Ralph Lauren takes the Hamptons for chic NYFW show with Jill Biden, H.E.R., Usher, more
BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y. – Welcome to Ralph Lauren's world.
Following his glamorous return to the New York fashion calendar last September and his off-season offering in late April, the designer made a day trip to the Hamptons exceedingly worth it for his chic and starry spring/summer 2025 collection.
The designer chose the Hamptons as the epicenter of his New York Fashion Week kick-off show Thursday, bringing together an A-list crowd (who came by car, helicopter and more) for a night of grandeur. The upscale undertaking took place at the 19-acre, $15.2 million Khalily Stables in Bridgehampton, east of New York City – and in true Ralph fashion, the night wasn't complete without horses, a dose of the Polo Bar and splashes of Americana.
First lady Jill Biden was the guest of honor at an event filled with star power and fashion elite, sitting front row at the show and next to the designer himself at the dinner that followed.
The guest list also included Usher, Kacey Musgraves, Andra Day, Joey King, Colman Domingo, Laura Dern, H.E.R., Tom Hiddleston, Anna Wintour, Jude Law, Antoni Porowski, Justin Theroux, Natalia Bryant, Nara Smith and husband Lucky Blue Smith, Brandon Sklenar, Cole Sprouse and more.
Biden donned a sleek black two-piece pantsuit for the occasion, accessorizing with a bejeweled brooch. She mixed and mingled ahead of the show's start, posing for a photo with Usher and sharing a laugh with Vogue top editor Wintour and "Loki" star Hiddleston. Biden attended the evening's festivities with Finnegan Biden, Hunter Biden's daughter, all smiles for the cameras before the models took the runway.
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The 20-minute runway show featured womenswear, menswear and children's clothes in looks from his Ralph Lauren Collection, Purple Label and Polo Ralph Lauren, followed by a dinner at a stunning recreation of the Polo Bar.
Ralph Lauren always ensures attendees are fed, both fashionably and literally, in a way that evokes the sense of home – familiar and steadfast, while also incredibly high-quality and elegant.
Dig into all the insider details (and photos from) Ralph Lauren's Hamptons soirée:
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Supermodels Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington command the Ralph Lauren runway
What's better than one supermodel? Two.
Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell were visions in white on the runway, appearing twice in the collection, replete with 60-plus looks across the spectrum.
For their first strut down the catwalk, Campbell donned a pearly, figure-hugging column skirt paired with a cropped white T-shirt; Turlington modeled gauzy white pants and a sheer cream button-down top, cinched at the waist with a white and silver Western belt.
The models' second outing veered on the sportier side: Campbell rocking an off-white track jacket with a flowy white dress, and Turlington mixing a cream blazer and white button-down with jeans.
The supers' appearance punctuated a collection perfect for a summer in the Hamptons, equal parts preppy, athletic, free-flowing and pure-bred American. Gossamer gowns and skirts billowed; American flags dotted tops and jackets; pops of bright colors set off classic blazers and denim; luxurious top-handle bags and sumptuous leather totes added flair – all of it framed by the setting sun and oncoming dusk encapsulating the grounds of the Hamptons compound.
Lauren tossed in a dash of "The Great Gatsby," with shimmering gowns built for a Gatsby-level shindig and men's suits with an "old sport" nod and a wink. Indigenous model Quannah Chasinghorse and top model Imaan Hammam added to the power of the runway.
Forgoing walking in the finale with the rest of the models, Turlington and Campbell stood alongside as Lauren shuffled onto the runway to give his final bow, grasping wife Ricky as he waved to the crowd during a standing ovation.
Usher is smooth as butter in yellow at Ralph Lauren: Photos
Usher's voice isn't the only thing smooth about him.
The singer, one day out from the start of his slate of New York tour dates, rocked a buttery yellow Ralph Lauren Purple Label matching set to "enjoy the beautiful weather of the Hamptons and the last (days) of summer.
"I'm just enjoying the last little bit of it," he told USA TODAY ahead of the show.
"It's always been great to find my way through Ralph's collection," Usher said. "The things that I choose to be creative with, I'm always able to be welcomed and to find something that really does work for stage or either works for my everyday life."
Like the legacy brand that is Ralph Lauren, Usher is considering his own legacy, too.
"Let's get more," Usher said, adding with a smile that he's "just here to enjoy some fashion and friends – and get back to my shows."
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Family affair: H.E.R.'s little sister, Nara Smith's model husband Lucky Blue Smith and Christy Turlington's daughter Grace walk Ralph Lauren runway
Ralph Lauren continued to solidify its place as a heritage brand for all with a family showing on the runway.
TikTok influencer Nara Smith sat statuesque and proud as model husband Lucky Blue Smith looked dapper on the runway in a navy jacket, shirt and tie, cream pants and velvet loafers.
H.E.R.'s little sister adorably walked the runway, eliciting big smiles and little waves from the front row. The multi-hyphenate shared an adorable video on her Instagram story of the two of them together ahead of the little one's modeling moment.
"The sweatsuits, the Polo – always been classic. Like middle school, that's all that I was rocking every single day (with) the matching socks," H.E.R. told USA TODAY earlier that day. The singer also teased a potential Coldplay collaboration in the future.
And in a present-day collab, Turlington had her daughter, Grace Burns, with her on the runway. Burns, 20, modeled a blue plaid ensemble with a matching tie.
The mother-daughter duo remained close at the luxe dinner that followed the show, mingling with Campbell and more while tucking into the Polo Bar feast (a summer house salad preceded a choice of the famed Polo Bar burger or fresh black bass caught in Montauk that day). The landmark restaurant recreation was built from the ground up over the weeks before the show, including replicas of the notable horse portraits and the same leather for the banquette seating that's in the original establishment.
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Olympic gold medalist Bobby Finke swims into sartorial waters at first fashion show
Olympic swimmer Bobby Finke was still on cloud nine after winning his second 1,500 free Olympic gold and setting a world record in the process at the 2024 competition in Paris this summer.
The athlete, who was outfitted in Ralph Lauren for the custom Team USA uniforms, sported some additional glitz at the show: his medals.
"This summer's been great, obviously," Finke said. "I was able to come back from Paris with a silver and a gold (medal). I can't say anything negative about this summer, it's been amazing. I've been riding on a victory lane right now and (I'm) getting close to the end with coming out here and a spectacular event."
The show marked Finke's first fashion week outing, and he was brimming with excitement over the celebs in attendance.
"It's pretty remarkable seeing all these famous people around. Like I'm a big Marvel head, and I saw Tom Hiddleston, and I'm like, 'Ah!'" he said. "It's incredible. I had no idea who I was going to end up meeting."
First on Finke's celebrity meeting wishlist? Ralph Lauren, of course.
"I hope I get to see him, I don't know if I'll meet him, but to get to see him would be pretty cool."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fashion week: Ralph Lauren show has Usher, Jill Biden, Kacey Musgraves