The TikTok Dilemma: Fashion’s Latest Twist Uncovered

Last June, during Ralph Lauren’s seasonal showcase in Milan, the audience was younger, more enhanced, and more influenced by TikTok than usual.

The iconic house that Ralph established, now over 55 years in operation, seemed to be embracing an unexpected trend on TikTok, the preferred platform of Gen Z. In recent times, users have elevated Ralph Lauren as representative of the old money aesthetic — a simplistic interpretation of affluent style that views dressing opulent as resembling Chevy Chase’s character in “Caddyshack.”

Whatever caused youthful individuals to gravitate toward tucked polos and pleated khakis once more, Ralph Lauren certainly profited from it. In the lead-up to this fashion week in Milan, I received a press release from the resale marketplace StockX revealing that sales of Polo Ralph Lauren had surged by 600 percent on the platform in 2024. It attributed the growth to the “rise of Ralphcore on TikTok,” where “a new wave of consumers has adopted and even transformed what the brand represents.”

However, this season, on Saturday, the initial day of men’s showcases, the audience at the latest reveal of Mr. Lauren’s formal Purple Label range was more business-oriented, more mainstream. Editors clad in leather jackets and buyers from department stores in turtlenecks filled the palazzo’s cream-carpeted spaces, not mustachioed 20- and 30-something TikTok influencers capturing content.

Could it be that the brand was distancing itself from TikTok influencers just before the app’s imminent prohibition? Possibly. (Significantly, the event, which the company emphasized was a “press day,” occurred a day prior to TikTok potentially becoming banned for American users.)

Nevertheless, there was a delightful parallel between that guest list and the subdued collection, which provided a stroll through the brand’s enduring classics. You could shut your eyes, think of the name Ralph Lauren, and visualize nearly everything available: Glen check double-breasted blazers, an olive green parka, robust British-inspired overcoats, a rollneck sweater, and a Fair Isle ski cardigan.

Several prominent pieces, such as an Italian-made suede blazer adorned with braided lapels, exhibited a sophistication well beyond the TikTok era. Overall, the collection served as a reminder that Ralph need never chase trends. The brand can produce attractive sweaters and dependable coats, and the buyers will come to them — be it on TikTok or any future ephemeral platform.

Mr. Lauren’s line wasn’t the only collection showcasing some fundamental Ralph characteristics. During the Philipp Plein runway show held at the soon-to-debut Plein Hotel, a chandelier and black marble cathedral reminiscent of a Miami strip club, Mr. Plein debuted what could be described as his interpretation of the iconic Polo Bear sweater: a trio of knits featuring an adorable bear dressed as a bellhop, a cabana-shirted beachgoer, and a tuxedo-clad gentleman.

Those sweaters were nearly the end of the Ralph Lauren comparisons. If Mr. Lauren’s label represents a “Great Gatsby” vision of men’s fashion, Mr. Plein’s is more indicative of “Grand Theft Auto.” His collection included a crystal-embellished blazer (worn without a shirt, naturally), distressed denim, and a duffle bag emblazoned with warped iterations of the Budweiser logo that read “Plein.”

While this particular show featured less of the camera-enticing spectacle typical of some of Mr. Plein’s past events (after all, this is a designer who has included Jet Skis, robots, and Mad Max vehicles on his runways), he still managed to showcase a performance by rapper French Montana, donned in a studded Plein leather jacket. This performance, of course, found its way to TikTok by the next morning.

Earlier in the day, the atmosphere had been notably calmer at Brunello Cucinelli’s presentation, the Italian cashmere maestro whose label, much like Mr. Lauren’s, has been praised on TikTok as a symbol of new money.

When questioned about the trend, Mr. Cucinelli, the philosopher of pleated trousers, evaded a straightforward answer and instead offered a thoughtful perspective: “I emerged from a farming background, a lineage of peasants, and now I have become prosperous, yet my life remains unchanged,” he remarked. “I can mingle with the old money and connect with those lacking that financial status.”

His apparel is intended for men who possess that level of wealth. Days before the showcase, the brand reported $1.3 billion in revenue over the last year, a growth exceeding 12 percent. Furthermore, 37 percent of the company’s revenue now derives from the United States.

“If Americans don’t appreciate the collection, that poses a problem for you,” he stated. “It’s essential for the Americans to resonate with it.”

So what is Mr. Cucinelli offering those American consumers? This season, a shearling coat in a clever cloudlike gray, a denim-like double-breasted blazer, and a ruby red dinner jacket featuring a satin lapel that seemed custom-crafted for a Lunar New Year celebration.

As I exited the showcase, I walked through a throng of young people — predominantly young women — stationed outside the structure’s stone archway. They were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Chinese actor Li Yun Rui, whose name held little recognition among the American media.

When he appeared later and Mr. Cucinelli stepped out to greet him, cheers erupted and phones were raised. Whether on TikTok or elsewhere, brands will always discover avenues to gain visibility.