Ralph Lauren and Major League Baseball have officially teamed up to give fans a long awaited apparel collection to support some of baseball’s most popular teams. The iconic designer announced the collaboration Monday, May 10, that MLB will release a line of team-centric apparel and accessories.
The first round of apparel features the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. It includes polo shirts, jackets, sweatshirts and New Era caps. Styles include each team’s traditional colors, but also will have items with Ralph Lauren’s traditional colors optional.
The partnership includes unique pieces involving green and white Yankees apparel, green and blue Cubs gear, and green and white Cardinals and Cubs pieces.
Team-themed Polo Bear polo shirts and crewneck sweatshirts are also a new unique addition to the collection.
Other franchises, including the Boston Red Sox, will soon be expanded to.
This is not the first time the designer has worked with baseball merchandise. Ralph Lauren created a collection of limited-edition Yankees pieces in honor of its 50th-anniversary celebration in 2018.
The Yankees-only collection lined up with the introduction of the company’s Polo app, which allows the brand’s fans the ability to sneak peeks of new pieces and shop its latest offerings.
The limited-edition Yankees collection comprised of a New Era “RL 50” ballcap, a leather baseball glove emblazoned with a “Ralph 50th” logo, a satin baseball jacket, and a commemorative baseball. All items were loved and sold out quickly.
Lauren grew up as a big baseball fan in the Bronx. The designer loved the Yankees and had dreams of being a baseball player. He even was invited to throw the first pitch at a Yankees game as part of the company’s 50th-anniversary celebration.
“All I thought about then was making the winning catch for my baseball team,” Lauren said of his youth, “but as I grew older, sporting prowess figured less in my daydreams. Impressing the girls started to be more interesting.”
It was that shift that led Lauren towards a career in design and style. However, his love for baseball remains strong.
The influence the golden era of baseball has had on his sense of style is obvious in this collection. The articles are a stunning mix of some of baseball’s iconic teams with a fresh, vintage look. It’s sure to be a *home run* for those baseball fans looking to update their wardrobe.
But wait: there’s more. This partnership between the MLB and Ralph Lauren goes beyond the new collection. There plans to be a digital-first campaign inspired by vintage baseball cards as well as artist murals celebrating the new release in multiple cities.
The Ralph’s Airstream will help promote the first batch by making stops in various cities. It will show up at multiple ballparks and offer ballpark-themed food and beverages.
Products officially launched May 10th. You can get yours through the company’s website, mobile app and on the official MLB store online, as well as at Macy’s, Bloomingdales, MLB’s official shop in New York City, Ralph Lauren stores and select MLB shops.
