Ralph Lauren might be a fan of the Hamptons, but Polo Ralph Lauren is banking on Martha’s Vineyard for its latest limited-edition collection.

Debuting Wednesday, the Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs collection offers apparel and accessories, as well as a campaign that highlights the Oak Bluffs community on the Massachusetts island. For more than a century, Oak Bluffs has been a favorite summer destination for generations of Black communities. It is one of six towns that are spread across the island that covers about 100 square miles. During the early 20th century, it became popular with middle-class Black families who were seeking a reprieve from segregation and discrimination. It also has long been a retreat for artists, musicians, writers and poets including Langston Hughes and other prominent members of the Harlem Renaissance. Other creatives such as Dorothy West, the author of “The Wedding,” made Martha’s Vineyard her home.

The just-launched Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs line restarts Ralph Lauren’s partnership with Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, which debuted in 2022 with the “Polo Ralph Lauren Exclusively for Morehouse and Spelman Colleges” campaign.

David Lauren, chief branding and innovation officer of Polo Ralph Corp., said, “Telling stories about American life and style has been at the heart of Ralph Lauren for nearly 60 years, and over the past several years we have made a dedicated effort to expand the aperture around the stories that we share. We found a deep connection between our company and their institutions — a love for shared connection and community, a commitment to excellence and a belief in honoring timeless traditions. We looked forward to partnering again and found a natural opportunity to do so by taking the story off campus to Oak Bluffs, a place where tradition and community are centered and thriving.” 

Three years ago, the collection with the two historically Black colleges and universities honored the history and sartorial traditions of both institutions with an all-Black creative team and models that were largely comprised of Morehouse and Spelman students. That first effort was an ode to collegiate style from the 1920s to the 1950s. The Oak Bluffs-inspired looks are summer-friendly and campus-worthy. As a nod to Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, there are styles that play up timeless collegiate style and the legacy of both HBCUs.

The collection is part of Ralph Lauren’s Design With Intent efforts. The Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs collection comes on the heels of Ralph Lauren’s Hamptons campaign. The Oak Bluffs-focused line was conceptualized and designed by Morehouse and Spelman alumni at Ralph Lauren with the island life in mind. There are classic hats, weathered crewnecks, V-neck sweaters, swimwear and sandals, among other designs.

Ralph Lauren, executive chairman and chief creative officer, said, “This collection is about more than a charming coastal town; it’s a story of the American dream. Oak Bluffs’ unique history, traditions and sense of community deeply inspire me and speak to what we are all searching for — a place where you can be free, uncontrived, joyful and truly at home.”

The range has styles for men and women, including the “Twill Jacket” with embroidery of some of the island’s landscapes. There are also Americana options like classic sports caps in white, red and navy, and maritime-inspired striped pieces that wave at a nautical theme as well as sun-faded knits, heirloom sweaters, jackets like a maroon and white satin varsity jacket with a motif of Morehouse’s signature “Maroon Tiger” on the back and accessories and other pieces, such as a quilted blanket that has patches that reflect Oak Bluffs’ nautical traditions.

To get a sharper picture of Oak Bluffs, Ralph Lauren recruited Cole Brown, who has visited the island for decades, to direct a short documentary that combines campaign footage with archival imagery and first-person accounts of on-island life. Those perspectives are being delivered by summer visitors, year-round residents, local business owners, multigenerational homeowners, community historians and students, faculty and alumni from Morehouse and Spelman. “A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs” will debut on YouTube on Thursday. In addition, Nadine Ijewere shot the campaign stills and Azariah Bjørvig shot the video footage.

David Lauren said, “When you see this campaign and watch the short film that anchors it, you cannot help but feel the profound significance and unique spirit of this extraordinary place. Capturing the beauty within Oak Bluffs’ rich history and traditions would not have been possible without the residents who so generously shared their family albums and fond memories, the community historians who helped us with every detail, the expertise of faculty members at Morehouse and Spelman and the HBCU alumni in our company that so passionately saw this through.”

On Aug. 8, there will be a screening of the documentary and a panel discussion about the power of narrative change in racial healing at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival. The screening is happening through a partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

While supplies last, consumers can find the Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs collection at the company’s site, select namesake stores and via its app. The line is also being sold in Morehouse’s and Spelman’s campus bookstores. On another level, Ralph Lauren has joined forces with the nonprofit The Cottagers Inc., an organization that is comprised of 100 Black female homeowners , who are dedicated to supporting its historic building restoration, cultural preservation and other community resilience efforts on the island. The fashion company worked closely with members of The Cottagers, the Martha’s Vineyard African American Heritage Trail, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum and advisers at Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, among others, to source archival footage and to glean historical knowledge in order to tell the story of Oak Bluffs.

In line with these efforts, Ralph Lauren will also continue its longstanding partnership with United Negro College Fund to support scholarships for students at HBCUs and ensure the company fosters opportunities for recruitment and early talent development with them.