Ralph Lauren HBCU collection: Where to buy, release date, and more about the collaboration

Polo Ralph Lauren is collaborating with Collegiate Institutes for its upcoming limited edition capsule collection, HBCU. It will feature Morehouse College and Spelman College to celebrate the overarching facet of American Collegiate. The HBCU (historically black colleges and universities) will be dropping on March 29, 2022

The new capsule takes concepts and designs from the school's alumni, James Jeter, who currently works at Ralph Lauren. This marks an expansion of the partnership between Morehouse and Spelman with the fashion house.

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More about Ralph Lauren's HBCU collection

Ralph Lauren rolled out a sneak-peek of their collaboration with the collegiate institutes on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. The campaign is shot by Nadine Ijewere and is the first from the brand which features an all-black cast. It celebrates talents from faculty, students as well as alumni from both colleges.

The collection is inspired by Spelman and Morehouse's universities and their impact on American evolution and style. The collection will feature multiple ready-to-wear apparels, including knits, tailored suits, outerwear, footwear, dresses, and accessories.

In a press release made by the company, Ralph Lauren, Executive Chairman and CCO of RL Corp, made a statement regarding the collection saying:

“This collection expresses the spirited history, deep sense of community and legacy of timeless dressing at historically Black colleges and universities. It’s so much more than a portrayal of a collegiate design sensibility. It’s about sharing a more complete and authentic portrait of American style and of the American dream — ensuring stories of Black life and experiences are embedded in the inspiration and aspiration of our brand.”

The designs were conceptualized by James Jetes, an alumnus of Morehouse, and Dara Douglas, a graduate of Spelman who is the director of inspirational content at RL.

Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., President of Spelman, made a statement in a press release regarding the Spelman-inspired clothing,

“By sharing the early history of Spelman, as reflected in archival research, through clothing, the collection encourages conversations about the creative power of the Black experience and the ways in which a personal fashion aesthetic intersects with institutional values of solidarity and connection."

Furthermore, David A. Thomas, Ph.D., President of Morehouse College, also commented upon the collection in a press release, stating:

“Historically Black colleges and universities have uniquely been centers of both intellectual discourse and cultural influence for more than 150 years. The Morehouse partnership with Ralph Lauren intelligently, creatively and boldly puts this intersection on full display, reflecting the breadth of impact we have had in driving societal transformation throughout our history.”

The collection contains references to styles that students wore at both colleges from the 1920s to 1950s. The campaign film for the collection will premiere on March 28, 2022 at 7.30 p.m. EDT on social media channels.

Alongside the collection, a digital yearbook will also be available on Ralph Lauren's official website on March 29, 2022. On the same day, the collection will be launched on the website, the Polo app, the RL app, Morehouse and Spelman College's bookstores and in-stores.

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