Ralph Lauren goes minimal for latest fashion show

NEW YORK

Ralph Lauren has been known for many a grand fashion show over the years: Taking over Central Park for a sumptuous anniversary celebration, for example, or staging a runway show amid his eye-popping classic car collection.

But for his Fall/Holiday 2024 collection, he decided to go minimal — at least, minimal in Ralph Lauren terms. That meant an intimate show Monday night in a (relatively) small design studio at his New York City offices, inspired by his first women’s fashion show in 1972, where he displayed his wares to editors and friends in his own office.

In front of a typically starry front row that included actors Glenn Close, Jessica Chastain, Kerry Washington, Rebecca Hall and Jodie Turner-Smith, Lauren opened his show on a note of timelessness — his longtime ethos — with the appearance of muse and supermodel Christy Turlington, now 55, in a sleek beige wool coat.

Lauren, 84, appeared briefly at the end, in well-worn jeans, to cheers from the crowd, which also included Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

Close wore a white Lauren pantsuit. “This is a very, very special suit,” the actor said. “It was made especially for me. Custom. Five years ago. I won a SAG award in it. So here I am. It looks just as beautiful. It’s a shame to wear something like this only once.”

Close added that growing up in New England, “the mentality was, you buy something that has great quality and then you wear it until it wears out. That’s how I was brought up.”