Ralph Lauren: Catwalk chronicles six decades of American fashion authority

Veteran fashion journalist Bridget Foley has published 'Ralph Lauren: Catwalk', a comprehensive examination of the American fashion label’s runway history spanning from 1972 to the present. The book’s release coincides with the brand’s upcoming 60th anniversary, marking a significant milestone as the designer enters his ninth decade. The publication serves as a detailed archive of the label’s evolution, documenting how it transitioned from a domestic success to an international powerhouse.

Foley highlights the early 1980s as a pivotal era for the brand, noting that by 1981, Ralph Lauren had become a major star of American fashion. The 1981 show, inspired by the golden age of Hollywood, featured suiting and classic knits that facilitated the brand’s international expansion. This period saw retail maven Joan Burstein approach Lauren about opening a shop in London, leading to the opening of the brand’s first store outside the US on New Bond Street.

The book also explores the designer’s pioneering role in integrating menswear aesthetics into womenswear, a trend now commonplace but considered bold at the time. Foley notes that Lauren was partly inspired by his wife, Ricky, who struggled to find simple tailored women’s clothes. This approach allowed for the presentation of women in austerely tailored men’s clothes for evening wear, a move Foley describes as renegade given the era’s focus on traditional day clothes for what Americans call 'ladies who lunch'.

Iconic collections featured in the text include the 1990 'Gone Fishing' show, which utilitarian items such as waders, anoraks, and fishing rods to challenge runway conventions. The narrative extends to the 2010 'The Fabric of America' collection, which drew inspiration from 1930s workers and denim to celebrate the American spirit during a global recession. These moments illustrate Lauren’s consistent point of view, designing for life rather than merely for the catwalk.

The publication underscores the brand’s enduring appeal through its casting of supermodels such as Iman, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington. The final catwalk moment before the pandemic, a 2019 show featuring Gigi Hadid and a performance by Janelle Monáe, is cited as evidence of a consistent vision that speaks across generations. The book confirms that despite changing trends, the brand’s core identity remains a powerful cultural force.