A celebration of the Ralph Lauren runway

New York City, Fall 1989, the Ralph Lauren runway. The stage is set for an iconic moment. Model Isabelle Townsend wears a hand-knit cotton sweater emblazoned with the American flag – what was to become a timeless symbol of the brand. Other moments followed in the 90s, from model Shalom Harlow’s catwalk waltz with Amber Valletta to the emergence of the slick tailored minimalism that came to define the era. And in the naughties when Ralph Lauren’s Spring 2015 summoned safari chic culminating in a showstopping trio of flowing gowns. There was a step-change in 2020, when the American house scaled back its shows to refine its offering, before returning to the major runway circuit with its Fall 2022 collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York – its cinematic presentations helping to seal the resurgence of the house in 2025.

As Ralph Lauren enters a new chapter, a new book Ralph Lauren Catwalk reflects on these pivotal moments, its pages presenting a visual archive charting its runway collections – and nearly 60 years of the house. The book is the eleventh edition of publisher Thames & Hudson’s Catwalk series, which has sold more than 2.5mn copies globally, with Ralph Lauren becoming the first-ever American fashion house to be featured in the collection.

Penned by fashion journalist Bridget Foley, the tome features more than 1,300 original runway photographs, which document the designer’s fashion odyssey, beginning with his debut women's collection in Fall 1972 through to his Fall 2025 women’s collection. It is a glimpse into the many worlds he creates, which coalesce effortelssly, creating a signature look that has come to define American style.