There are few brands which have captured the romance and comfort of Christmas like Ralph Lauren. The glow of firelight on mahogany, a glass of whisky on a polished silver tray, Ralph Lauren has always been a master of world-building and their Christmas visions never fail to build up anticipation for the festive season. It’s so evocative an image, it’s little wonder the aesthetic has recently recaptured the imaginations of so many in various corners of the internet. Whether you live in a London flat or a country house, you can capture it with a few thoughtful touches to your own Christmas decor. So pour a glass of something amber, and light a few candles as we show you how to recreate the look.
Before starting her namesake clothing brand, designer Molly Moorkamp was a 2nd generation Ralph Lauren employee and became intimately familiar with what constitutes a signature Ralph Lauren-inspired Christmas. ‘Growing up, every Christmas in our house was a Ralph Lauren Christmas’ she recalls. She thinks that the look is mistakenly thought of as “fancy” and “stuffy,” but if the rampant success of ‘Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic’ videos on TikTok this year are anything to go by, this generation does not agree.
How to recreate the Ralph Lauren look for Christmas
One of the aesthetic’s most recognisable elements is its palette. It takes time-honoured Christmas colours of red and green and plays with them. Think rich burgundies and forest greens, burnished golds, brass, and deep, rich woods like mahogany, this palette is just a little deeper overall than the ubiquitous scarlet reds and emerald greens.
Next, there’s the warm glow that emanates from every room Ralph Lauren decks out for the season. As Molly says, ‘the recipe is: truly warm, inviting light — always a little darker than you think.’ Firelight and Christmas go together like sprouts and pancetta, and candles, whether they are small votive-style candles or the chunky pillar style, can be a way to bring some of the feel of the hearth without a fireplace. In a previous article about lighting with candles, interior designer Carlos Garcia reminds us how flattering candlelight is, ‘but,’ he says ‘remember to keep them spaced out throughout the room rather than grouped to avoid looking like a shrine.’
Lighting overall is always about layering. Where guests enter, the lighting should be warm and inviting. The same goes for the living room where choosing the right lighting can help you create the cosy ambience we want to envelop us as we retreat from the cold winter nights. Instead of overhead lighting, think table and floor lamps.
Is any Christmas complete without a little foliage? ‘Dense garland, preferably live — nothing smells more like a proper Christmas than real Fraser fir,’ suggests Molly. And while Christmas is often about excess, a Ralph Lauren Christmas in particular is about finding a way to balance the abundance of the season. ‘It's always better to have a smaller amount of dense garland.’
Then there is pattern and texture. No Ralph Lauren Christmas is complete without plaid–or tartan, to give it its true name. The ancient pattern has been seen on giant baubles and bows to adorn the tree, as well as on wrapping paper. Speaking of wrapping paper, when it comes to the presentation of the gifts around the tree, getting the RL look is about consistency. ‘One tartan or plaid wrapping paper, used en masse, and the same crisp red grosgrain or velvet ribbon around every present,’ says Molly, adding the important warning, ‘No gift bags, ever.’
Elements like elegant metallics in the form of antique silver candlesticks and brass, decorative trays, large bows, crystal glassware, and gold-rimmed china are also features of a Ralph Lauren inspired Christmas aesthetic.
The overall effect of these touches is an atmosphere that is elegant and festive without being excessive. ‘It's not abundant; it's simple,’ says Molly. ‘Ella Fitzgerald humming in the background, pigs in a blanket in the oven, and a cocktail waiting for you on a freshly polished silver tray. Warm. Simple. Inviting.’ Who could resist?
