In a blend of fashion and storytelling, James M. Jeter, Ralph Lauren’s first Black Creative Director, is shining the spotlight on Black history, culture and legacy. With the launch of the new, limited-edition collection called Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs, the brand is celebrating the rich story of the Oak Bluffs community in Martha’s Vineyard, a historic enclave renowned as a haven for generations of Black families.
Two years in the making, the collection debuted in July 2025 and is available on the official website, mobile app and in select retail locations, as well as the Morehouse College Follett campus bookstore. Blending coastal leisurewear with off-campus collegiate style through the lens of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, each piece in the collection is a love letter to the historic Black beach town, as well as Black traditions and experiences.
To ensure the collection authentically captured the spirit of the Oak Bluffs community, the brand worked closely with local organizations, such as the Martha’s Vineyard Museum and The Cottagers, which is an organization formed by African American women homeowners on the island. As Jeter noted, many of the people featured in the campaign share real ties to the island and with each other, having seen each other on the island over the years and grown up together.
“Ralph Lauren as a man, as a brand is sort of the world ambassador to Americana… With that comes this incredible responsibility for us to tell these incredible American stories as fully, as broadly, as accurately as possible” - James Jeter, Creative Director, Concept Design & Brand Direction for Polo Men, USA Today
Rising through the ranks from intern to design associate, Jeter made a lasting impact in 2022 as lead designer for the Morehouse and Spelman Colleges Collection by Polo Ralph Lauren. An alum of Morehouse College, he was named Creative Director, Design & Brand Direction for Men’s Polo at Ralph Lauren in 2024, making history as the first Black Creative Director in the company’s 50-plus year history.
In an interview with Vineyard Gazette, Jeter explained that the decision to focus on Oak Bluffs came after the HBCU collaboration. He began to question what other safe spaces existed throughout the pockets of American culture. For him, Oak Bluffs provided the answer. “It’s always going to be an important story no matter what is happening in the world. It’s such a timeless story and a timely story,” he expressed. “It’s as relevant now as it will be in 10 years [and] as it was 10 years ago.”
What sets this campaign apart is its intention and commitment to honoring Black spaces that have often been excluded from mainstream narratives. By centering Oak Bluffs in this campaign, Jeter is not just paying tribute to the community but preserving its legacy through a different medium, making fashion the vehicle for education, inspiration, and representation.
