Ralph Lauren - Classist? Racist?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 2:23pm

Gee, I better stop wearing his designs. [Gothampc furiously scrubs Polo off his neck.]

"Lauren has built an empire by becoming the unofficial outfitter of the American Dream, marketing an idealized image of America's former ruling class to the nation at large. However, the WASP aesthetic he sells—think of characters from "The Great Gatsby," clothed in tennis whites and delicate tea dresses—has come to represent a classist and racist set of ideals, hardly representative of the current multicultural social fabric of the United States."

Link

Updated On: 8/20/08 at 02:23 PM

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 2:26pm

The whole Ralph = racist notion was tired in 1985.

[Biff AKA Levi]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 2:28pm

I love my big pony polo and there ain't no way I'm givin' that up!

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 2:34pm

Its not his fault who wears his clothes! I'm sure he doesnt care as long as he is making money!

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 2:38pm

Haha,I've heard the same only worse about Heilfigger.

[Calvin]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 2:46pm

The Hilfiger thing has been debunked
Snopes

[LaurenB]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 2:49pm

I have always thought that Ralph Lauren was vastly overrated as a designer. A great marketer, yes. Designer, no, imo.

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 3:03pm

Veddy interesting, Calvin. I was buying his stuff anyway (I like his bags). I mean his ladies' bags.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 3:06pm

The Hilfiger story was recycled from an old story about Lauren (minus the Oprah bit).

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 3:09pm

All designers are racist. When Tim Gunn says "make it work" what he really means is "white power".

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 3:30pm

True, Borstal.

If I hear Carolina Herrera say "Pleasure me, Mandingo" just once more . . .

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 3:34pm

Are all classicists classist? Or are some just classy?

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 3:37pm

Donatella Versace has two Asian houseboys she renamed "Ching" and "Chong"

Class dismissed!