Pride or Prejudice?: Breaking Down Polo Ralph Lauren’s Oak Bluffs Collection
The Fashion Stock Market here, your one and only source into the hottest style trends and fashion events. On July 24th, the Ralph Lauren Oak Bluffs collection dropped, amidst the controversy surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad, which many claimed had racist and misogynistic undertones. Netizens immediately got to work comparing the two brand’s marketing strategies–one that makes statements about “good genes/jeans,” and another that celebrates black American culture. However, as more negative buzz surrounded the AE advert, I found that less and less people were talking about the Oak Bluffs collection, which is truly a shame. While the world chewed over how terrible Sydney Sweeney is for taking the gig and American Eagle for using phrasing that aligns with eugenics, only those more invested in the fashion world were discussing the new Polo collection. Luckily for you and me, the campaign was not completely abandoned, and I have conducted some research on the Oak Bluffs collection, along with the mixed reviews it received from the black community and fashion lovers in general.
What I’ll be bringing you are the facts, along with some perspective from African Americans’ firsthand accounts and experiences, but it’s not up to me to draw conclusions about Ralph Lauren’s effectiveness in realizing this collection. Still, it is vital to this kind of work in the fashion industry, which has historically discriminated against minority groups as workers and consumers. What fashionistas and progressive thinkers everywhere are asking is: Is Ralph Lauren’s campaign a step in the right direction?
To understand the Oak Bluffs collection, one must understand what Oak Bluffs is–duh! In Ralph Lauren’s promotional video, various black Americans describe the town in their own words, as a feeling or memory or sense of community. But in simple definitive terms, Oak Bluffs is a coastal town on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts that has had a thriving black community for generations.
Oak Bluffs is a coastal town on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts that has had a thriving black community for generations.
Photo: mtvtimes
Here’s a little background for my history buffs out there: many trace the origin of the African American community in Oak Bluffs to the Shearer family, who arrived on Martha’s Vineyard in the late 18th century and opened Shearer Cottage, an inn that welcomed black families visiting from places like New York and Boston. Many also consider the Shearers as the origin of “black excellence” in Martha’s Vineyard. They not only created a business and a space for African Americans to call home in the summertime–they did it with impeccable style! Tailored suits, linens, sharp lines, and good quality clothing are hallmarks of black style in Oak Bluffs, and the importance of dressing well is a value that has been passed down from generation to generation.
This quaint town on the Vineyard is an empowering example of black excellence in this country, originating during a time when the odds were against African Americans, especially economically. The people who vacationed at Oak Bluffs were empowered with the ability to own homes that would stay in their families for decades and decades to come. The community stands for stability and enrichment, not just financially, but in quality of life.
Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, a professor of Women’s Studies at Spelman College, describes Oak Bluffs as a, “runaway for Black academic, intellectual folks.” The Vineyard was frequented by Black feminists, influential black writers during the Harlem Renaissance like Dorothy West, and political figures and civil rights activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and Harry Belafonte. The town is teeming with rich history on every corner. Today, you can find Henry Louis Gates and Spike Lee walking down the street in Oak Bluffs. From its beginning, the island has opened up boundless opportunities for black people to thrive, and this continues on today.
Like Oak Bluffs, these schools have given black people from all parts of the country and the world the chance to learn and grow as individuals in a space that is all theirs, being uplifted by their community in a relaxed environment.
Photo: Ralph Lauren
It is fitting for Ralph Lauren, whose brand is rooted in the pursuit of a better life, the American dream, to have a collection inspired by this place. Black Americans have come from all over the country and found a sort of safe haven in Oak Bluffs. In the promotional video, “A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs,” the Vineyard is described as a sort of family reunion. The community there thrives because it is a place where being black is celebrated. That celebration is symbolized in the people’s style: always polished, but with a relaxed and unique spin to it. The Polo Ralph Lauren collection aims to embody this, through crisp suits, stylish varsity crewnecks, and flowy dresses fit for a stroll along the beach.
Ralph Lauren, in wanting to express the story of America, has given space for the history of black people in Martha’s Vineyard to be celebrated by those who were not previously familiar with the community’s significance. In his own words, “Our portrait of American style and our vision of the American dream would be incomplete without Black experiences like this.” This is vital now more than ever, considering the country’s tense political and social climate. Black history is American history, and this collection affirms that in the face of other brands who are clearly still stuck in the past.
Many trace the origin of the African American community in Oak Bluffs to the Shearer family, who arrived on Martha’s Vineyard in the late 18th century and opened Shearer Cottage, an inn that welcomed black families visiting from places like New York and Boston.
Photo: Shearer Cottage
The brand describes the collection as, “A nod to the on-island style of longtime residents and vacationers alike who wear collegiate ball caps with their swimwear and sandals, the collection blends coastal leisurewear with campus style through the lens of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges.” This brings in the collaborative aspect of the Oak Bluffs collection. Of course, Ralph couldn’t have done it on his own! Many professors, as well as longtime Oak Bluffs residents, have provided historical and personal insight into the story of the campaign, as well as the style inspiration for the collection. Many of the crewnecks feature the two colleges, which are HBCUs (historically black colleges/universities). Like Oak Bluffs, these schools have given black people from all parts of the country and the world the chance to learn and grow as individuals in a space that is all theirs, being uplifted by their community in a relaxed environment. In the words of Dr. David Wall Rice, a professor at Morehouse College, “HBCUs allow for people who have been pushed to the margins to feel centered. And at least for a moment during the summer months, we were able to feel that way in places like Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard.” Everyone deserves beautiful spaces where they feel empowered and accepted, regardless of race, sex, size, and so on.
So, now that I’ve given my lovely readers the background for this collection, here comes the discourse you may have seen circulating on TikTok and Twitter: while the Oak Bluffs campaign initially generated positive buzz, some netizens had some rather negative viewpoints. Some believed, for example, a collection focused on a specific black community would have been better realized by a black apparel brand, while others feel the campaign does not represent the full extent of the black experience in the United States, but rather only the rich black experience, to be more palatable to white Americans.
Naturally, the discussion did not end there. People were quick to defend the collection, asserting that black excellence and success is a vital part of black culture in the United States. Rather than appealing to a non-black audience, the collection highlights how far black Americans have come and that they cannot fit into one box. Many felt the point of the Oak Bluffs collection was misunderstood by people who did not take the time to research the history of the town, or were just reiterating what they saw on social media. Regardless, I believe it’s safe to say that this apparel line made a splash, and the conversations that have been had since are impactful not just in the fashion world, but in today’s growing society. My only wish? That we gave this collection the same amount of attention as we did to Sydney Sweeney’s “good genes.”
On July 24th, the Ralph Lauren Oak Bluffs collection dropped, amidst the controversy surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad, which many claimed had racist and misogynistic undertones.
Photo: American Eagle
Still, the next time you see an ad that seems to set us back centuries, just remember that at the same time someone somewhere is using fashion to make a real change. Fashion is a vehicle for progress that many naysayers overlook. Change isn’t linear, but through collections like these, brands can continue to spread awareness and highlight those who have been pushed to the side for too long. And we love when fashion makes a statement: both stylistically and figuratively!
XOXO, The Fashion Stock Market
Cover Photo: Ralph Lauren
Editor: Annaliese Persaud
