After years of Scandinavian and Bauhaus-inflected minimalism, no-frills graphic design, and the Marie Kondo-inspired culling of closets, clutter is suddenly back in style. According to the New York Times, a Ralph Lauren Christmas was the trend of the holiday season, although you don’t need to shop at Ralph Lauren to get the look. Cost-conscious consumers turned to a legion of influencers to learn how to fill their living rooms with tartan ribbons, cozy lighting, and throw pillows and blankets on the cheap. 

The Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic is inspired by the man himself, who has become an iconic figure in American fashion by borrowing extravagantly from a variety of sources, including English country homes, American Ivy League campuses, and the sport of polo, to create his distinctive aesthetic. There is a bit of poetic justice to social media personalities chasing clout by explaining how to get the Ralph Lauren look without paying Ralph Lauren prices. For decades, he occupied a similar space in the fashion industry, selling his own fanciful version of the “old money” lifestyle to customers who never went to prep school. 

As Ralph Lauren enters the winter of his career, his business acumen and broader influence on American culture are worth considering. Lauren is now widely acclaimed as the most important figure in American fashion. Mall brand competitors such as Tommy Hilfiger and Perry Ellis........

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