Polo Ralph Lauren is honoring the history of Black preppy style with a new documentary short about the historic Black community of Oak Bluffs in Martha’s Vineyard.
A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs showcases the legacy and iconic fashion of the people of Oak Bluffs, which gave Black Americans a feeling of safety, community, and casual luxury. The documentary also goes into the history of how Martha’s Vineyard and Oak Bluffs came to be, including discussions about Black people marrying Indigenous communities, developing businesses, and becoming part of the wealthy Black northern community.
More about the ‘A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs’ film
The film also interviews various historians, residents, and others who can speak to the history of Oak Bluffs and its part in the American story. The institutions the brand collaborated with include The Cottagers Inc., The Martha’s Vineyard African American Heritage Trail, The Martha’s Vineyard Museum, The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, and advisors from Spelman and Morehouse Colleges.
As Ralph Lauren himself is quoted as saying, “Our portrait of American style, and our vision of the American dream, would be incomplete without Black experiences like this.”
Along with being released online, a special screening of A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs will take place Aug. 8 during the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, followed by a panel discussion “on the power of narrative change and racial healing.” The screening is presented in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
The film is also released in tandem with the Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs collection, which “blends classic coastal leisurewear – featuring details that nod to the unique heritage of Oak Bluffs – with off-campus collegiate style through the lens of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges,” according to the brand. The collection was also designed by Morehouse and Spelman alumni at Ralph Lauren. The collection “speaks to the on-island styles of longtime residents and vacationers alike, who mix collegiate ballcaps and salt-weathered crewnecks in with their summer wardrobe of swimwear and sandals.”
Lauren said, “This collection is about more than a charming coastal town; it’s a story of the American dream. Oak Bluff’s unique history, traditions and sense of community deeply inspire me to speak to what we are all searching for – a place where you can be free, uncontrived, joyful and truly at home.”
When did the Ralph Lauren and Morehouse/Spelman collaboration begin?
The collection builds on the years-long collaboration the brand has had with Morehouse and Spelman, starting in 2022 with the Polo Ralph Lauren Exclusively for Morehouse and Spelman Colleges campaign.
Watch the film below:
