How Ralph Lauren nail it every summer
Words: India Gladstone
There’s no doubting that fashion can be flaky. Trends come and go like a bad rash and if a brand doesn’t do all of the right things at exactly the right time, it can be very quickly tossed to the side with no due care or further thought. It’s pretty rare, then, that a brand gains the traction and following in the same way that Ralph Lauren has managed to do in the 79 years since its establishment. They have, over time, become completely synonymous with summer for gentlemen all over the world. But how?
They never stray from what they’re good at
You’ll never see Ralph Lauren step outside the mark with over-the-top clothes or ridiculous accessories. Instead, they are the very definition of a brand that focusses on appealing to customers who are all about the essentials: the shirts, the polos and the shorts that will last them all summer long (and beyond) and keep them looking like the perfect gentleman.
They’ve always nailed the polo
Every gentleman knows that it can be pretty difficult to wear a polo shirt without looking like an utter schweff – it’s a fine line that even the most stylish gentleman needs to be careful not to cross. When worn in the right way, however, the polo can be a key part of the perfect gentleman’s summer outfit, and there’s no brand that does it better than Ralph Lauren. It’s the piece that secured them as the godfather of all gentleman’s basics and that put them firmly on the map as one of the finest brands out there.
They have become synonymous with the gentleman’s lifestyle
When you buy into Ralph Lauren, you’re also buying into a certain lifestyle and the beauty of that is that you know exactly what kind of lifestyle you’re buying into. It’s nothing over the top, nothing outrageous and nothing inaccessible that no other gentleman can relate to – in terms of both style and price. Ralph Lauren have, over the years, carved out their own path and become synonymous with the aspirational lifestyle that every gentleman wants to be a part of.
They can be worn for every occasion under the sun (literally)
The summer brings a whole host of events, parties, dinners and BBQs that you need to make sure you’re looking sartorially sharp for. Ralph Lauren is one of the few brands that you can trust to deliver the perfect suit for a daytime meeting, polo shirt and shorts for a weekend BBQ and a slick shirt for an evening dinner date.
They know their customer, and their customer knows them
There are few brands that have as loyal a fan base as Ralph Lauren and a huge part of that is because they know their customer incredibly well. In return, when a customer shops at Ralph Lauren in preparation for the summer, they know exactly what they’re getting: smart, stylish basics that will always be at the core of every gentleman’s summer wardrobe.
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