.

ABOVE (in order) LOOK 33, 32, 31, 19, 2, 12

Look 31 was a standout - The effortless striped shirt, paired with a connected tie feature as a belt! It was masterful! Paired with a miniscule bra top, and chunky silver statement necklace. Simple, but absurdly sophisticated. Through his designs, it’s clear: Lauren loves women.

Look 19 was just as striking - a tomato red two-piece suit with floaty trousers and a perfectly fitted blazer. Sharp yet soft. I think this one is my overall favourite from the collection!

Other favourites (shown above) include: Looks 2, 10, 12, 32, 33, 45. Elegant draping, thoughtful silhouettes, and more dreamy stripes - this was craftsmanship at its best.

Atmosphere & Applause:

The front row was stacked: Laura Dern, Mindy Kaling, Oprah, Usher, Naomi Watts, and of course, Anna Wintour alongside newly appointed head of American Vogue - Chloe Malle. When the top two names in fashion show up, you know you're one of the best.

Each model strutting down the runway to a soft hum of the Bee Gee’s “More Than a Woman”, with razor-sharp jawlines and graceful movement. The white studio backdrop elevated the collection’s elegance, while the refined, yet on trend colour palette, white, black, and tomato red, felt modern and clean.

Following the finale walk, Lauren’s final wave earned well-deserved applause. There are only a select few designers who consistently can get such a reaction, and that is the magic of Ralph Lauren. Once again, he’s set the bar high for NYFW.

With love,

Mimi x