Ralph Lauren. 50 years between preppy and hip-hop The full story of how the American brand became the symbol of the Lo-Life movement

Among the shows of the NYFW one above all it is interesting to analyze: that of Ralph Lauren, which with the Ready To Wear Spring Summer 2019 celebrates 50 years of its brand.

It is not the celebrated goal that catches our attention, it is not the longevity of the brand, but its history, the path taken over the years, which seems confirmed once again with this latest collection, and the fate that inevitably "run into" Ralph Lauren.

Ralph Lauren probably was not particularly exited about what was happening on the streets, but he certainly recognized that this was making his brand an icon. It was from his not taking a position on the matter that brand like FUBU (For Us By Us) were born, combining the teacher's lessons to the enhancement of hip-hop culture and the centrality of the African American population. Polo is in the history of hip-hop one of the most cited brands in the song lyrics; also the new generation captained by Kanye West - who is credited for bringing back the brand at the time of College Dropout - didn't resist its charm and exclaims "Thank you Ralph".

Almost thirty years later, Ralph seems - though without ever admitting it - learn the lesson.

The re-launch of the '92 Stadium Series and the Snow Beach, testify, together with the last SS19 show, that Ralph Lauren can't live without his two components, the preppy and the hip-hop one.