Ralph Lauren makes lavish NYFW comeback at show with JLo, Diane Keaton, Sofia Richie, more

NEW YORK — Ralph Lauren doesn't just make an entrance – he makes a sweeping, grand return.

The designer made his comeback to New York Fashion Week on its first official night Friday with a lavish show, preceded by a star-studded red carpet and followed by a luxurious dinner, at Brooklyn's Navy Yard in a converted warehouse transformed into a glamorous, rustic-chic space.

His last NYFW outing was in September 2019, but the flair of his off-season Los Angeles show at the Huntington Library this past October carried over to his New York runway Friday, with hints of breezy California style and the West mixed in with jewel-toned gowns and colorful, silky fabrics; always present is his classic Americana ethos.

Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling, Emma Roberts, Gabrielle Union, James Marsden, Julianne Moore, Diane Keaton, Laura Dern, Robin Wright, Ariana DeBose, Rachel Brosnahan, Sheryl Crow, Sofia Richie, Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Amanda Seyfried, Cara Delevigne, Jonathan Bailey, Meghann Fahy and more topped the celebrity-filled guest list to take in Lauren's spring/summer 2024 collection.

"I think this is for a liberated woman, with more of an international quality," says Lauren, whose eponymous brand since 1967 has made him a cross-generational household name and worldwide, yet distinctly American, success story. Though he notes, "People always say American, but you can be many things."

Lauren says the inspiration for the new collection "feels free" but "very classic," and he recalls his daughter Dylan saying it didn't feel distinctly like any one place they've visited yet it's "got the flavors of Europe."

"They were things that an elegant woman could wear at any age, any time, any country," Lauren tells USA TODAY as the evening winds down.

Christy Turlington closes Ralph Lauren runway show

The inimitable supermodel Christy Turlington closed out the runway, donning a gold lamé, one-shoulder gown. The 53-year-old glowed during her turn on the catwalk as such modeled Lauren's new collection.

The flowing blouses and dresses, vibrant ensembles, and crochet and fringe detailing melded with the brand's usual Western belt buckles, blue denim and button-down shirts.

In the barn-like room, Lopez, Moore, Keaton and Seyfried sat together in one row, a few seats down from New York City Mayor Eric Adams; across from him was designer Thom Browne, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful. Keaton found a friend in seatmate Seyfried, as they chatted and "ooh-ed" and "ah-ed" at the looks during the show.

Elsewhere, Russell and Rhys sat next to Kaling and Roberts, while Union, Marsden and Dern were near one another just behind them.

Lauren's appearance at the end of the show earned a standing ovation, with him sweetly taking wife Ricky's hand as they exited.

Mindy Kaling, Rachel Brosnahan, Gabrielle Union reveal early Ralph Lauren memories

Stars fondly recalled their first memories of and interactions with the brand, from childhood to Hollywood.

Kaling says she "first learned about Ralph from my parents, who are immigrants."

"To them like in the '80s, you had made it if you could afford to wear Ralph, so it's always been a legacy brand in my house," Kaling says. "When I tell my dad about fashion week, it's sort of lost on him and certain designers he doesn't know or care, but he thinks it's cool. But when I told him I was coming here, he was like ‘That’s who I wear!’ I think for a lot of people, particularly people who grew up in the '80s and '90s like I did, this is such an important brand (and) he's such an important person living the American dream. I absolutely love when I can come to the show."

Union reminisces about "one of the first Hollywood events I ever got invited to," which "was to watch a polo match in the Hamptons. And we pull up and there is Nacho (Figueras) from the (Polo) logo. Lauren "just showed us such a great time, and I was like 'I like him, he's a nice person.' And I started really started wearing his clothes."

The brand's signature button-down shirts are an early memory for Brosnahan, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" star and newly cast Lois Lane in the upcoming DC Studios film "Superman: Legacy."

"My first memory of the brand is the button-down shirts that my father would wear. And I always thought he looked so sharp and so smart," Brosnahan says. "I think he still has those shirts! That's one of my favorite things about the brand. I still have gorgeous sweaters that I've had for 20 years, so it feels both evergreen and forward-thinking."

Brosnahan said Lauren "couldn't be lovelier," and hoped for the chance to see him that evening.

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Ralph Lauren gets standing ovation at after-show dinner, guests mix and mingle

Union and James Marsden chatted as they walked into the dinner, in a cavernous yet elegantly cozy dining room just behind where the show took place. Fashion industry titans and insiders, from editor Lynn Yaeger and CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America Steven Kolb to editors-in-chief Lindsay Peoples and Samira Nasr, chatted with each other and the celebs sprinkled at the long tables adorned with candles and pink roses under the grand chandeliers within the rustic wood walls.

Guests started their dining experience with a lobster salad and had the choice of filet mignon or grilled branzino. The servers brought the food out table by table with a choreographed panache that added to the night's decadence.

Though many guests headed for the exit after the salad and the main course, Union and Fahy were some of the few celebrity attendees who stayed through dessert, which was "Ralph's Brownie" with vanilla ice cream on top. Fahy and Leo Woodall, who have sparked romance rumors since starring together on "The White Lotus," headed to the cars together.

Lauren's entrance into the dining room brought everyone to their feet again, the real reason for the seasonal presentation. Though he's been a stylish stalwart in fashion for six decades, Lauren continues to be a master of reinvention.

He simply states: "It's newer."

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