As "Friends" celebrates its 25th anniversary, we’ve already seen collaborations from a bevy of brands including Pottery Barn and Lego, while consumers are clamoring to visit a pop-up replica of the show’s coffee house in New York this month. Now, Ralph Lauren, the high-end apparel brand, is getting in on the action with a ready-to-wear collection modeled after character Rachel Green, whose waitress-turned-fashion-executive career arc embodied a true Cinderella story.
The character, perhaps best known for inspiring hundreds of shag haircuts in the late 90s, worked her way up the corporate retail ladder before eventually landing at Ralph Lauren for several seasons. That storyline, coupled with the moment 90s looks are currently having, serves up the perfect opportunity for the New York-based brand to attract buzz and sales.
The ready-to-wear collection, which the brand worked on with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, includes autumnal pieces like turtlenecks, black leather trousers and crested blazers, as well as lots of plaid. The collection will be available at some Bloomingdale’s locations, including New York’s 59th Street flagship, which will house its own replica of the show’s Central Perk coffee shop later this month. The installation will travel to other Bloomingdale’s locations in New York, Florida, Connecticut and New Jersey.
Predictably, "Friends" fans were enthralled by the news, suggesting that we’ve yet to reach peak "Friends" nostalgia.
