Tradition, the poet T.S. Eliot, informed us, "cannot be inherited, and if you want it you must obtain it by great labor." Ralph Lauren was not having any of that, showing us instead how the beauty of American design tradition is a matter of the creative imagination, possibly achieved with such diverse accessories as a pair of leather boots, a Navajo blanket, a pair of jeans, even a polo shirt.
None of which prevented him from throwing in Fair Isle sweaters, Victorian lace, and tartan plaids as well. It's all in the mix, we learned, as well as in a relaxed, fresh, informal approach to life. For more than 40 years, he has plumbed the legacies of our homegrown history, whether in the rustic elegance of a Hudson Valley country house, the casual luxury of a Adirondack hunting lodge, the crisp indigo palette of a seaside cottage, or the rugged style of a Western ranch, reminding us time and again of the splendid premise that nothing is as authentic to American style as the way it can reinvent itself.
Couple that with his innate respect for what endures-"I like things that age-that will look better next year," he has said-and you have the casual and timeless sophistication that defines an entire lifestyle. -Akiko Busch
Ralph Lauren's website:
www.ralphlauren.com
