A few weeks ago I was asked by Ralph Lauren to do a stylist job in London. At a high-end evening at the Bond Street store, I gave a short talk on classification, materials and formality, using pieces from the model’s collection.
It was fun and interesting, and it made me think about time in particular.
All the people I spoke to at the event knew Ralph Lauren, but many had never been in the store. Lack of time was the most common reason they gave, but a few said they simply bought too little.
When we are young, we are often rich and poor in money. That balance gradually changes as we get older (with the randomizer of children thrown in at some point) and our priorities change.
That flexibility is part of the reason a young man might be confused by someone buying clothes he thinks don’t fit him – effectively paying for an expensive store, expensive staff, expensive marketing.
But if you’re on a tight budget, the knowledgeable and stylish staff are incredibly valuable. More important, I mean, than the clothes themselves, because without them you might buy the wrong thing, the wrong size, or you can’t find a way to wear it so you don’t enjoy doing so. How well the clothes were made is not important.
In terms of marketing as well. Lookbooks and social media can be helpful in suggesting ways for customers to put together outfits – using some clothes they already have or like. We all know how much we learn about style by trying and trying, testing and trying. Not everyone has that time.
I’ve talked to a few buyers and stylists recently, and they all say they’ve seen an uptick in interest, mostly because people aren’t getting the advice they used to get in stores.
I think in the next few years we will see more brands moving in this direction – a bit like Saman Amel has done with their service. Brands are realizing that customers are willing to pay for personalized treatment, as good service is often rare.
Aside from this gig, I really enjoyed working with the Ralph band and the bands there. There is nothing like seeing a product inside to appreciate clothes in a different way.
For example, as a buyer I tend to focus on individual items, rather than seeing the collection as a whole. This is partly because most of the brands I know don’t do large collections, but also because I’m very focused on whether a particular piece works for me.
Seeing how the RL collections are presented inside made me appreciate how the themes of each collection are integrated, especially in terms of color.
The Purple Label Pre-Spring collection that we have been working with a lot, for example, was divided into two main categories: brown and gray matter, followed by navy and champagne.
Browns and grays conjure up a winter vibe, with plenty of cashmere, suede and flannel (above).
Navy and champagne (below) were equally tonal, but what I found interesting here were the tones used – they always resembled more yellow (‘champagne’) than anything light or brown.
Seeing all the looks lined up again made me realize how much influence the Purple Label has built around limiting the range of colors, whether jacket and knit, or knitwear and pants, which are often the same color.
Those two themes evolved into a slightly ‘genius’ finish, where Ralph’s distinctive shade of green was mixed with off-white, and burgundy was added as an accent.
It made you consider the thought that goes into each small collection – and I say mine, because a few weeks later Pre-Spring was supplemented by Spring proper, which is another matter of color.
What stands out to meare the different ways RL mixes dark beige – for evening dresses, and leather jackets and overshirts (below).
Thanks to everyone who attended the event, and to Violet, Jonathan, Matthew and everyone else at RL for putting it together.
