Ralph Lauren’s Oak Bluffs Collection

Ralph Lauren’s Oak Bluffs Collection: A Coastal Tribute to Black Legacy

In a season defined by sun-faded linens and porchside nostalgia, Ralph Lauren’s latest capsule—Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs—offers more than just summer style. It’s a sartorial love letter to Oak Bluffs, a historic Black enclave on Martha’s Vineyard where leisure, legacy, and community have flourished for generations.

The collection, designed in collaboration with alumni from Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, blends collegiate silhouettes with coastal ease. Think maroon satin varsity jackets embroidered with Morehouse’s Maroon Tiger, baby-blue cardigans bearing Spelman’s Jaguar, and quilted patchwork coats that feel like heirlooms passed down through salt-kissed summers.

But this isn’t just about fashion. It’s about memory. Ralph Lauren enlisted author and director Cole Brown—himself a longtime summer resident of Oak Bluffs—to helm a campaign that reads more like a family album than a brand rollout. Shot by Nadine Ijewere and Azariah Bjørvig, the visuals capture porch socials, bike rides down Sea View Avenue, and the quiet dignity of multigenerational Black homeowners who’ve made the island their sanctuary.

Anchoring the campaign is a short documentary, A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs, premiering July 24 on YouTube and screening at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival. The film features interviews with local historians, business owners, and HBCU alumni, weaving together a tapestry of joy, resilience, and cultural pride.

The brand’s commitment extends beyond the capsule. Ralph Lauren partnered with The Cottagers, Inc.—a nonprofit of Black women homeowners—to support preservation efforts on the island, and continues its work with the United Negro College Fund to foster scholarships and early talent development.

With this collection, Ralph Lauren doesn’t just dress the season—it honors the stories that shaped it. Oak Bluffs isn’t a backdrop. It’s the heartbeat.