If there's any fashion brand who has an authentic staying power, it's Ralph Lauren. Since launching his namesake label nearly 60 years ago, the designer has amassed a reputation for crafting denim, sportswear and other classic pieces that are quintessential Americana. He's even ventured into other categories like fragrance. He's continuing this dominance by kicking off September's New York Fashion Week with a destination show in one of his favorite places in the world: the Hamptons.
The luxurious community that's known for its clean beaches and shingle houses is a safe haven for the mogul. It's been part of the brand's ethos and identity for decades as Lauren and his family have been spending time on the island since the 70s, even renting houses in Southampton, Amagansett and East Hampton before purchasing their first home in Montauk in the 90s.
"The Hamptons is more than a place," Lauren said in a statement. "It's a natural world of endless blue skies, the ocean, green fields, and white fences, rusticity and elegance with a quality of light that drew artists here decades ago. It has been home, my refuge and always an inspiration."
With Lauren's unwavering love for the peaceful energy of the Hamptons, it's no surprise that the company expanded there with the opening of its first store on East Hampton's Main Street in 1992. The children's store then opened in the summer of 2007 in the community's oldest building, which contains the framework of a 16th century settler's home. Fast-forward to this year when there are three stores in the iconic Long Island community and Lauren owns three beachfront properties in Montauk.
In the last few years, Lauren has presented runway shows in unconventional spaces that directly speak to his individuality and lifestyle so it was only natural for the Hamptons to host another one of his legendary productions. For Spring 2024, he developed an artist's loft in a barn at the Brooklyn Navy Yard based on one at his Double RL Ranch, where his son David was married, and supermodel Christy Turlington even made an appearance. Then he held his Fall 2024 show at his offices on Madison Avenue last June. So for Spring 2025, Lauren is simply returning home.
