Ralph Lauren revives the tie at Milan menswear show

Ralph Lauren opened his Spring/Summer 2027 menswear show in Milan on Saturday by pivoting to the accessory that launched his brand in 1967: the tie. According to the Guardian, skinny silk ties featuring subtle swirly prints formed the backbone of a collection designed to speak across generations, with the designer invoking the golden age of Italian sport as a cultural anchor. The move marks a deliberate retreat from the logomania and oversized silhouettes that have dominated luxury menswear for the past decade.

The presentation arrives at a moment when Milan's fashion calendar is in flux. Reuters reported that the city is hosting both the Pitti Uomo trade fair and Milan Fashion Week Men's shows this season, with international guest designers signalling the industry's confidence in the market despite what Vogue described as "significant challenges and transformations" facing global fashion. Ralph Lauren's choice to return to Milan for a second standalone men's show underscores the city's continued pull as a destination for major American and European houses seeking to reset their menswear narratives.

The tie strategy reflects a broader calculation in luxury menswear: that heritage and craft can compete with novelty. By tethering his collection to an accessory associated with postwar American prosperity and Italian tailoring tradition, Lauren is positioning himself against the streetwear and athleisure logic that has fractured the menswear audience. Whether the play succeeds with younger buyers—the demographic most sceptical of tie culture—remains to be seen as orders flow from the show.