Any glance through historic photo archives at Spelman or Morehouse College shows an elite higher-education experience with a presentation emphasizing respectability.
Spelman women in all-white cotton and pearls.
Morehouse Men in crisp suits with crested jackets and M-embroidered tight crew neck sweaters.
Renowned American clothing designer Ralph Lauren has teamed with the schools to build on their heritage and develop a limited-edition collection culled from school photos dating back to the 1920s.
Credit: Ralph Lauren
Credit: Ralph Lauren
In a press release, the company wrote: “The white patchwork eyelet and silk wrap dresses, which anchor the Spelman collection, symbolize the highly anticipated white attire ceremony, marking students’ induction into the college. Similarly, the wool flannel blazer serves as an homage to the Morehouse blazer, a garment traditionally bestowed to students during their first days on campus.”
Ralph Lauren, the octogenarian executive chairman and chief creative officer of Ralph Lauren Corporation, said the collection was conceptualized and designed by Morehouse and Spelman alumni at the company. He added that this marks the first time the brand has produced a campaign with an all-Black cast, including its photographer, creative directors, cinematographer and talent.
The models for the project were Morehouse and Spelman students, alumni and faculty members, and photos were taken on the campuses.
“Historically Black colleges and universities have uniquely been centers of both intellectual discourse and cultural influence for more than 150 years,” said Morehouse President David A. Thomas. “The Morehouse partnership with Ralph Lauren intelligently, creatively and boldly puts this intersection on full display, reflecting the breadth of impact we have had in driving societal transformation throughout our history.”
In the wake of the racial unrest that gripped the country in 2020, the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation pledged $2 million to support scholarships for students at a dozen HBCUs, including Morehouse and Spelman.
The Company is also creating and deepening internship, recruitment, mentorship and development programs for Black talent.
“There was something missing” from the company’s point of view, Lauren told The Washington Post. “We’re catching up with [the country’s] changes. And I want to be part of that change. I believe in it, and I believe in it for our company.”
Credit: Ralph Lauren
Credit: Ralph Lauren
The company’s new advertising campaign includes a 30-minute film, “A Portrait of the American Dream,” a yearbook and photographs that, if not in color, might make viewers think they were taken in another age. The full collection includes outerwear, knits, tailored suits, dresses, footwear and accessories that reference styles worn by Morehouse and Spelman students from the 1920s to 1950s.
Credit: Ralph Lauren
Credit: Ralph Lauren
“By sharing the early history of Spelman, as reflected in archival research, through clothing, the collection encourages conversations about the creative power of the Black experience and the ways in which a personal fashion aesthetic intersects with institutional values of solidarity and connection,” Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell said in a press release.
The collection will be available globally, and in the Morehouse and Spelman bookstores on March 29.
About the Author
