06/23/2008
Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs in Gay Pride Fashion Face-Off
Gay Pride week has descended upon New York City — well, at least upon its retail community. Towleroad correspondent Matty sends us a shot of the Ralph Lauren boutique down on Bleecker Street in the West Village which has posted a posse of Polo-wearin' mannequins. Just down the block, The Shophound notes, Marc Jacobs has updated his Interview magazine-inspired windows with a few speech bubbles.
Jacobs is also selling a T-shirt featuring the Confederate Flag (?!?) in rainbow colors. Shophound wonders, "Can Marc's peerless fashion clout make the rainbow flag hip once again by presenting it in a twisted, vaguely paradoxical, potentially controversial way?"
Posted 11:28 AM EST by Andy in Fashion Men, Gay Pride, Marc Jacobs, New York, News, Rainbow Flag | Permalink
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I like Jacob's idea, time to rework the rebel flag into something other than a symbol of hate.
Posted by: Luke | Jun 23, 2008 11:39:35 AM
I definitely score this round for Ralph Lauren!
Posted by: DAVID | Jun 23, 2008 11:44:30 AM
Popped collars vs. a confederate flag? Hmmmm...
THEY BOTH LOSE!
Posted by: crispy | Jun 23, 2008 11:50:43 AM
Why try to rework the rebel flag at all? Why not leave it as a reminder?
Instead we get racist chic.
Posted by: MAJeff | Jun 23, 2008 11:57:51 AM
Gay Pride Sunday in New York. It's either 70 degrees and raining, or a hot & humid 100 degrees. I've seen my last Pride Parade...in New York, that is....I'll get to Rio or Sao Paulo one day. Hey, maybe I'll make the first Pride Parade in Bagdad!
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jun 23, 2008 11:59:41 AM
Hey Derrick, Tampa Bay's pride parade is this Saturday in St Petersburg. My bowling league is marching, come join us. We will be throwing out beads. We'll get you a place to stay with a hot papi.
Posted by: davefromtampa | Jun 23, 2008 12:09:22 PM
Popped collars = FAIL.
Every time.
Posted by: Daniel | Jun 23, 2008 12:15:40 PM
Tampa Dave:
Thanks for the invitation. Hell, I'll take a cold papi now.
You know, we used to visit St. Petersburg every year when I was a child. As I got to be a teenager, I said, "Hell, no--no more central Florida for me" It was so damn hot, my make-up used get smeared with sweat, and I looked a mess.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jun 23, 2008 12:22:17 PM
If your display people need to pin or clip the back of the shirt to make it look presentable on a mannequin (and, therefore, sellable), then the designer hasn't given the shirt a proper cut.
I know the Gap never, ever gets this. But I would think Lauren and his people would know better.
If you purposely cut the shirt to hang like a potato sack—to be worn by frat boys and Middle America—then have the guts to display it that way.
Posted by: 24play | Jun 23, 2008 12:38:20 PM
Potentially ???? controversial. I live in Louisiana and there ain't no potential about it.
Posted by: Kathleen | Jun 23, 2008 1:20:33 PM
Are those male figures? If they are, they have very big standout nipples (yum).
Posted by: MICHAEL | Jun 23, 2008 1:55:04 PM
Hmm...why not mix the Rebel flag with the flag of Nazi Germany's swastika? Yeah, that would be controversial, creative, and just as disrespectful and twisted. The Rebel flag is used as symbol of hatred; it is reminder of oppression and treason.
Please don't give me any talk about Southern heritage since the Rebel flag was not the flag of the Confederacy and was not pushed out as a marketing tool until the Civil Rights movement started kicking butt. Yeah, the Pink Triangle has become a symbol now used by gays. Great! But gays were not the target of slavery, Jim Crow, etc.
Jacobs = Self-Absorbed, Rich Ass
Posted by: rafe | Jun 23, 2008 2:06:13 PM
Not a fan of the Jacobs flag idea, but I think RL's window display with the polos is cute + simple.
Posted by: Fredo | Jun 23, 2008 3:05:34 PM
"Can Marc's peerless fashion clout make the rainbow flag hip once again by presenting it in a twisted, vaguely paradoxical, potentially controversial way?"
In that sea of adjectives where is . . . ugly?
Look like the new line at Target.
Posted by: Br!on | Jun 23, 2008 3:31:36 PM
There shouldnt be a ''Face-Off''. They Both support the same thing.
Posted by: Hanz Moniefiero Medina | Jun 24, 2008 5:48:36 AM
popped collars are so way tre gay...
love that the boi-kins don't have heads but they got some serious nippage.
Posted by: Bea Gass | Jun 24, 2008 11:49:16 AM
boys boys, or ladies eh hem.
first, regarding the cut of RL. i've found if they are cut too wide, simple wear a thin solid tank underneath (as not to reveal your sides & potentially your tummy)& tie a small knot in the back. it's super cute & unique. as for mj's flag, i like the design, forget the representation, if you are truly a historian, you know the flag did not represent slavery, rather the south's desire to remain independent, much like we've seen in northern ireland. maybe this is mj's way of getting more people interested in history or the upcoming election (very clever, if so) or turning a negative into a positive. what better time than the emergence of our country's first black president, whom i (& my mother) will be voting for (& i'm a white female living in the south btw). obama 08!
Posted by: aneurysm | Jun 25, 2008 4:20:59 AM
Flag bearing casual wear is a potential trend especially for people seeking sports wear. Ralph Lauren has some of these shirts with their resemblance of the Italian flag.
Posted by: Phil Obrien | Sep 29, 2008 7:42:59 AM