New York Fashion Week's Real Start Line Runs Through Ralph Lauren

New York Fashion Week does not open officially until later in the week, but in practice, it opens Wednesday, when Ralph Lauren shows its women's Collection. No committee assigned it that role — the industry simply treats it that way, year after year. Part of the reason is momentum: the label is growing fast, and it has become the house other brands look to as the one worth matching. For a New York name, setting that pace before the week has even formally begun is its own quiet flex.

With reporting from WWD Fashion.