From runway to resonance: Ralph Lauren deepens its roots in China

Spring arrived in full bloom, bringing with it a sense of renewal and light. On April 2, Ralph Lauren transported more than just clothes to Shanghai — it brought a piece of the Hamptons, the idyllic East Coast retreat where the designer has spent over half a century shaping his idea of leisure and elegance. Set within the atmospheric Rojo Art Space, the brand restaged its Spring 2025 collection, originally debuted at New York Fashion Week. But this was more than a re-show — it was a reimagining. The venue became a living canvas of East Coast ease, echoing Ralph Lauren’s long-standing fascination with American lifestyle as both aesthetic and aspiration. Through careful curation and emotional subtlety, the evening unfolded less like a fashion show and more like a quiet love letter to a way of life. Soft light streamed across the room like a breeze off the Atlantic, brushing gently over linen, leather, and sun-washed smiles. Models moved with the unhurried elegance of a holiday afternoon — loose, graceful, assured. Against this scene of curated leisure and quiet romance, Ralph Lauren unveiled an expansive vision of its lifestyle universe, presenting the Ralph Lauren Collection, Purple Label, and both women’s and men’s Polo lines, alongside its children’s wear. The show was less about spectacle, more about immersion. From the effortless vacationer to the poised gentleman, to families at ease in each other’s company, the cast conjured a living portrait of Ralph Lauren’s idealized world — one rooted in ease, heritage, and a deep sense of belonging. Adding to the cultural current of the evening was a constellation of celebrities. Actor Jing Boran, South Korean star Song Joong-ki, and Krystal Jung of f(x) fame took their seats in the front row, while supermodels Du Juan, Hu Bing, and Ai Tominaga lit up the runway with quiet magnetism. On social media, the show resonated quickly—on Xiaohongshu, the hashtag “Ralph Lauren Shanghai Show” (#拉夫劳伦上海大秀） has already garnered over 795,000 views, sparking lively conversation and widespread engagement. In a seamless nod to fashion’s evolving rhythms, the show also introduced a “see now, buy now” model, dissolving the gap between runway and retail. Here, clothes were not just worn — they were lived in, ready to be folded into someone’s actual morning, weekend, or holiday. Why was the runway set in Shanghai? When asked why the brand chose Shanghai as the setting for its latest runway show, Patrice Louvet, President and CEO of Ralph Lauren Corporation, was unequivocal: “Shanghai isn’t just influential within China — it’s a global stage in its own right. This show was never intended to speak to China alone. It was held in Shanghai, but it speaks to the world.” For Louvet, Shanghai’s allure lies in its duality. It’s a city that bridges East and West with rare fluidity — a metropolis that pulses with forward-looking energy while holding fast to cultural depth. “I’ve always believed Ralph Lauren is a global company with American roots, not an American company with a global business,” he added. In Louvet’s view, Shanghai is more than a backdrop. It reflects the rising generation of Chinese consumers — style-savvy, aspirational, and globally connected — while also offering fertile ground for Ralph Lauren to craft a broader narrative, one that is as much about identity and heritage as it is about fashion. The decision to stage the show in Shanghai was more than symbolic — it mirrored Ralph Lauren’s growing momentum in Asia, and particularly in China. According to the company’s latest earnings report for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 (ending December 28, 2024), global net revenue rose 11% year-over-year to $2.14 billion, outpacing analyst expectations of $2.01 billion. The growth was led by strong holiday season performance across regions, but it was Asia — and China in particular — that stood out. In China, revenue surged by more than 20%. Shin Hwee Chua, Regional Chief Executive Officer for Asia Pacific, has repeatedly underscored the strategic importance of the Chinese market. “We already have 27 stores in Shanghai,” she said in a recent interview, “but the city still holds immense potential. And beyond Shanghai, we’re seeing remarkable energy and opportunity emerging from cities all across the country.” But in a market crowded with global brands and ever-evolving consumer preferences, the question remains: What exactly is Ralph Lauren getting right in China—and why is it working now? Old money, new relevance: Ralph Lauren finds its moment Ralph Lauren’s recent cultural resurgence has coincided, not coincidentally, with the rise of what’s now being called the “old money aesthetic.” Popularized by shows like Succession and China’s Blossoms Shanghai, the look — marked by a certain polished restraint — has come to represent more than fashion. It’s shorthand for a way of living that values legacy, taste, and understatement over trend-chasing or spectacle. At the heart of the aesthetic is texture and tone: fabrics