Milan, Italy
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Wearing striped rugby shirts, dark orange puffers and baseball caps (worn backwards), the kids were out in Milan on Friday night modeling looks including racing jackets and slouchy beanies from Ralph Lauren’s Fall-Winter 2026 show during the city’s Men’s Fashion Week.
Held at Palazzo Ralph Lauren, a grand but cozy private mansion in the heart of the city, the runway show was the brand’s first show in the Italian city in two decades. This includes designs from the premium Purple Label, which promises great tailoring and materials, and its youth-leaning counterpart, the Polo, which comes with a preppy, sportier edge.
Polo was the first to hit the catwalk – a sign that Ralph Lauren is well aware of Gen Z’s growing affinity for the label, thanks in part to its popular coffee shops (Ralph’s, which now has more than 30 around the world) and pop culture association (it was the brand of choice for Taylor Swift when she revealed her engagement to Travis Kelce in 2025).
Surprisingly, young customers aren’t deterred by the fact that the label was a favorite of their parents (and possibly their grandparents, too). According to research firm Kantar, by 2025, Ralph Lauren was second only to Gucci as the most desirable luxury brand for consumers under the age of 35.
On the runway, Styles ran the gamut from Western to Ivy League prep to formal, offering something for everyone in the front row, from 21-year-old star of “Stranger Things” Noah Schnapp to legendary ’60s Hong Kong actor Tony Leung. They also included Colman Domingo, Nick Jonas, Liam Hemsworth, Mark Lee of K-pop band NCT, Henry Goulding, Morgan Spector and Tom Hiddleston, in what was arguably one of the more diverse celebrity appearances at a fashion show.
Some pieces can be youthful – look at the surreal style of a scarf or sweater peeking out of a fabric tote, or a new take on a cameo in the form of a leaf or duck print; It didn’t feel like it was an attempt to resonate with kids – rather it was an opportunity that the brand capitalized on to better connect with the new generation. As Gen Z shoppers begin to discover the world of Ralph Lauren, why not show the full scope of what that universe could be?
Since launching the tie in 1967, and then the first full menswear collection under the “Polo” brand name in 1968, Ralph Lauren has become a global empire, synonymous with aspirational, classic all-American style. This growth has come without diminishing prestige: Ralph Lauren has been one of the few brands outside the ultra-luxury segment (Hermès, Brunello Cucinelli) to buck the broader sector downturn, reaching revenues of $7.1 billion in the fiscal year ending March 2025.
Returning to Milan is a homecoming of sorts: Ralph Lauren first showed in the city in January 2002 and has returned from time to time since then, usually showing his purple label through a more low-key presentation format. Friday’s runway show comes ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, for which Ralph Lauren is outfitting Team USA. (Since the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, the Polo brand has been a mainstay at the Olympics as well as other sporting events such as Wimbledon and the US Open.)
As designer Ralph Lauren wrote in his show notes, “I started with the tie, but it was not just about the tie, but a way of life. When I began designing menswear, I was drawn to timeless elements of tradition, but I was never tied to it. The essence of what I do lives on in the many styles and moods I create.” The new collections, he added, are “inspired by the different ways men live, their personalities and personal styles.”
His statement was perhaps best illustrated by the surprise runway appearance of ’90s male supermodel Tyson Beckford, who was once the face of Polo Sport and Polo Fragrances. Stepping out in a tux, wearing hiking boots and styled with a shaggy cashmere coat and hat, Beckford’s suaveness and swagger was unforgettable, and demonstrates the brand’s ability to transcend generations. Once a Ralph boy, always a Ralph boy.