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Just before New York Fashion Week began, legendary designer Ralph Lauren completely captivated us with his new Spring 2027 collection. The show was held on September 9 at Jack Shainman Gallery in Manhattan, and the very first look showed us that this time, Ralph Lauren would not choose between his signature codes and something more unexpected. A white corset with tailored trousers opened the collection, which the designer described as an “irreverent take on romance” and a new elegance built around originality, character, and the freedom to wear clothes entirely our own way.
This is not, in fact, an entirely new idea in his world. In his previous Fall collection, Ralph Lauren had already begun experimenting with unexpected combinations. A relaxed sweater was worn with a floor-skimming skirt, a leather bustier with wool trousers and a heavy cardigan, while a tweed jacket was layered over a beaded evening dress. It was a collection conceived around a woman who does not dress according to predetermined rules, and the Spring 2027 collection takes that idea in a far more romantic and playful direction.
In the new collection, Lauren repeatedly brought opulent, formal pieces down to earth with items we would wear during the day without a second thought. A richly embellished brocade jacket was paired with wide white utility trousers, another jacket featuring a romantic floral motif was styled with simple white trousers, while a blue feather-trimmed jacket was worn with faded, ripped jeans. Entirely unexpectedly, after just a few looks, the designer had me imagining pieces I would normally reserve automatically for a special occasion with the most ordinary jeans or trousers I already wear every day.
Neither element of an outfit had to adapt to the other. The jeans did not become more elegant, nor did the brocade try to look casual. Ralph Lauren simply put them together. The same logic could be seen in a corset paired with trousers, a blazer layered over a gold evening skirt, and an opulent gold top cascading over slim dark trousers. It was the most contemporary styling lesson I had seen on the runway, though I expected nothing less.
Rest assured, Lauren also revisited his own history in this collection. A wide blue tie, worn with a shirt and faded jeans, referenced the four-inch-wide ties with which he began his career in 1967. Tailoring was equally important, from impeccable white and navy suits to waistcoats with dramatically elongated tails, while silk scarves tied low around the waist, large floral brooches, hats, and feathers brought the collection back into the realm of romance.
I could not fail to mention the dresses, which reminded us just how well Ralph Lauren has understood the idea of American glamour for decades. The pink and gold and blue and green dresses, which appeared to change color as they moved, stood out in particular, as did a gold beaded dress with an ombré effect. Some of the silk and lamé pieces were hand-painted and treated to give their surfaces a patina, while the organzas appeared sun-faded.
This new idea of romance could be found in feathers draped over simple trousers, a flower pinned to a suit, an opulent blouse paired with jeans, and a long coat layered over a piece we might expect to see on the red carpet. Even formal eveningwear was occasionally worn over trousers. With this collection, Ralph Lauren wanted to demonstrate the “freedom and fun” of personal style, and he expressed it best through the way he combined the pieces.
See some of the most striking looks from Ralph Lauren’s Spring collection below:
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Ralph Lauren Spring 2027, Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
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Ralph Lauren Spring 2027, Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
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