Ralph Lauren is partnering with Morehouse College and Spelman College for a historic collection that honors the legacy of Black collegiate style at HBCUs. The upcoming capsule looks back specifically on campus life from the ‘20s to ‘50s, and Black creatives spearheaded the project every step of the way, from its creation to its campaign.
While collegiate style is often associated with elite and predominantly white universities, HBCU students also carved out their own smart looks that can be seen in yearbooks, newsletters, and archival images used to inform the collaboration. Putting these pieces out into the world will hopefully help to more fully frame the narrative of what constitutes historical prep and who spurned its wider influence — but it also has the benefit of offering dapper looks to proud Morehouse and Spelman alumni.
