Preppy Clothes Brand Rowing Blazers: Diversity and Inclusivity

The Rowing Blazers catalog includes page after page of preppy clothing for men and women. Fast Company says the entire catalog shoot looks like it could have taken place “at a prep school in the 1950s. Except for one thing: There’s not a white person in sight.”

During the rise of Instagram social media, and fashion bloggers and influencers, preppy clothes saw a short burst of resurgence. Ralph Lauren released its preppy brand dubbed “Rugby” that lasted for a few years before finally succumbing to the lack of prolonged support.

Meanwhile, there has been a dominating rise of fast fashion brands like Shein that replicate popular and trending styles in a cheap and expedient process.

The clothing brand’s founder has been on a mission to evolve the preppy aesthetic with established brands like Gucci, Seiko, and J. Crew while fostering crossovers with retro pop culture favorites like Grateful Dead and Babar. All the while understanding how other cultures such as Japanese and African-Americans have integrated the style into their own identities.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for preppy clothes is to overcome the negative stigma associated with the style due to the media. There has been a backlash against the perceived preppy culture dating all the way back to the late 80s. Originally used as a symbol of exclusivity and cultural identity reserved for affluent families on the east coast, the style has begun evolving and remains open to interpretation to the wearer. That’s the art of fashion and style.