MARTHA’s VINEYARD, MA. – On a warm August Friday evening at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, the stories of two worlds converged. The genteel summer retreat of Oak Bluffs met the rich legacy of historically Black colleges and universities through Ralph Lauren’s partnership with Morehouse and Spelman.
The south and the legacy of HBCUs was brought to Martha’s Vineyard by Ralph Lauren through what began as a retail collaboration but evolved into something far more profound, a multi-year journey to document and celebrate the interconnected stories of Black excellence, family traditions, and the American dream.
A Vision Beyond Commerce
The partnership began with a conversation when Ralph Lauren executives approached Morehouse and Spelman colleges with an unusual proposition. Unlike typical corporate partnerships focused solely on profit, this collaboration aimed to “uncover the stories behind these incredible HBCUs,” as Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation and Ralph Lauren board director, explained during a Ralph Lauren reception at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum.
“Ralph believed, even though he is this magical creator, that there are many stories to be told and that he doesn’t own stories that he doesn’t own and that other people own stories,” Jarrett said, reflecting on the fashion mogul’s approach to the project.
James M. Jeter, creative director, concept design and brand direction, Men’s Polo at Ralph Lauren, served as the driving force behind both collections and films. His personal journey mirrors the American dream narrative the company sought to capture. Starting at Ralph Lauren’s Georgetown store at age 16 in 2008, Jeter never imagined he would stand on Martha’s Vineyard 16 years later, celebrating a project that bridges his corporate role with his passion for storytelling.
“This is such a full circle moment for me,” Jeter said during the panel discussion. “I still remember the first day I walked into that store in Georgetown and never thought in a million years that 16 years later, I will be standing here in Martha’s Vineyard with this incredible community.”
Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
The Power of Authentic Storytelling
The collaboration’s first collection, focusing on Morehouse and Spelman, sold out immediately, a commercial success that validated the approach but wasn’t the primary goal. The real victory came in the stories that emerged from the filmmaking process.
A screening of the film A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs, a film accompanying the collection took place on Aug. 8. Presented by Ralph Lauren and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the event drew an enthusiastic & large crowd. The free public event featured the documentary followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Carla Thompson Payton, chief strategist and impact officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
The narrative process required a different approach than typical corporate content creation. The film is directed by Cole Brown, who grew up on the island. “The first thing that our team did was to listen and Ralph listened most closely,” Jarrett emphasized.
Martha’s Vineyard: More Than a Summer Retreat
The choice of Martha’s Vineyard as the subject for the second documentary wasn’t arbitrary. The island, particularly Oak Bluffs, has served as a gathering place for African American families, intellectuals, and HBCU alumni for generations. Oak Bluffs provided a place of safety.
Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, a Spelman professor who participated in the documentary, brought a southern perspective to the project. “Growing up in the South, I never had heard of Martha’s Vineyard generationally. And I would also say there was not a history of Spelman and Morehouse with Martha’s Vineyard being in the south,” she said.
However, Guy-Sheftall recognized the island’s unique role as an intellectual sanctuary. “I was very happy to be able to participate in the documentary, particularly because I wanted to also say that this has been a space for intellectuals. I’m not sure that people think about Martha’s Vineyard in that way. That is a place for academics, intellectuals, feminists, to come and strategize and speak, not just relax, but to actually, actually strategize.”
Dr. Cheryl Finley of Spelman College, who is also featured in the film discovered even deeper personal connections to the island during the documentary process. “Learning that my grandfather went to Morehouse, and understanding that, he came to the vineyard, he came to Woods Hole,” she revealed, describing how the project led her to explore her own family legacy.
The discovery was so meaningful that Finley made a profound commitment to the island. “I bought my first home here on Martha’s Vineyard during the COVID-19 pandemic, my first home not in Atlanta, not anywhere else, not in New York. I bought it here because this is home for us. This is what home means to me.”
A New Generation Discovers History
For recent Morehouse graduate RJ Jackson, who participated in the first collection, the Martha’s Vineyard screening represented his first visit to the island, a coincidence that aligned perfectly with his family’s summer plans.
“We had actually been planning to go. I mean, my parents are empty nesters now, so we’ve been planning to go for the past couple months. And then just coincidentally happened to time it up with “Spelhouse” at the venue.” Jackson explained, using the term that combines Spelman and Morehouse.
Jackson praised Jeter’s research-driven approach to storytelling. “I think that’s one of the things that you know James does very, very well, is he really does the research and makes sure that our stories are being told. The story of African Americans and Oak Bluffs, and the stories of Morehouse and Spelman alumni, and Spelman students.”
His hope for the film reflects the broader mission of the project: “Just that people start understanding more about the history of this place, just being able to see all of this, Black joy, Black excellence on the vineyard.”
The Ripple Effect
The success of the partnership extends beyond the sold-out merchandise and impactful documentaries. Jarrett noted the global reach of the project: “All over the world, our film is showing the incredible merchandise that was designed by people who know what they’re doing is being showcased.”
The timeless quality of the collections reflects the enduring nature of the institutions they represent. “We want people to wear these clothes, not today and tomorrow. It doesn’t go in and out of fashion. It’s timeless, “ Jarrett emphasized.
The partnership has created a template for corporate collaboration that prioritizes authentic storytelling and community partnership over pure profit motives. As Jeter noted, the success required “a village across the board.”
The Oak Bluffs collection represents a commitment to community preservation through strategic partnership. Ralph Lauren has partnered with The Cottagers, Inc., a nonprofit organization of 100 Black female homeowners on Martha’s Vineyard, to support their historic building restoration, cultural preservation, and community resilience efforts on the island. The Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs collection, which launched globally on July 24, 2025, reflects this collaborative approach to honoring and preserving the heritage celebrated in the documentary.
The collection, available on RalphLauren.com, the Ralph Lauren App, in Morehouse College and Spelman College campus bookstores, and select Ralph Lauren stores, ensures that every purchase helps preserve the very heritage and stories celebrated in the documentary.
Looking Forward
For many attendees like Jackson, the event planted seeds for new traditions. “Hopefully turning it into kind of like an annual family tradition as well,” he said of his family’s Martha’s Vineyard experience.
The documentary captures what Finley described as the island’s unique atmosphere for productivity and reflection. “When I come here, this is when I do my best writing, my best writing,” she said.
For Jeter, whose journey from a Georgetown store employee to creative director had led him to this moment on Martha’s Vineyard, the evening marked the culmination of years of collaborative work. He stood surrounded by the very community whose stories he had helped illuminate, including fellow HBCU alumni such as art director Joshua Renfroe, a Tuskegee graduate, and Dara Douglas, product lead for Design With Intent at Ralph Lauren, along with the many partners who had helped turn the vision into reality. Reflecting on the moment, he captured the depth of the collective achievement: “This is a dream beyond a dream come true.”