that whisper wealth, colors that never shout, and silhouettes that nod to tradition without appearing dated. Ralph Lauren, of course, has been fluent in this language for decades. With its cable-knit sweaters, linen button-downs, and perfectly faded polos, the brand doesn’t just sell clothing — it curates a lifestyle drawn from the lawns of New England and the wood-paneled halls of Ivy League clubs. Unlike brands that lean on oversized logos or conspicuous luxury, Ralph Lauren has long played a subtler hand. Since its founding, the brand has positioned itself not as a purveyor of fashion, but as a steward of a distinctly American ideal — one rooted in heritage, aspiration, and quiet confidence. In a cultural moment rediscovering the appeal of elegance without excess, Ralph Lauren feels not just relevant again, but essential. On Chinese social platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin, Ralph Lauren’s connection to the “old money aesthetic” has been steadily climbing. It has become one of the movement’s defining labels — a visual shorthand for discreet affluence and taste. Some netizens have even grouped it with Arc’teryx and Lululemon, dubbing the trio the “Holy Trinity of the Chinese middle class.” The numbers may seem niche, but they’re telling: on Xiaohongshu, the hashtag “Ralph Lauren old money style” (#拉夫劳伦老钱风) has racked up over 595,000 views, and continues to fuel vibrant conversation. The enthusiasm is less about logos and labels, and more about aspiration — an imagined lifestyle that blends heritage with modern sophistication. Design as the entry point: Crafting a vision of elevated living While the “old money” aesthetic may have ignited the buzz, it’s not what keeps consumers coming back. What sustains Ralph Lauren’s relevance across generations is its intuitive grasp of evolving tastes, shifting consumption psychology, and the nuances of lifestyle aspiration. With a product universe that feels both diverse and deeply consistent, the brand speaks to its audience not through trends, but through a timeless, sincere vision of how life could — and should — look and feel. In China, that resonance is amplified by a clearly defined strategy of differentiation. The Purple Label line, for instance, is crafted for high-net-worth individuals who value artisanal detail and quiet exclusivity. Polo Ralph Lauren, by contrast, leans into recognizable iconography and more accessible pricing to appeal to younger, urban consumers. Meanwhile, golf apparel and home collections further expand the brand’s lifestyle expression, offering a complete narrative that extends far beyond clothing. It’s this multi-tiered approach that allows Ralph Lauren to operate fluidly across market segments — from luxury to the everyday — creating a matrix of touchpoints that feel tailored, intentional, and distinctly Ralph. In its visual storytelling, Ralph Lauren leans heavily into the language of nostalgia — grainy film textures, Americana interiors, and a palette that feels lifted from a forgotten Kodachrome reel. These cues aren’t just aesthetic; they imbue the products with emotional weight, inviting viewers to step into a world where beauty is quiet, and meaning lingers in the details. It’s a “retro-modern” sensibility that resonates deeply with a new generation of affluent consumers — those who are no longer buying just products, but buying into a lifestyle carefully constructed around elegance, history, and restraint. What Ralph Lauren sells, ultimately, is not a collection of garments — it’s a vision. The brand’s version of the American Dream has long since transcended national identity. It no longer belongs exclusively to the American middle class; instead, it has evolved into a global symbol of aspiration. It represents a way of life that is composed, cultivated, and quietly luxurious—rooted in values of order, taste, and emotional self-possession. In China, this vision has found fertile ground. Among the country’s rising middle class and high-net-worth individuals, Ralph Lauren’s brand philosophy aligns not just with how people want to dress, but how they want to live — and perhaps more tellingly, how they want to be seen. It’s worth noting that Ralph Lauren’s signature polo player logo — one of the most recognizable brand marks in fashion — has also made it a frequent target for counterfeiting. Since rolling out its direct-to-consumer model in China in 2011, the company discovered a proliferation of local retailers using similar names like “Polo Sport” and “Polo Golf” to manufacture garments and operate storefronts, blurring the lines between imitation and infringement. Since 2016, Ralph Lauren has launched a series of civil lawsuits aimed at asserting its trademark rights and pushing back against what had become widespread unauthorized usage. Over the years, the brand has remained vigilant in its efforts to defend its intellectual property and safeguard its brand equity in one of its most important markets. It wasn’t until 2024 — after nearly eight years of legal maneuvering — that the various so-called “real vs. fake