Ralph Lauren's second standalone menswear show in Milan was a star-studded event, with the American fashion house paying homage to the accessory that launched his empire in 1967 – ties. Skinny silk ties featuring subtle swirly prints were neatly knotted and used as the finishing touch to elegant pinstripe suits, while more brightly printed or striped cravats were whirled and worn like ties peeking out from under knitwear and rugby shirts.
Elsewhere, ties were used in place of belts; others came wrapped around bags, and even footwear came tied up, with the uppers of espadrille shoes formed of ties that had been spliced together. The show was a slick way of appealing to the younger cohort, who have recently discovered both the brand and the accessory for the first time, but without alienating its existing older customers, many of whom are octogenarians like Lauren himself and have been wearing ties since day dot.
While other key players in the fashion industry continue to grapple with a widespread luxury slowdown, Ralph Lauren is enjoying a renaissance. In May, its CEO, Patrice Louvet, announced that sales for the last fiscal year had increased by 15%, with revenue exceeding the £6bn mark for the first time in the company's history.
The show combined its dapper-driven label Purple with its more accessible Polo brand, which focuses on collegiate style classics. Part of Lauren's magic is worldbuilding, and this time around he transported guests to the golden age of Italian sport. A gleaming 1920s mahogany speedboat plonked in the courtyard of his Milan headquarters greeted guests including the actors Tom Hiddleston and Colman Domingo and the grand prix record-breaker Lewis Hamilton.