Inside Ralph Lauren’s Summer Lunch at Mulford Farm: A Quiet Showcase of Style
- Recently, Lauren threw a dinner in the summer at Mulford Farm in East Hampton. The historic farm setting is well suited to a brand whose name is bestowed upon every detail that speaks of heritage, American style, and understated luxury.
- The gathering gave life to the lifestyle story by which Ralph Lauren is known: living an easy life surrounded by community and things curated with care.
The Mulford Farm stands for a 17th-century property in East Hampton. The restoration of the site was funded in part by Ralph Lauren, further strengthening its cultural link to the area. In choosing this site, the brand connoted its old-world emphasis on heritage and conservation.
The lawn was set with white wicker furniture, sage-green cushions, and soft linens. It captured Ralph Lauren’s iconic coastal tone. The location’s natural charm replaced any need for visual branding. The message was quiet but direct.
Guests and Atmosphere
The guest list included names such as Naomi Watts, Aerin Lauder, Lauren Bush Lauren, and Molly Gordon. About 80 people attended. The crowd reflected Ralph Lauren’s lifestyle audience—creative professionals, family business leaders, philanthropists, and local supporters.
Outfits were drawn from the Ralph Lauren Collection and Polo Ralph Lauren lines. There was no dress code, yet many arrived in crisp tailoring, pastels, summer knits, and linen. The brand’s seasonal aesthetic was on full display—subtly, without instruction.
Menu and Service
The menu reflected the brand’s preference for familiar, high-quality American fare.
Guests were welcomed with Hamptons Spritz cocktails and lobster rolls. Fries were served in silver vessels. The main table was styled with summer flowers and produce baskets, giving the feel of a country lunch with urban polish.
While some past events involved partnerships with local suppliers, the focus here was on simplicity and freshness. The layout and pacing of the service matched the day’s relaxed, elegant tone.
Objects and Experiences
Guests left with branded Purple Label baseball caps and a copy of The Hamptons: Food, Family, and History by Ricky Lauren. The book shares stories and recipes from the Lauren family’s time in East Hampton.
These details further extended Ralph Lauren’s lifestyle story into everyday objects. It wasn’t just about what people wore—it was about how they lived.
Event Purpose
This lunch was not a fashion show or a press event tied to a specific launch. It did not preview a new collection. It wasn’t built around influencer marketing either. It was a cultural moment—a gathering rooted in brand values.
The focus was on community, setting, and the lived expression of Ralph Lauren’s design codes. It offered no product announcement or campaign message. Instead, it reinforced the brand’s position through experience.
Media Reach and Social Amplification
While private, the event gained broad attention. Coverage appeared in WWD, Vogue, Yahoo, and social platforms. Photos showed wicker chairs, cocktail trays, and guests under the windmill near the farm.
The visual language from the event was aligned across platforms. Posts were shared by stylists and attendees, extending Ralph Lauren’s seasonal tone to digital audiences without the need for advertising.
Brand Snapshot
Ralph Lauren Corporation was founded in 1967. Its global portfolio includes Polo Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Lauren, Double RL, and Ralph Lauren Home. The company reported $6.6 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024. Nearly 30 per cent of this came from direct-to-consumer sales.
Beyond revenue, the brand has long focused on consistency. Events like this lunch are part of a wider pattern: refined gatherings, heritage properties, editorial-style photography, and direct engagement with long-term supporters.
Style and Tone
Every element of the lunch reflected the Ralph Lauren voice: natural fabrics, seasonal colour, polished casualwear, regional produce, and Americana formality. No single item stood out more than the overall impression.
The environment felt familiar, aspirational, and slow-paced. Nothing was hurried. That calm rhythm was deliberate. Ralph Lauren’s events are designed to reflect the brand as a lived atmosphere rather than a product pitch.
Continuity Across Time
This event followed a series of Ralph Lauren experiences across locations like The Polo Bar in New York and previous gatherings in the Hamptons. What connects them is not the size or the number of posts but the shared setting, tone, and people involved.
Rather than aiming for trend cycles, Ralph Lauren uses continuity and repetition. It creates brand recognition through scene-making and storytelling, not slogans.
Conclusion
The summer lunch at Mulford Farm showed Ralph Lauren’s continued investment in place-based storytelling. There was no runway, no promotion, and no pressure. It simply gave space for people to enjoy a lifestyle the brand has cultivated for decades.
For Ralph Lauren, the setting is the message. From food to flowers, every detail quietly echoed the brand’s long-standing voice—one that speaks more in tone than in volume.