Background & information
Ralph Lauren launched his career with a menswear line in 1968 under the well-known Polo label. In 1972, he set his sights on womenswear. He introduced only a few pieces for women in 1972, and they were a smashing success, so in 1973, he began developing full womenswear collections. These did not bear the Polo label, but rather the name of the designer himself.
These early collections were widely praised (even Jackie Kennedy personally called and placed her orders after seeing one of the 1973-74 shows) but, unfortunately, they were not well documented. Almost all of the images of the first runway shows have been lost to history. Only a handful of images survive, some of which circulated in newspapers at the time the collections debuted. Fortunately for us, this small number includes images of the Duchess suit, which Lauren himself said was his favorite women's look from the first collections. (See final two images.)
This is an extremely rare treasure - so rare that I have gone back and forth about whether to sell it at all, or to include it in our permanent collection instead. While I believe strongly that this piece must be preserved for future generations (and therefore very gently worn), I also believe that it is so remarkably beautiful that it deserves at least one more turn at a special event before being stored and preserved. (But I am reserving the right to remove it from sale at any moment!) The price reflects the extreme rarity and significance of this special, museum-quality set.
The set includes all original components, including the belt.
Size & measurements
The skirt waist exterior measures approximately 25.5", and the exterior bust of the jacket is approximately 34". The suit is equivalent to a modern size 2.
Condition
Our Duchess suit is in remarkable condition for its age. It does not have visible flaws except for some fraying at the very tip of the belt, as shown in the images above.
This set does not appear to have been previously altered, and if it is altered in the future, we strongly recommend taking it to someone who has a background in classic English and/or bespoke tailoring.
