• by Sarah Mahoney , August 3, 2026

Ralph Lauren doesn't seem to get tired of flexing its fashion range: Just weeks after wrapping its role as the official outfitter of Wimbledon, it announced its new artist-in-residence program, working with textile artists from Gee’s Bend, Alabama.

A collection called Ralph Lauren X Gee's Bend showcases the work of fifth-generation quiltmakers in a community known for turning found materials into functional works of art, highlighting a century-long tradition with distinct techniques and storytelling.

Working with textile artists Claudia Pettway Charley and Loretta Pettway Bennett, the collection shows off the improvisational spirit of Gee’s Bend stylek: freeform lines, visible topstitching and geometric patterns. And in keeping with the essence of quilting -- relying on scraps -- the quilts and apparel are made from upcycled Ralph Lauren fabrics, based on plenty of denim hand-pieced together. Among them: a $5,000 jacket, a $4,000 quilt and a $2,200 tote.

The collab also includes hand-painted ceramic tableware, produced in Italy with Ralph Lauren Home’s artisan partners.

“Heritage and tradition are at the center of everything I love—things that encompass both beauty and utility, that are uncontrived and personal, and that are passed down for generations,” says Ralph Lauren, executive chairman and chief creative officer, in the announcement. “Bringing the most authentic expression of heritage craft to life means working with those who have created and sustained these timeless traditions for centuries, and sharing their stories with the world.”

It’s not the first time Gee’s Bend has worked with a national retailer or made a design splash. With quilts dating back more than 100 years, the resilient quilters -- still living in the small rural community where their ancestors were enslaved -- have found many ways to get their designs to broader audiences. In 1966, a group of 60 of the quilters formed the Freedom Quilting Bee, one of the few Black women’s cooperatives in the U.S., landing contracts for made-to-order quilts for Bloomingdale’s and New York decorators. It also had a contract with Sears Roebuck & Co. to make pillow covers, and sold items that included small baby quilts to Bonwit Teller and Saks Fifth Avenue.

And when the Whitney Museum showcased a collection in 2002, the New York Times’ art critic called them “some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced.”

Both Etsy and Adidas have recently highlighted Gee’s Bend.

This marks Ralph Lauren’s fifth artist-in-residence partnership. Past artists-in-residence have included Navajo weavers Naiomi and Tyler Glasses. And in July of last year, it introduced the Oak Bluff collection, showcasing a Black enclave in Martha’s Vineyard, working with students from Morehouse College and Spelman College.

If it seems like the company’s commitment to such inclusive efforts stands out, it’s because it’s a vanishing sign of bravery. “I've spent the past two years watching brands walk back the diversity commitments they made in 2020 — scrubbing language, shelving programs, hoping nobody notices,” writes reporter Elizabeth Segran, who covered the Gee’s Bend collaboration for Fast Company, in a LinkedIn post. “But Ralph Lauren has done the opposite. It has dug even deeper.”

The effort includes a donation of 5% of each purchase to the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization based in Montgomery, Alabama, specifically for hunger relief in the state.