RRL by Ralph Lauren white T-shirt worn outdoors

The Story of Double RL by Ralph Lauren

Double RL, usually written as RRL, is Ralph Lauren’s heritage line shaped by ranch life, vintage workwear and old American military clothing. Named after Ralph and Ricky Lauren’s Colorado ranch, the label draws on denim, leather, flannel and utility pieces with a clear focus on fabric, character and construction. If you want to browse the current range, visit our RRL by Ralph Lauren collection.

What is Double RL by Ralph Lauren?

Where Polo Ralph Lauren is known for Ivy League references, sportswear and cleaner casual staples, RRL takes a different direction. The label centres on heritage workwear, western influences and archive-inspired details, with garments that often feel closer to old utility clothing than conventional fashion collections.

Indigo denim, chore jackets, checked flannel shirts, fleece layers and hand-finished leather accessories all sit at the heart of the range. What ties them together is a careful approach to fabric, fit and finish, giving RRL a distinct identity within the wider Ralph Lauren world.

The ranch that shaped the brand

The beginnings of RRL are not fully documented in one single official origin story, but the label is widely linked to Ralph Lauren’s purchase of a Colorado ranch in the late 1980s. Set across a large stretch of land, it gave him a very different setting from New York and became a major source of inspiration. Surrounded by open country, working ranches and western landscapes, Ralph Lauren began looking more closely at the clothing traditions of the American West.

That setting helped shape a brand built around garments with practical roots. The influence of ranch wear, denim, boots and weathered outerwear remains clear throughout RRL collections today.

Workwear, denim and military influence

RRL was launched as a separate label in 1993. From the start, it drew on the clothing of miners, ranch hands and other workers from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as well as military uniforms from the American Civil War and both World Wars. These references helped create a line that felt grounded in historical clothing rather than driven by short seasonal changes.

Blue denim became a natural centrepiece, joined by leather jackets, western shirts, faded knitwear and accessories shaped by hard-wearing utility design. That is one reason RRL has built such a strong following among denim collectors and people who value garments with texture, depth and visible character.

Why RRL stands apart

More than thirty years after its launch, RRL remains one of the most focused parts of the Ralph Lauren portfolio. Production is kept relatively tight and distribution remains selective, which has helped the line keep its distinct identity. Rather than trying to cover every part of menswear, RRL stays close to the heritage workwear and western influences that made it stand out in the first place.

For customers interested in vintage-inspired clothing with a stronger workwear edge, RRL offers a clear contrast to the more familiar feel of Polo Ralph Lauren. That difference is part of what makes the label so appealing within the wider Ralph Lauren story.

Explore RRL at The Sporting Lodge

The Story of Double RL is really the story of Ralph Lauren looking beyond polished American sportswear and towards older forms of dress shaped by labour, landscape and utility. That focus on denim, leather, flannel and workwear detail still defines the label today. To see current pieces, browse our RRL by Ralph Lauren collection, where you can explore jeans, jackets, shirts and accessories available at The Sporting Lodge.

RRL by Ralph Lauren logo linking to the heritage clothing collection at The Sporting Lodge

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Written by Neil Summers

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