After more than 30 years, Tyson Beckford made a triumphant return to Ralph Lauren’s runway.
The 55-year-old actor and trailblazing model—whose history with the house stretches back to 1994—closed the legacy brand’s Fall/Winter 2026-2027 menswear show on Jan. 16 at the Palazzo Ralph Lauren in Milan, Italy.
The presentation, pairing Polo Ralph Lauren with Purple Label, offered two sides of the same man. Polo opened the show set to an instrumental version of Jonny Lloyd & Cliff Norrell’s “I Can’t Forget You,” leaning into rugged, relaxed Americana, think utility jackets, camo baseball caps, brushed wool patterned knits, orange puffy quilted outerwear, and easy tailoring in earthy, lived-in tones all anchored by practical accessories like Heritage Collection bags and Alpine boots.
From there, the collection elevated into Purple Label’s refined sophistication, where cashmere sport coats, double-faced finishes, metallic parkas, and formal eveningwear reinforced the might of the brand’s tailoring.
Craft and culture were front and center, too. This season debuted Polo Ralph Lauren x TÓPA, an Artist in Residence collaboration with Oceti Sakowin designers and husband-and-wife duo Jocy and Trae Little Sky, bringing the Indigenous-led brand’s artistry into the fold. Turquoise-accented belt buckles, fringe suede, and silver jewelry by Neil Zarama (Chiricahua Apache Nation) were threaded throughout.
And then came the crescendo of Beckford’s big finale.
The “King’s Court” star sauntered onto the runway in a black tuxedo enveloped by a massive fuzzy brown coat, finished with a tan cowboy hat and rugged brown boots. He kept his cool as he strode through the aisles until he reached the end of the front row, then gave fellow actor Colman Domingo, who was in attendance, a playful wave.
The show was led by James Jeter, Polo Ralph Lauren’s first Black Creative Director and the visionary behind the brand’s viral Martha’s Vineyard campaign.
Since the show, the “Into the Blue” star has taken to his Instagram Stories to share footage from the runway and reposts celebrating his return. Beckford first broke ground with Ralph Lauren as the face of the label’s 1994 Polo Sport campaign — a landmark moment that not only helped launch his career, but also pushed the boundaries of representation in fashion.
In May 2025, Beckford attended the Met Gala for the first time in 12 years in a “dandy meets James Bond” look by Ralph Lauren Purple Label, marking the 30th anniversary of his signing an exclusive contract with the brand in 1995 that cemented his place as one of the first Black male supermodels.
Speaking to PEOPLE at the time about wearing the iconic American label on Fashion’s biggest night, he said, “For me, it was like being with family and understanding how you dress and knowing your sizes, knowing what looks good on you and always knowing that they got my back.”
He added, “I just couldn’t think about going with anyone else.”
