“Dressing for me has always been an adventure. It’s dressing for the day and the moment, for a match on the tennis courts, for a glamorous evening. My Purple Label collection for spring 2025 is inspired by that kind of living—celebrating a personal style that is effortless and timeless, a quiet sophistication that is confident and always authentic.” This was the quote delivered via release from Madison Avenue to accompany this morning’s Ralph Lauren Purple Label presentation in Milan.
This collection neither replicated nor repeated—nor even reinterpreted—core Lauren lore. Rather it felt like the latest chapter in his unbroken cinematic serial dedicated to alpha patrician menswear. This episode contained various sections which tended to overlap. A series of semi-formal maritime looks mixing blazers and some breathtaking linen field jackets with Breton stripes blended into a resort getaway cameo starring a navy terry blazer with white piping that advertised itself as a souvenir of Capri worn over white pants and espadrilles. Across from this a series of more clubby looks—clubby in the sense of leather chesterfields, slow-clicking grandfather clocks and nursery food—saw double breasted shawl collar blazers and more field jackets worn over high-waisted razor precision creased pastel pants, evening shirting and low-slung waistcoats. South of one linen herringbone field jacket was a navy sweater embroidered with an RL bear whose tied belt hung cutely loose and who wore an oversized watch and aviators.
There were RL cricket sweaters worn alongside bridle leather tennis racquet holders and gorgeous billows-pocket suede shirting worn against bridle leather grip bags. A jacket in what looked like a heathery Scottish wool that would leave your neck a burning scarlet from rubbing after an hour or two turned out to be cut in silk linen houndstooth check that felt moisturizer-soft to the touch. There were a few diversions from chairman of the board to owner of the ranch that included a blue plaid shirt much more delicately proportioned than the heartier fare you’d find at Lauren’s more robust RRL outpost. A vintage Aston Martin that looked as good as new—if not better—was on display downstairs in the RL palazzo courtyard. Lauren and the engine of professionals that surround him seem consummately calibrated to discover endless variation in classically elegant menswear. Purple Label is ticking over beautifully.