Ralph Lauren’s Oak Bluffs: A Celebration of Black Heritage & Excellence
Ralph Lauren’s new Oak Bluffs campaign uses fashion as both archive and celebration. It picks up where the 2022 Morehouse and Spelman Collection left off, shifting its lens off campus to Oak Bluffs, the historic community on Martha’s Vineyard, where generations of Black families found more than just summer sun. The likes of the Obamas, Spike Lee, and Henry Louis Gates Jr. are current frequent vacationers at this Black oasis, where legacy, culture, and style have been crafted over lifetimes, making Oak Bluffs an emblem of Black excellence.
Oak Bluffs, A Haven for Black Excellence
Oak Bluffs has long drawn influential figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who apparently wrote part of his “I have a Dream” speech there, Madame C.J. Walker, Adam Clayton Powell Jr, and Paul Robeson mingled here with artists, lawyers, educators, and doctors. At Martha’s Vineyard, creativity, leadership and friendships flourished, giving strength and power to the Black community. Families over four to six generations have owned properties, creating intergenerational wealth and cultural capital.
The roots of Black prosperity in Oak Bluffs run deep. Early on, Black homeowners like Charles and Henrietta Shearer opened Shearer Cottage in 1912. They expanded their property overlooking Baptist Temple Park and established a twelve-room seasonal inn that became one of the first accommodations on the island to welcome guests during a time when segregation excluded them from most other inns. The cottage quickly became a central gathering place for Black vacationers, offering lodging, meals, and a communal environment; it has remained a cornerstone of Oak Bluffs’ Black community for over a century.
Signature Style
Fashion has always been an intrinsic part of the Oak Bluffs story, but never superficially; it was more about pride and identity. Stylish church gatherings, sunset parties, and lively porch scenes became rituals where smart blazers, heirloom sweaters, sun-faded knits, and crested caps were signature Oak Bluffs looks.
The Ralph Lauren Oak Bluffs campaign draws inspiration from this history. Photographer Nadine Ijewere captures the sunlit intimacy of family reunions, church goings and leisure, while director Cole Brown’s documentary short, A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs, brings together locals, alumni, and historians to share stories and celebrate the vibrant traditions and culture of Oak Bluffs; it is set to screen at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival in August 2025. Each piece in the collection borrows from Oak Bluffs’ signature style: varsity jackets with HBCU insignias, maritime-inspired twill jackets, crested hats, and embroidery that nods to the island’s coastal life.
Ralph Lauren has built a brand on telling the American story through fashion. In this case, it’s specific to preserving the cultural legacy of Black Americans. We love how this collection is a celebration of Black heritage, joy, and excellence.