Polo” cases began to reach some long-awaited resolution. Although some aspects are still being appealed in the appellate courts, the rulings marked not just a legal victory for the brand, but a meaningful affirmation of consumer rights and brand integrity in China’s fast-evolving retail landscape. Doubling down on DTC, redefining brand touchpoints Strong brand DNA can take a label far, but long-term survival in fashion requires more than just pedigree — it demands strategy. Not long ago, Ralph Lauren found itself in uneasy territory. By 2015, the brand’s image had begun to drift from contemporary consumer tastes, and its stock price took a steep dive, prompting industry watchers to question its relevance in a rapidly shifting market. In 2017, the company brought in Patrice Louvet — a seasoned executive with nearly three decades of experience in global brand management — to reverse the tide. Within a year, he introduced a sweeping transformation plan known as the “Next Great Chapter,” aimed at repositioning the brand at a foundational level. The strategy focused on two pillars: digital reinvention and elevated brand positioning. The goal wasn’t just to refresh the product — it was to evolve Ralph Lauren from a storied American fashion house into a global curator of lifestyle, one that could resonate across generations, geographies, and cultural expectations. In 2022, Ralph Lauren’s transformation plan entered a new phase — what the company called the “Next Great Chapter: Accelerate.” The updated strategy doubled down on deepening presence in key cities and fine-tuning multi-channel synergy, with a particular emphasis on DTC (direct-to-consumer) as the backbone of long-term customer engagement. As CEO Patrice Louvet noted in a recent interview, DTC now accounts for nearly two-thirds of the company’s global revenue — up from just 55% when he first took the helm in 2017. “If we were only chasing growth, we could easily scale through wholesale,” he said. “But that’s not the path we’re on. What we care about is the quality of how the brand shows up in each market—not just how many doors we have. Direct retail gives us the ability to control the customer experience, protect the brand, and build long-term value.” To that end, Ralph Lauren has, in recent years, introduced a series of “World of Ralph Lauren” locations in key Chinese cities — Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Shenzhen among them. These spaces are more than just retail environments; they serve as immersive expressions of the brand’s world. Inside, customers move through a carefully composed blend of apparel, footwear, home goods, and fragrance — each element reinforcing a unified lifestyle vision. And at the heart of it all sits Ralph’s Coffee and Ralph’s Bar, which transforms the space from a store into something more personal: a place to linger, to pause, to feel what Ralph Lauren has always promised — not just style, but a way of life. In December 2024, Ralph Lauren hosted the China premiere of Very Ralph at the Shanghai Concert Hall — a fittingly grand setting for the brand’s first official documentary, and the first-ever film to chart the life and vision of its founder. More than a retrospective, the screening offered a cinematic lens into the evolution of Ralph Lauren — not just as a designer, but as a cultural architect. Guests were taken on an intimate journey through decades of reinvention, refinement, and a singular commitment to a world built around beauty, character, and continuity. At the same time, Ralph Lauren’s continued investment in digital infrastructure has emerged as one of the key engines of its sustained growth. Whether through WeChat mini-programs that offer a closed-loop shopping experience or through platforms like Tmall and JD.com that bridge product discovery with conversion, the brand has been steadily reinforcing its omnichannel ecosystem in China. On April 1, it opened its first women’s flagship store on Douyin — China’s dominant short-video and commerce platform — marking yet another step toward engaging a new generation of digitally native female consumers on their own terms. Put simply, Ralph Lauren’s rising momentum in China is no accident. It’s the result of a careful synthesis — strategic clarity, brand heritage, and a nuanced understanding of local consumers. From an expansive product architecture to a channel strategy that feels both deliberate and human, the brand has built a system of connection that is not only efficient, but emotionally resonant. “We have to stay true to who we are,” said CEO Patrice Louvet, “but never stop innovating. That’s how you stay timeless.” It’s a sentiment reflected in the brand’s recent Spring show in Shanghai — not merely a celebration of American style, but a dialogue between cultures, geographies, and generations.

From runway to resonance: Ralph Lauren deepens its roots in China

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Published April 08, 2025

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From runway to resonance: Ralph Lauren deepens its roots in China