Polo Ralph Lauren Pays Homage to the Style History of Two HBCUs

This week, Polo Ralph Lauren further reexamined their interpretation of collegiate fashion with the unveiling of a limited-edition collection inspired by Morehouse College and Spelman College, two historically Black colleges in Atlanta, Georgia.

“When I was approached with the idea of a collection inspired by the heritage and traditions of the timeless dressing of historically Black colleges and universities, it became clear that part of our design sensibility has been missing,” explains founder Ralph Lauren. Of the sartorial history and traditions of both Morehouse and Spelman, he noted: “Our portrait of American style and our vision of the American Dream would be incomplete without Black experiences like these.”

The Spelman collection highlights white patchwork eyelet and silk wrap dresses, a nod to the college’s all-women induction ceremony. Wool flannel blazers, meanwhile, pay homage to the freshman Morehouse uniform. The full collection includes outerwear pieces, knits, tailored suits, footwear, and accessories. All of the pieces are meant to embody the fashions worn by HBCU attendees between 1920 and 1950, with inspiration taken from archival research.

Last year, the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation pledged $2 million in support of scholarships for students across 12 historically Black colleges and universities, including Morehouse and Spelman.