Polo Ralph Lauren collection salutes Morehouse and Spelman

Details: Polo Ralph Lauren's collection featuring shoes, dresses, suits, knits and outerwear is a throwback to what Morehouse and Spelman students wore between the 1920s and 1950s, “capturing the colleges' deep history and honoring their contributions to American style,” the company said.

• You can get this retro gear starting March 29 on Ralph Lauren’s website, its Polo and Ralph Lauren app, Spelman and Morehouse bookstores and in certain stores.
• An accompanying movie, “A Portrait of the American Dream,” will explore the historic significance of HBCUs. It airs at 7:30pm March 28 on Ralph Lauren's social media pages.

What they're saying: Morehouse President David Thomas said in a news release the partnerships magnify how HBCUs have been at the forefront of intellectual and cultural influences.

• “By sharing the early history of Spelman, as reflected in archival research, through clothing, the collection encourages conversations about the creative power of the Black experience and the ways in which a personal fashion aesthetic intersects with institutional values of solidarity and connection,” Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell said.

Of note: The Ralph Lauren Corporation Foundation in Dec. 2021 donated $2 million to support scholarships for students at Morehouse, Spelman and several other HBCUs through the United Negro College Fund.