Ralph Lauren to Offer Customized Packable Jackets
Ralph Lauren customers will have a new way to stay warm this winter while flexing their creative muscle.
The brand on Thursday will extend its popular custom program to one of its best-selling outerwear pieces: the packable quilted jacket.
The Create Your Own Custom Program, which was introduced in 2003 with the brand’s signature polo shirt, will now expand to three models of the outerwear piece: a mock neck jacket, a hooded jacket and a vest. It will be available for men, women and children in eight colors that can be combined in hundreds of ways.
The jackets will retail for $225 to $285 for men; $235 to $305 for women and $125 to $185 for children — about 20 percent more than a non-customized jacket. The custom packable includes a gift pouch and complimentary shipping.
The custom program is also offered for crewneck sweaters, fleece and oxford shirts through programs titled: Knit Your Own, Create Your Own and Print Your Own. The program offers more than 500 ways to customize the pieces by allowing customers to choose from a variety of colors and graphics. It is available in stores, online and in pop-up events.
The customization program not only allows customers to test their design skills, it also speaks to the brand’s sustainability efforts. The jackets are made from recycled nylon and polyester as well as recycled alternatives to down. The water-repellent jackets feature Thermoplume from Primaloft, which is made from recycled plastic bottles and is said to provide the same loft and insulation warmth as conventional down.
There is no pre-made inventory — the product is cut and sewn to order. Customers first choose the style, then the base color, sleeve, hood and zipper colors, and then are able to further personalize the piece with a choice of polo pony logo shades. A name or personal message can be added to the inside label.
The expansion of the custom program allows Ralph Lauren to further explore on-demand manufacturing, which reduces inventory and waste, eliminates markdowns and meets the demand of consumers who are increasingly seeking to establish their own identities with their fashion choices.
David Lauren, chief branding and innovation officer for Ralph Lauren, said, “Our initiative is a new and innovative way to evolve our customization program and to align with our brand’s commitment to protecting the environment and reducing waste. Additionally, we believe this important addition to our Create Your Own program is in line with our company’s commitment to building our gifting strategy because a large percentage of our customers like to personalize our products as gifts — for their whole family.”
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