The Ralph Lauren Resort 2024 (Cruise 2024) collection, channeling the grace of a ballerina and the timeless charm of all-American design, paints a vivid picture of a pristine, balletic ethos, elegantly shrouded in ballerina pink.
As Ralph Lauren gracefully pirouettes into the resort season of 2024, the designer shows us that he’s not just thinking pink, but a very specific hue – ballerina pink. His vision has nothing to do with the Barbiecore fashion trend currently running rampant on TikTok and across various collections. Instead, it springs from a rich well of half a century of creative design archives and an unrivaled instinct for timeless fashion.
In Lauren’s world, this season seems to be marked by a flirtation with balletcore, with his creative brilliance not governed by social media trends, but rather by his rich legacy. September marks 55 years since the inception of his brand, igniting whispers of a grand celebration at the forthcoming New York Fashion Week. But let’s pivot back to the Ralph Lauren Resort 2024 collection, where the designer continues to showcase his commitment to classical American tailoring.
The collection unfurls like a gentle ballet, opening with a double-breasted pantsuit in soft ballerina pink, coupled with a matching crewneck sweater. The dance continues with a masculine-cut coat featuring exaggerated peaked lapels, again in the ethereal shade of ballerina pink. The unexpected pairing may raise some eyebrows, but such is the charm of Ralph Lauren – he surprises, yet convinces us of his vision.
Our gaze then moves onto an ensemble of a tweed blazer and a short skirt adorned with feathers. This whimsical pairing, although unanticipated, stands as a testament to Lauren’s ingenuity. The balletcore influence shines through in the form of a wrap sweater and a matching spaghetti strap slip, a knit dress with a pleated skirt, and a trompe l’oeil strappy neckline. The collection gracefully leaps through tulle – the fabric of tutus – elegantly dyed in an ombré effect and sewn into tiers for a charming party dress. It’s evident in the way the long dresses are structured to mimic the sleek silhouette of a leotard.
However, the balletic grace of the Ralph Lauren Resort 2024 collection doesn’t outshine the designer’s penchant for artisanal craftsmanship. Elaborately antiqued to simulate years of wear, the frock coat in look 16 and the hand-painted denim three-piece suit in look 18 stand as testament to this recurring theme in Lauren’s work. These, along with several floaty semi-sheer dresses with faded floral designs, lend an airy lightness to the collection – indeed, an enchanting antidote to the heaviness of our times.
Read more: Kenzo brings its Spring/Summer 2024 runway show to Shanghai
