My Evening of Rest and Relaxation (and Ralph Lauren)
If your dream is to watch the sun set over the peaks from your rustic mountain chalet, Ralph Lauren is determined to give you a taste of it. The designer gave us a glimpse into the comfort and style cold-weather dressing might afford during his intimate show on Monday night. Upon arrival at his Madison Avenue studio, guests were ushered in by numerous men in crisp suits: “Welcome in, right this way,” they said, beckoning guests up an elevator and into Lauren’s workspace. In the entryway, silver trays with glasses of sparkling water and sliced fruit floated around the space, which was decorated with neutral carpets and cocooned in dark wood. I couldn’t help but notice one errant bowl of M&Ms resting on a ledge, nearly overflowing from the crystal they resided in and with a silver spoon for easy scooping. If only every office were this chic. Celebrities took photos with one another and across from my seat I spotted Jessica Chastain, Glenn Close, and Kerry Washington chatting and giggling amongst themselves. God, I wish I was better at lip-reading.
Christy Turlington opened the show in a layered, beige monochromatic set and the signature Ralph Lauren brand smile on her face: relaxed, rested, and seemingly genuinely happy to see us. Many of the looks in this presentation followed suit: neutral, sandy, and copper colors in the form of sweaters, blazers, silk skirts. and dresses. Washington seemed to especially admire a bedazzled dress draped under a printed, slouchy cardigan, mouthing “wow” as the look crossed her path. Every model seemed delightfully swaddled in what she wore and their makeup was perfectly applied to show a dewy face. With clothes that seemed comfortable and unrestrained on models who looked fresh and unweary, I had one nagging thought: I need to start getting more sleep.
One singular outfit deviated from the neutral theme through a short, stubby, wide, and bandana-printed red tie dangling from a model’s neckline, likely a nod to how Lauren got his start as a high-end neckwear designer. I asked Willa Bennet, Highsnobiety’s editor-in-chief and fashion’s preeminent tie enthusiast, what she thought of that look. To no one’s surprise, she loved it. I did too. Lauren, clad in a black and blue western top and a massive, glowing belt buckle to match, emerged from backstage to close the show. He kissed his wife and then air-kissed Anna Wintour on the cheek (one of those chic fashion smooches where no one’s face really touches) as guests rose to their feet for a standing ovation — a rarity, in my experience, in the fashion world.
Outside, a horde of photographers (who unsurprisingly did not take my photo!) and a fleet of black shuttles awaited to whisk us just a few blocks over to Lauren’s restaurant, Polo Bar, for a celebratory dinner. But I was wearing flats and the evening spring air practically begged me to walk the few streets instead, so I did alongside a few other attendees who had the same idea.
Inside, the restaurant was soaked in that same dark, rich wood as Lauren had in parts of his studio. The lighting was dim and warm and evocative of some old version of New York — some nostalgia I’ve never personally experienced but couldn’t help feeling nonetheless. Downstairs, in a room with more portraits and drawings of horses than I’d ever seen (a waiter told me a single curator sourced these dozens and dozens of pieces), tables dotted with mini table lamps and white linens awaited their patrons. Dirty martinis were shaken and served and glasses of red wine glugged to life in wide-brimmed glasses for those who arrived early.
As the room began to fill up with fashion editors in their slicked-back buns, actors in unwrinkled dresses, and models, like Anok Yai in her closing look — a sequin dress topped with a juxtaposing cowboy hat — and Andreea Diaconu and fellow model and activist Imaan Hammam, in a Lauren-designed tuxedo, the who’s who of fashion and entertainment began to come into focus.
The comedian Hannah Einbinder crouched by a nearby table, talking with someone as her flannel-printed, flowy dress cascaded across a walkway — one I was, unfortunately, trying to cross on my way to the bathroom (which boasted even more horse paraphernalia). She quickly apologized when she noticed me (I told her none was needed) and shifted her dress for me to pass. As she did so, I made eye contact with perhaps the most stunning couple I’ve ever seen: Gilded Age actor Morgan Spector and his wife, the actress and director Rebecca Hall. Am I blushing!? When I passed back through, Einbinder was partially seated in the lap of the person she’d been crouched next to, a very endearing and effective way to clear a walkway! Back at my seat, editors from other outlets discussed the Met Gala theme, speculating who might walk the carpet this year (Beyoncé? Taylor and Travis? Which of the Kardashians?)
A round of applause erupted sometime before the branzinos, steaks, and other main courses dressed the tables as Lauren arrived on the premises. Several models flanked him as he approached his table, waving his hands to beaming guests. Later on, a few reporters seemed to circle Lauren, hoping for an interview or even just a sound bite, but the designer was about to dine on a Polo Bar burger (in the running and rumored to be one of the juiciest burgers in New York). It would’ve been unsavory, to say the least, to stand in the way. As for me? My new Ralph Lauren–inspired beauty regimen had begun and called for me to do one thing: get home and get more sleep.