The limited drop fuses Martha’s Vineyard nostalgia with Morehouse and Spelman iconography.
Polo Ralph Lauren’s new limited‑edition capsule anchors itself on Martha’s Vineyard, honoring Oak Bluffs—a seaside retreat that has welcomed Black families for more than a century. The collection, Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs, channels the blend of heritage and optimism that has defined the brand for nearly 60 years, yet it narrows the focus to one close‑knit community.
Oak Bluffs is known for its charming cottages, porch gatherings, and reunions of alumni from historically Black colleges and universities. Morehouse and Spelman graduates inside Ralph Lauren’s design studio shaped that history into the brand’s collegiate vernacular, pairing salt‑weathered crewnecks with ballcaps that could have come straight off the quad.
A twill jacket stitches island landmarks into its embroidery; crisp white, red, and navy sport caps echo the town’s nautical palette; and stripes or small motifs hint at slow bike rides along Sea View Avenue and the pre‑dusk “five‑to‑sevens” that animate every porch. Standout pieces include a maroon‑and‑white satin varsity jacket bearing Morehouse’s Maroon Tiger, an ivory‑and‑light‑blue patchwork cardigan with Spelman’s Jaguar mascot, and a quilted patchwork jacket with a matching blanket that honor the town’s nautical traditions.
“This collection is about more than a charming coastal town; it’s a story of the American dream,” Ralph Lauren said, tying the project to the company’s “Design with Intent” program.
The campaign—directed by author and producer Cole Brown, with photography by Nadine Ijewere and film by Azariah Bjørvig—leads into a short documentary, A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs. It premieres on YouTube July 24 2025 and screens August 8 2025 at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, followed by a panel on narrative change in racial healing in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
The collection drops globally July 24 on RalphLauren.com, the Ralph Lauren App, select Ralph Lauren stores, and in the Morehouse and Spelman campus bookstores while quantities last. The company is collaborating with The Cottagers, Inc.—a nonprofit of 100 Black female homeowners—on restoration and cultural‑preservation projects, and it continues its longstanding partnership with the United Negro College Fund to support scholarships for HBCU students.
Oak Bluffs offers a vision of freedom framed by weathered cottages and Atlantic light. With this capsule, Polo Ralph Lauren turns that vision into wearable memory.
