During New York Fashion Week, history was made in the fashion industry as Morehouse alum James Jeter was appointed as the first black Creative Director for Ralph Lauren. Jeter began his journey at Ralph Lauren as a part-time salesperson at the age of 16 and became an intern soon after.
Following the events of 2020, including the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and the BLM protests, Jeter participated in a company conversation where he shared his concerns about racial reconciliation with Ralph Lauren. At the time, Jeter was the director of concept designs and special projects and used this opportunity to advocate for his experience at Morehouse, laying the groundwork for Ralph Lauren’s major campaign in 2022.
Jeter, along with his colleague Dara Douglas, designed a collection called the Morehouse and Spelman Collection which aimed to reflect the imagery of higher education and its influence on clothing for Black people. This collection was Ralph Lauren’s first campaign curated by an all-Black creative team and cast, challenging the brand’s “aspirational image that has historically been associated with Ivy League and sort of white American culture,” according to Jeter. “All the while these images were kind of alive and well at these amazing HBCUs that are Morehouse and Spelman College.” The collection drew inspiration from the 1930s and 1950s, featuring varsity jackets, white dresses, and collegiate sweaters, with the goal of creating unity among HBCU alumni and students.
“A lot of this project was really about changing ownership around how we think about clothing,” Jeter told WWD. “So, who owns three-piece suits? Who owns cable cardigans? Who owns the circle skirt, for instance? And while it’s typically and historically been relegated to Ivy League schools, if you see a lot of these archival images from [Morehouse and] Spelman, that has helped to inform a lot of the way that we approached not only the design but the way that we approached the campaigns as well.”
Following the success of the campaign and the enthusiastic reception during New York Fashion Week, Ralph Lauren experienced a resurgence of young Black consumers. In recognition of his dedication and contributions to the company, Jeter has been appointed as the Creative Director, Design and Brand Direction for Men’s Polo, making him the first Black Creative Director in the 57-year history of the brand.
About Amber: Amber Little is a writer, fashionista, and digital content creator. She has used her Journalism degree from Georgia State University and is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Interior Design at SCAD to educate others through life and beauty.