Earlier this year, I was deeply humbled to see pieces from the Polo Ralph Lauren for Morehouse College collection featured at The Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of the Costume Institute’s Spring 2025 exhibition, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. To have this work live among so many trailblazing designers, artists, historic figures, friends, and heroes was incredibly meaningful, especially knowing students from around the world could see themselves reflected in the work. I grew up visiting The Met as a kid, so experiencing the exhibition with my mom felt especially special, bringing into focus our collective memory carried forward. Congratulations to Dr. Monica L. Miller, Andrew Bolton, Tyler Mitchell, and to everyone involved.
A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs
Creative Director - James M. Jeter
Director - Cole Brown
Art Director - Joshua Renfroe
Director of Photography - Azariah Bjorvig
2nd Camera Operator- Matheus Bastos
Campaign Photographer - Nadine Ijewere
Editor & Post Production - Eric Barr & Scheme Engine
Color - Simon Bøisx
Production - Moxie Productions
Special thank you to the Martha’s Vineyard community and Morehouse & Spelman Colleges for trusting us with your cherished stories. And to Dr. Rice for helping guide these meaningful conversations.
Sincere thank you to the entire Ralph Lauren family for your brilliance and support.
The full film can be seen on Ralph Lauren’s Youtube channel.
Today we launched the second chapter of the Morehouse & Spelman collection, this time celebrating the history of Oak Bluffs. I’ll never forget my first time visiting as a kid and seeing generations of Black families walking through Ocean Park, gathered on porches & shops on Circuit Ave. It reminded me of how Ralph describes places like Montauk, small, charming towns that feel like something out of a dream.
It was my college friends who reintroduced me to Martha’s Vineyard, & in the summer, it became a home away from home. Morehouse & Spelman, & by extension all HBCUs, represent the same kind of freedom you feel in places like OB.
Over the past two years, we’ve had the honor of meeting with families and looking through archives sprawled out on dining room tables. Thank you Ralph for continuing after nearly 60 years to tell beautiful & soulful stories about Americana and for continuing to inspire the dream of a better life through authenticity and timeless style.
I worked with the most incredible team at RL to bring this collection to life. Thank you to our design teams for the care that went into every garment & for your ability to translate thoughtful stories into clothing. I also had the chance to tap and work with my friend Cole Brown to direct the second installment of our film A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs in partnership with one of the most talented among us, Joshua Renfroe, who led the charge on the visuals in the film.
Thank you to the creative team who brought the campaign to life: Nadine Ijewere, Azariah, Dave Oscroft, Sonny, & to Dara for her contributions to the project. To the leadership at RL, thank you for exemplifying organizational excellence, championing this work, & prioritizing stories that most closely align with our purpose. Special thanks to John Wrazej and Karen Brown for their creative leadership across the Polo brands.
To the families who have spent time in OB, thank you for welcoming us into your homes & trusting us with your stories. And to those who have never been to MV or heard of it, I hope this story resonates with you just the same or reminds you of a place like Oak Bluffs where you too can be free.
Today is my birthday. The last 365 days have been some of the most inspiring days of my life. I spent time around art. I travelled around the world with friends. I paid homage to those who paved the way for me. I celebrated love. I dined with superheroes. I took a lot of pictures and flights. I spent time in the sun. I worked with some of the most talented people in the world to launch a collection. And I loved the process without knowing the outcome.
6 months ago today, we started a conversation surrounding American style and ways in which we can look to reframe and expand our notions about the American story. Photographed by thee @nadineijewere , one half of a year later, I’m still extremely inspired by the magic that we created and the stories of the individuals from these institutions that we were able to tell.
