RUNWAY: Ralph Lauren FW18

While Ralph Lauren, the company, consolidates its superfluous labels, there will, of course, be a lot of bleeding between the high end labels like Purple and its more egalitarian ones like Polo and RLX, which is its athletic-centered label. For this presentation, one could see the influences from the aforementioned labels, like an RLX buckle on a belt signaling sport-ready fabrics or a color-blocked puffer. The breadth of the collection was strongly focused on the high-end Purple Label, seen as luxurious sweaters and military-tailored coats, as if putting that aesthetic on a pedestal, therefore making the men and the clothes aspirational. With these prices, they likely are for many people.