Is Brandon Maxwell the Next Ralph Lauren?

Shannon Adducci

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Since his debut in 2017, Brandon Maxwell has often been inspired by the ladies who lunch, but more specifically those from his hometown of Dallas, Texas, where there are more specific ideals of American glamour. They include big hair, evening — and clean, colorful tailoring that easily be worn with a pair of jeans and cowboy boots.

At his spring ’20 show on Saturday night in a Brooklyn studio that he transformed into his own nightclub, Maxwell took those ideals even further with a collection of sportswear, gowns and even new menswear that went to the core of what luxury fashion looks like for real America.

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Maxwell’s show was slotted right before Ralph Lauren on Saturday night, and it was hard not to see the homages to the elder statesmen of American fashion, especially in his Polo aesthetic. There were blazers; there was clean, stonewashed denim; there were creative oxford shirts that even had the designer’s monogram.

Bella Hadid walked out in jeans, a sweater over a button down, and a blazer over that looked so American it was a little cringeworthy. The looks were clean but luxe, pieces that you could see fitting into a wealthy man or woman’s wardrobe (there was even a blue shirt and khakis on one of the guys).

There’s a little less attention to detail in Maxwell’s collection compared to Ralph Lauren (justifiably so, as the latter has a much, much larger operation with entire departments devoted to those efforts). It’s also still unclear where Maxwell’s runway shoes come from, and whether or not he will ever dive into footwear. This collection would have been a great opportunity to partner with a Texas-based Western boot company for some more focused moments of Americana.

But the philosophy and vision are there, even if in their early stages. Maxwell’s shows also incorporate other elements of Americana, but of a new kind: There’s always Shake Shack before the show, and often, pink (not red) solo cups. Dolly Parton is usually on the soundtrack, and this time around she was joined by Bruce Springsteen and Madonna. The designer has curated a world of Americana that’s all his own and a bit more inclusive, even if it still is luxury.

Click through the gallery to see all the looks in Brandon Maxwell’s spring ’20 collection.

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