Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
New York Times critic Cathy Horyn took Ralph Lauren to task for exhibiting bad clothes and judgment in his spring 2010 collection. Lauren's dusty overalls, torn and faded denim, and "humble floral dresses" recalled the Great Depression too literally for her taste. "Can hard times and their associated misery ever be an acceptable theme for a fashion show?" Horyn asked. We'll take a wild guess that she thinks the answer is "No." [On the Runway]