We Missed the Plot: On Ralph Lauren, Oak Bluffs, and What Fashion Can Be
A reflection on legacy, storytelling, and why it's okay to celebrate progress.
The new Ralph Lauren x Oak Bluffs collection has sparked serious debate, and not all of it has been celebratory (which honestly baffles me). We live in an era where loud critique too often outpaces research, especially on platforms like TikTok and X. When commentary is careless, it erases the nuance beneath the surface. Across comment sections, the tone swings from cautious excitement to outright dismissal. That's frustrating. Because what we're seeing isn't just another campaign — it's layered storytelling. It's fashion honoring legacy. This is why we need fewer fit checks and more fashion history. Fewer hot takes. More context. More care.
“HBCUs allow for people who have been pushed to the margins to feel centered. And at least for a moment during the summer months, we were able to feel that way in places like Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard.”
DR. DAVID WALL RICE
Professor, Morehouse College
This Isn't Ralph Lauren's First Time
The most prominent criticism is that Ralph Lauren is only now engaging with Black culture, or that it is noteworthy he appointed a Black creative director for the first time after 57 years. However, we are missing the essential discussions and failing to recognize this step as a significant advancement for the culture. We are not giving adequate credit where it is due, nor are we acknowledging the growth of the company.
In 2022, Ralph Lauren launched a groundbreaking capsule collection in collaboration with Spelman College and Morehouse College. It was not only inspired by Black culture; it was created by Black creatives for Black communities and is rooted in legacy.
Designed by Black team members
Shot by Black photographers
Styled and modeled by Black students and alumni
Inspired by archival fashion from the 1920s–1950s
"It was essential to tell this story and to do it authentically. And who better to tell this story than us?" — James Jeter, Ralph Lauren creative director.
Ralph Lauren himself said it best:
"This collection expresses the spirited history, deep sense of community, and legacy of timeless dressing at historically Black colleges and universities."
"It's so much more than a moment. It's a movement. And it's about sharing a more complete and authentic portrait of American style and of the American dream." (Ralph Lauren 2022 HBCU Campaign)
The Conversation Behind the Campaign
What stood out most to me in the NPR article by Neda Ulaby wasn't just the design of the Spelman and Morehouse collaboration—it was the conversation that started it all.
After the murder of George Floyd, Ralph Lauren participated in a series of company-wide conversations about race. During those discussions, he met James Jeter, a young designer who had started out working as a salesperson in one of the brand's stores. Jeter brought forward a powerful observation: the way Black students dressed in yearbook photos, proud, polished, and precise, told a story that Ralph Lauren had never considered.
"What this campaign emphasizes," said Morehouse College psychology professor David Wall Rice, "is one part of a complex history of Black expression—one that Ralph Lauren himself was completely unaware of until just a couple of years ago."
That realization sparked the 2022 HBCU collection, and eventually led to Jeter being elevated to a key creative role within the company.
This is what progress can look like: genuine internal dialogue, career investment, and collaborative storytelling rooted in cultural respect.
Why Are We Forgetting So Quickly?
So why, just two years later, are people treating Oak Bluffs like Ralph Lauren's first nod to Black America? This isn't just about Ralph Lauren. This is about a larger issue: the ongoing erasure and mistrust of Black contributions to fashion. We say we want representation, but when it shows up thoughtfully, beautifully, and historically rooted, we still question it. Is it authentic? Or is it pandering? Is it a celebration? Or strategy?
What does it cost us to be this suspicious of our own stories being centered?
Oak Bluffs Is More Than A Moodboard
Let's be clear: Oak Bluffs is not just a vibe. It's a place of Black cultural significance, a historic enclave on Martha's Vineyard that has, for generations, represented rest, resilience, and refinement for Black families. When Ralph Lauren, under the creative direction of James Jeter, chooses to spotlight this place through photography, silhouettes, color stories, and styling, it's not just inclusion.
It's reverence. It's memory. Its design is with intention.
"This is a story of the American dream — a story of our shared history. Oak Bluffs' unique culture and legacy deeply inspire me. It's a place where you can be free, uncontrived, joyful, and truly at home." — Ralph Lauren (Oak Bluffs Campaign Press Release)
What We Should Be Talking About
Let's shift the narrative from dismissal to curiosity. Ask deeper questions:
Why don't more high-fashion brands engage in this kind of storytelling?
Why is Black presence in luxury still treated like a surprise or controversy?
What would it look like to support these steps while still offering thoughtful critique?
Progress, Even When It's Quiet
The appointment of James Jeter as creative director isn't a PR stunt; it's a meaningful shift. And the Oak Bluffs campaign? It's not surface-level diversity. It's layered with care, nuance, and dignity.
Progress doesn't always come loud. Sometimes it's woven into fabric. Styled into a campaign. Stitched into the lining of a blazer.
We don't have to love every look. But we can acknowledge that this is a beautiful moment, one of the few in high fashion where Black life, leisure, and legacy are centered with grace.
"Fashion has a soul; and we have helped create it."
Black culture has always been at the heart of fashion, not only as trendsetters but as architects of aesthetic evolution. From streetwear to prep, avant-garde to athleisure, our fingerprints are everywhere. But we've rarely been given the space to share these stories in our own voices. This collection opens that space, and that's something worth pausing to admire.
We can critique fashion, and we should. But we must also learn to celebrate when progress is made, even if it's imperfect.
Some of the most radical things fashion can do are to remember, revere, and reflect.
Which pieces in your wardrobe tell your story? Take a look at my series, The Making of Something Timeless, to see how personal style, culture, and legacy can come together in a meaningful way.
Got thoughts, questions, or critiques of your own? Let's talk in the comments.
3 R’s!!!