When I was quite young, I discovered the world of Ralph Lauren. My interest in aesthetics had been evident since I was a toddler and by the time I was 10 years-old I was poring over my grandmother's lifestyle magazines with a keen eye, observing and absorbing the print presentations of beautiful interiors and fashion spreads. Among my earliest fixations were the ad campaigns of Ralph Lauren. I didn't own a Ralph Lauren anything, nor was I aware at the time of the enormous influence the designer and his brand had over 1980s lifestyle and culture. I just knew that I loved the photographs of these natural-looking women dressed in clothing that was peculiarly modern, despite the very definite nods to a winsome American past. Its modernity resulted from its flagrant rejection of the sleek, neon trends of early '80s fashion. Wool knits and luxe tartans mixed with country lace and Navajo prints to create something keenly unique. Among the most frequently-used models in Ralph Lauren's early campaigns was Clotilde (née Kristin Holby of Oslow, Norway) and my memories of her composed and noble poses in these early Ralph Lauren ads are clear as ever. I've gathered some of her best moments from these early campaigns.
A friend of mine just sent me a link to this post and I was so delighted to find it! I too am completely obsessed with Ralph Lauren and thought that Clotilde was the epitome of RL elegance and I wanted to be just like her when I was growing up in the 80s!! Thank you for sharing these beautiful images and taking me back in time!!
ReplyDeleteJennifer, so nice to get your comment! She has such a natural look. Perfect for RL.
ReplyDeleteAgree completely with Jennifer! My bf and I were talking about RL today, and Clotilde came to mind as the quintessential RL model of elegance, grace and gorgeousness. Just a perfect timeless beauty, so different from the Cheryls and Christies of the era. Eminently memorable. Thank you for publishing this, I so enjoyed this trip down memory lane. While googling her I saw she had opened a dress shop somewhere in 2007, but it looks like that closed, so who knows what she's doing now. It must be nice to know that she is remembered so fondly by apparently more than just me :-)).
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the only person that went over RL ads from the 80s. Thank you for this. It's nice to see the background to the photography.
ReplyDeleteYou can get the patterns from Nancy Vale's books.
ReplyDeleteI loved the RL fashions of that time and Clotilde was the perfect model for those styles.
ReplyDeleteI remember this fashion and magazines , RL etc … that Coltilde did a swimsuit - I think is was in Cosmopolitan magazine in the late 1970’s … wish I could see it again …
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. I thought she was the beautiful woman. I tried to style myself after her. I still remember an ad I had seen for RL with her in it. She was wearing herringbone pants in grey with a black sweater and a pearl necklace. Ultimate in elegance. Many of your pictures ring a bell as I saw them when they were originally used . Clotilde has never been surpassed by any other Super Model, at least for me.
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