For Fall, Ralph Lauren celebrates “The Modern Romantics.” Self-assured and unbound by rules, these women make luxury intensely personal. Their aesthetic independence manifests in beautiful tensions— plays of masculine-and-feminine and rugged-and-refined—the dichotomies enriched by artisanal craft that elevates both chic classics and statement pieces to heirloom level.
A dark, moody palette imposes unity on precise tailoring and soft dressing, upending preciousness with daring, while revealing an underlying sensuality. New takes on a frilled white shirt and pants subvert the classic dandy trope, projecting urbane polish when worn with an unlined cashmere wrap coat, and cool edge when paired with a vintage-inspired, hand-distressed aviator jacket. Countering the ruffles, a leather bustier and camel skirt provide an interlude of sleek minimalism.
High-impact textures factor prominently. A wide-collared jacket morphs from a leather finish into suede, its dégradé of texture and tone achieved via a manual process that will make each piece produced one of a kind. Hand-distressed black leather infuses a utilitarian boilersuit with an off-beat elegance heightened by a silk lining and industrial metal snaps, meticulously covered in leather. The Collection takes a gentle turn with pristine white lace and dark florals, including a mesmerizing corded velvet, created with a combination of hand-printed and airbrushed techniques. The fabric appears in an unconstructed suit with a softly pleated floor-grazing skirt and a mini shirtdress that offers a surprise alternative to the prevailing longer lengths.
Evening options come in charming separates and ultraglamorous gowns. A sequined sampler sweater with a hand-beaded floral medallion recalls a piece worn by the iconic model Clotilde Holby in a Ralph Lauren ’80s ad campaign. Two sinuous halter gowns are intricately wrought, one in embroidered lace layered over deep-hued watercolor floral satin, and one in tiers of graduated silk-knit ruffles spiraled gently around the body.
Bold accessories impart a gutsy edge. Grounding the clothes, boots include the over-the-knee Barnet that debuted for Pre-Fall, and new this season, the Quinn, a bootie that riffs on the classic cowboy construct. The Ralph Satchel introduces a slightly relaxed variant into The Ralph handbag range, launched for Spring 2025, its purposeful, unfussy design inspired by Mr. Lauren’s collection of high-performance cars.
In a departure from his most recent Collections, shown at night, Mr. Lauren has chosen to present Fall 2025 during the day, in a natural-light urban space that contrasts with the seductive moodiness of the clothes, a final manifestation of this season’s beautiful tensions.
