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Ralph Lauren and Element — two brands that, on paper, appear to have almost nothing in common aside from being in the business of making quality clothes — are collaborating. The former is a heritage label that prides itself on a preppy high-end aesthetic, while the latter is a gritty American skate brand, born and bred out of the depths of underground culture. But combined? Unexpectedly formidable, in fact.
Let’s break this down, shall we?
Consider the polo, the plaid shirt, and the denim jacket. Now consider the wide tee, the hoodie, and sweatpants: Each of these garments has, at one moment or another, found a place within the realm of both prep and skateboarding culture, respectively.
The difference is in styling: For every buttoned-up denim jacket on a preppy middle schooler there’s an unbuttoned one draped over the shoulders of a skater in downtown LA. For every collar-erecting polo wearer, there’s her collar-agnostic other. One shirt, two styles. One, the Harvard campus, the other, Venice Beach.
It’s just how these things work.
For such an unlikely but winning collaboration, Ralph Lauren and Element took design inspiration from his iconic 1982 womenswear collection, which continued his exploration of the American prairie look. And while this is an image of beauty and nostalgia focused on country style, drop a few skaters in there and you have yourself a capsule that exudes North American classics, rugged staples, skateboarding, and community. What you have is a well-balanced mix of teenage-prep and coastal California chic, but social media-ready.
Simple? Sure. Powerful? Certainly.
In a sense, the clothes featured have always existed in the two seemingly disparate subgenres that Ralph Lauren and Element exist. When boiled down, they have a lot more in common than even they might know. And that’s why it works. Makes you think.
