The question of how young people today would react to clothing from that era came to another Atlanta son, who is known for giving a twist and his own flair to classic Ralph Lauren looks: the rapper André 3000, who after the announcement of the partnership, people started sending him images, and he immediately thought the line was “great, solid Ralph.”
“Ralph is probably one of the best storytellers, so it felt like he was going to a time when Morehouse was that look,” he said in an interview from Venice Beach, California. “He’s one of the best people to come out of a certain era and bring it up. We live in an era of streetwear, so it was just funny to see the reaction from kids now.”
In the 2003 music video for the hit Outkast song “Hey Ya!” Ralph Lauren features are layered everywhere: jockey pants, polo boots, suspenders, high-waisted plaid pants and more. “When you watch the video, you see so much tribute to Ralph,” said André 3000. “Ralph was always humming under what I was doing.” (Outkast was in talks with Mr. Lauren to have him announcer at the beginning of the “Hey Ya!” music video, André 3000 said, but it didn’t end well.)
Townsend and other students at Morehouse and Spelman said they wondered if a similar line would have gotten as much attention had it been made by a smaller brand owned by Black.
In particular, André 3000’s love for a twist on classics led him to create his own ready-to-wear line Benjamin Bixby in 2008. Despite being a well-known celebrity known for his sense of style, he struggled to keep it afloat and, without investors, had to let it go. He called the experience a “million dollar lesson,” but said in the current climate, when it’s easier to find an audience, he would encourage young black designers to create.
While some critics of the collaboration have said the 1920s to 1950s styles remind them of segregation and inequality, Ms. Douglas that there is joy in telling a fuller story about the contributions of African Americans today.
“The power of character that those individuals had must be recognized,” she said. “We celebrate the difficult road they paved for us to be where we are today.”