Ralph on the Riviera

Ralph on the Riviera: Lauren's breezy collection shines with relaxed elegance

NEW YORK — Even though it's barely fall, Ralph Lauren is ready for a spring holiday to an exotic overseas destination.

How about the south of France?

No one does relaxed elegance better than Lauren, and the designer was at the top of his game on the last day of New York Fashion Week with a warm-weather collection that had such front row celebrities as Julianne Moore, Jessica Chastain and Alec Baldwin ready to renew their passports and book a flight.

Working with a color palette primarily of red, white and blue, Lauren presented a number of casual combinations, from an all-white shirt and pants ensemble with red woven raffia cork platforms to jumpsuits of varying lengths in shiny navy lame, vintage ivory cotton and white silk with a winding red stripe.

Pants either hug the ankle or billow out pallazo-style in contrasting shades or with the outline of a sailboat. Crisp jackets in linen canvas or luxurious wool crepe vary from short and cropped to nearly mid-thigh. Even gowns made from striped shirting fabric or body-hugging viscose in bold red or cobalt blue with cutouts at the midsection continue the stylish laid-back attitude.

"It really brought us the spirit of French chic style and elegance," Harper's Bazaar executive fashion and beauty editor Avril Graham told CultureMap. "I had a feeling I was being transported to the Riviera, with a smattering of Deauville in a tad vintage way, too.

"They're the sort of clothes that women want to wear — flattering to the body, nipped into the waist, with the flirty skirts, the stripes, the clean whites, the gorgeous platform shoe moment. Ralph really understands his customer like no one else."

Midway through the runway show, Lauren introduced jackets, pants, shirts and blouses in a lightweight tan saddle leather paired with navy accents. "It's the chicest color combination," said Graham, who will be in Dallas to celebrate the 50th anniversary of NorthPark Center on October 8.

"For me Texas is the epitome of the spirit of America. As a foreigner, it always feels good to be back," said Graham in her crisp British accent.

Fans won't have to wait long to buy certain items. A curated collection of runway looks is available on the Ralph Lauren website starting today.

Backstage at the Ralph Lauren show, models are in an array of styles.

Ralph Lauren spring 2016 collection backstage

Photo by Ashby Group

Backstage at the Ralph Lauren show, models are in an array of styles.

beauty

Stepping Up

RodeoHouston teams up with Texas bootmaker for limited edition collab

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Lane Boots

Photo courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™

Each part of the boots ties back to the key elements of the HLSR.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) concert lineup has been announced, and concert tickets have gone on sale, which can only mean one thing – it is time to get rodeo ready. For 20 days in March, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is taking over the NRG Stadium complex, where Houstonians will display their best Western-inspired attire.

This year, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo collaborated with popular Texas-based brand Lane Boots on a one-of-a-kind limited edition collection. Muffy King, director of marketing for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, designed the boots with help from a team of experts at Lane Boots. Together, they looked at what is trending in existing boot designs and the fashion industry as a whole to come up with a unique look.

"It was important to us that the boot meant to celebrate the 2025 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo be representative of the 'Cowboy Core' aesthetic that is a major influence in fashion right now. These fundamental choices were a natural way for us to incorporate and represent our mission-driven pillar – Western Heritage," King tells CultureMap.

Each part of the boots ties back to the key elements of HLSR. The round braid on the sides represents the ropes used in competitions. The starburst effect around the star and the state of Texas symbolizes the lights on the RodeoHouston stage. The Texas on the back of the boot highlights HLSR's focus on supporting education in the Lone Star State. Departing from Lane's recognizable blue-soled boots, these feature a distinct orange sole with the HLSR logo stamped on the bottom, reflecting the branding seen across Texas ranches.

With designs for both men and women, the boots are exclusively available online. Photo courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

"We wanted to showcase the unique feature Lane has become known for in Western fashion, but with our own Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo flare," said King. "For both the Rodeo and Lane Boots, this was a real testament to the partnership and collaboration that took place to make these boots a reality."

The boots were released online earlier this month, and according to King, they are "flying off the shelves quickly" and have been met with an overwhelmingly positive response. Lane Boots produced 2,025 pairs of boots at their factory in Leon, Mexico. Each pair has an individual stamp and a special message on the inside of the boot shaft.

"The story behind the boot naturally lends itself to being relatable to many individuals across all walks of life," King says. "It was a very seamless process that resulted in an aesthetic that allows whoever wearing them to incorporate their own story and personality into the boot."

With designs for both men and women, the boots are exclusively available online. If any inventory remains when the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo begins, they will be available at the Lane Boots location in NRG Center.

Photo courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™

Each part of the boots ties back to the key elements of the HLSR.

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