Ralph Lauren is about to become a movie star. Well, kind of. A documentary star, to be specific. This week, HBO announced that it's making a feature-length film about the fashion legend's life and namesake brand. Very Ralph—sure to be as entertaining and stylish as the man himself—will premiere November 12.
That he's becoming the subject of a documentary isn't exactly surprising when you consider Lauren's stature in the fashion industry. Even saying he was "in" fashion feels minimising. Lauren has done more than just participate: He's started, driven, and restarted trends in clothes, trends, and culture at large. But in addition to a full look at his brand, which launched in 1968, the documentary will also bring in a group of highly talented and influential people to piece it all together, starting with director and producer Susan Lacy.
In addition to Lacy, the documentary will highlight people who have long observed and been part of Lauren's legacy of culture and clothing, from peers to politicians. They'll serve to create a well-rounded view of the man and his brand. From inside the fashion world, there's Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, and Calvin Klein; from the culture side, there's Martha Stewart, Tina Brown, and Jessica Chastain; and speaking to his influence in all spaces, there's Hillary Clinton and The New York Times's chief fashion critic, Vanessa Friedman.
It'll be a fun watch, for sure. For one, Ralph Lauren the brand marketed more than just clothes; it offered a vision of an idealised, hyper-stylish world. That vision has been reinterpreted by subcultures and evolved with changing times, but it's always been crucial to Ralph Lauren's appeal. In many ways, Lauren has been an influencer since well before "influencer" was a term. He not only set a precedent for well-designed clothes but what those clothes could represent: a lifestyle.
Christine Flammia writes about style, grooming, and more; she is the former associate style editor of Esquire and is currently pursuing a PhD in communications at Columbia.
