Made to Fade
These five key ideas drove the creation of Ralph’s latest interpretation of the fishing life of Key West back when Hemingway lived and wrote there. What makes these looks timeless isn’t just the clothes but the very Ralph way they’re styled.Made to Fade
Notes on the Key West Collection, Summer 2024
These five key ideas drove the creation of Ralph’s latest interpretation of the fishing life of Key West back when Hemingway lived and wrote there. What makes these looks timeless isn’t just the clothes but the very Ralph way they’re styled.01
Worn & FadedThis collection expresses a color palette that captures the sun-faded feeling of long summer days, of clothes treasured for where they’ve been and what they’ve been through. It evokes Ralph’s love of clothes with character, whose durable construction shows well-worn detailing, from faded hems to patch repairs. The broken-in feeling you’ll find here makes new favorites feel like old ones, since everything from sport coats to T-shirts are treated to feel like they’ve been salt-washed, sun-soaked, and worn to perfection—that special point where a piece of clothing starts to feel like a second skin.
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Suiting: Highs & LowsThere are plenty of reasons to love a summer suit, but here’s one of Ralph’s favorites: versatility. With a softer construction and casual fabrications, one suit can be a season-long workhorse that can be broken into separates for maximum wearability, whether dressed up, down, or any which way. Go all-in with a lightweight shirt and cotton tie. Ditch the top and swap in a utility jacket. Trade the trousers for some sun-faded denim. Add a cap, add a tie, add some sneakers, add some sunglasses—point is, you can wear it any (and every) way you want.
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Light LayeringWarm weather doesn’t have to mean the end of layering. The right fabrics—lightweight linen, summer-weight cotton, fluid rayon—can keep things breezy, letting you hold fast to Ralph’s signature layered look without risking heat stroke. Hawaiian shirts give a summer touch to tailoring. Sport coats in linen and cotton can add a layer of polish, without much weight. And summery striped T-shirts work well under just about anything.
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Utilitarian StyleSome clothes are more than just clothes. In Hemingway’s case, these utility-inspired designs were tools for a life spent chasing adventures—on the plains of East Africa, the trout streams of Spain, or the stern of the Pilar. From hard-wearing canvas jackets to military-inspired belted chinos, workshirts to waffle-knits, they share a history of usefulness, having been purpose-built to weather whatever you might wear them for, whether it’s catching a 500-pound marlin, or just strolling to the fish monger at the local market.
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The Twill Long-Bill CapHemingway’s favorite long-billed hat, a recurring element of his sport-fishing style, is also a favorite of Ralph’s. The long-bill style, with its glossy water-repellent brim (a clever innovation by a Coast Guardsman), offers better sun protection for the sun-weary sailors and gained a niche but intense devotion from American oystermen, lobstermen, and sport fishers of all kinds in Hemingway’s time.
