Our yearly buying trips takes us all over the world, but some excite us more than others. Visiting our good friend Mr. C in London for Ralph Lauren’s infamous 'Double RL' Brand is one of those.

Tenue de Nimes has been carrying the heritage inspired label that draws from Old West Americana since the start but the last few years it’s been very strong and definitely at it’s best. 

The Double RL brand was founded in 1993 but the spirit of the brand dates back to the 1980s when Ralph Lauren created his Sante Fe collection, inspired by the western movies he had watched almost obsessively during his upbringing. The Sante Fe collection was filled with Native American blankets, western shirts, bandanas, denim silver buckled belts and turquoise highlights. It was during the 80s too that Ralph Lauren acquired his RRL ranch in Ridgway, Colorado which is best described as a filmic reflection of the rugged spirit of the untamed American West. 

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What we've seen for Spring Collection reflects exactly this, a rich and colorful collection filled with Limited Edition pieces like the heavy 'hand-knit' Ranch Shawl Cardigan made with an incredible cotton, linnen and silk blend and the eye-popping Patchwork Southwestern inspired Matlock Flannel. An always spectacular denim selection with vintage inspired and hand-washed jeans only a few designers can realize, is a common and returning oddity. The brand is an expert in creating those pieces you would wish to find in a vintage store. Drawing inspiration from the past is one thing but becoming a synonym for The American West and The Cowboy lifestyle is another. 

​Those aspects explain why the Double RL brand is a brand that fits so well in the Tenue de Nîmes household. "The RRL brand is the one brand I cannot be objective about." Says Menno, founder of Tenue de Nîmes. Buying into the brand sometimes feels like an addiction, therefor it feels so grand to give into it and making the brand very successful on our shop floor. 

Double RL only works with the finest materials available and uses manufacturing techniques as well as construction details that are extremely rare today. Expect authentic Japanese selvage denim, with washes curated in the U.S.A., leather boots and garments with leather sourced from Ralph's own livestock from his Colorado ranch and heavy hand-knits and colorful flannels produced in India and Italy. 

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After almost 27 years RRL still going strong, with nearly a dozen stores under it's own flag in the US, Japan and London, and sold through a handful of hand-picked (by Ralph Lauren himself) independent retailers around the world, including Tenue de Nîmes and we couldn't be more proud to be one of it.

Check the full RRL Spring '20 collection HERE