Ralph Lauren’s riding high — in sales, in style, and on the world stage
Presidential honours, record sales, and collections that remind us why he’s still America’s master of style
RALPH LAUREN HAS QUIETLY been reclaiming ground in 2025, buoyed by a global appetite for its brand of understated luxury – the kind built on Polo shirts, cable-knit sweaters, and the confidence to sell them at full price.
The numbers tell their own story: full-year sales climbed 8 per cent to $7.1 billion, outpacing the brand’s own forecast, with a particularly strong fourth quarter driving shares up in early trading. Demand across North America, Europe, and Asia – most notably China – has underscored that the Ralph Lauren vision still resonates.
It’s also been a year of milestones. In January, Lauren became the first fashion designer in history to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest civilian honour in the United States – recognising not only his creative contribution to American style, but also his philanthropic work and cultural influence.
It was a fitting accolade for a man whose career has been dedicated to shaping, and reshaping, the visual language of the American dream.
But it’s the creative output that has fashion insiders talking. The Oak Bluffs collection, a limited-edition capsule inspired by the historic Black resort town on Martha’s Vineyard, marries yachting stripes with collegiate varsity flourishes and a breezy coastal polish.
Accompanied by the short film A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs, it’s a reminder that for Ralph Lauren, clothes are never just garments – they’re part of a larger narrative about heritage, identity, and aspiration.
In New York, Fall 2025’s “The Modern Romantics” unfurled on a Gilded Age gallery stairway in a parade of frilled blouses, sequined knits, deep-hued velvet tailoring, and even a leather boiler suit – part period drama, part sharp-edged modernity.
It was a masterclass in balancing romance with precision, all watched by a front row that knew it was witnessing a designer at ease with his legacy.
For all the market headwinds on the horizon – from tariffs to inflation – Ralph Lauren appears to be steering a steady course. This is a house doubling down on the long game: refining what it already does best, telling stories that feel both rooted and relevant, and proving that the quietest kind of luxury is often the most enduring.
Let’s take a look at some of Lauren’s best moments in fashion.
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