A Look from Ralph Lauren’s Spring/Summer 2026 Runway Collection Recalls a Striking Carmen Herrera Abstract

Pioneering Cuban American artist Carmen Herrera was dedicated to her own unique style of geometric, hard-edged abstraction, working in relative obscurity for sixty years until her final decades, when she began to be recognized and exhibited by major museums. This striking example, Black and White (2009), is found in the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Encapsulating the unrivaled hold Ralph Lauren has on timeless American glamour, this standout dress from the spring/summer 2026 runway collection features a halter neck, fluid shape, and hypnotic black-and-white print.

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2025 Winter issue under the headline “Life Imitates Art.” Subscribe to the magazine.