One of my art teachers once claimed that good design could be distilled into a set of mathematical principles—ratios, symmetry, balance. There’s truth to that, but sometimes we overcomplicate what is fundamentally simple. Does anyone really design by rigidly following rules pulled from patterns and data? I think the kind of design that stays with you usually has less to do with rules and more to do with instinct.
In the golden age of automobiles—back in the ‘50s and ‘60s—designers started with a pencil and a blank page, only adjusting for the realities of engineering: i.e. shape of the chassis or size and placement of the engine. The real art was knowing how to balance creativity with constraint—where to respect heritage, and where to push it. That same principle can apply to fashion—especially when it comes to pieces that endure. In a world obsessed with chasing the newest, the boldest, the most boundary-defying, where do we find the classics? Some are nearly untouchable. Think Porsche 911. Ray-Ban Wayfarers. A Montblanc pen. A Rolex Submariner. In fashion, it’s the trench coat, the bomber, the tailored suit, the easy summer dress.
This is where Rag & Bone fits seamlessly into the car collectors’ and enthusiasts’ lifestyle. The New York-based label has built its identity on the tension between tradition and modernity, where British tailoring meets NYC street style. The brand has carved out a space where heritage meets innovation. The kind of fashion that feels right at home in a vintage Aston Martin, a Glickenhaus hypercar, or a ‘90s Land Rover Defender—regardless of who’s driving.
Focusing on the lady drivers for a moment—take the Cheyenne Jacket.
A light, transitional layer, its structure nods to the classic Chanel silhouette, yet takes on something sharper: with more masculine lines, and a boxier cut. Tonal hand-woven stitching runs along the edges, breaking up the tweed in a way that adds just enough edge. Tossed over a hoodie or worn over a crisp button-down shirt, it holds its shape and moves easily between weekdays and weekends, downtown meetings, and long drives upstate.
The jacket gets its name from Cheyenne Mathysen, a young designer working under Rag & Bone’s Womenswear Director, Ashlee Stokes for the past several seasons. Cheyenne helps shape the fit, structure, and overall aesthetic of designs like this one. “Cheyenne and I have worked closely across several collections now,” Ashlee says. “She has a sharp intuition and a great sense of how I work, which makes the process very productive.”
The jacket is just one example of how Rag & Bone plays with tradition—preserving what works while adding its unique twist. This isn’t about nostalgia; it’s about reinvention with intent. Fashion in the spirit of a resto-modded classic—like a Singer 911: updated with care, but still recognizably itself.
So how does a brand like Rag & Bone stay true to its roots while adapting to change?
For Ashlee, it comes down to focus. She’s been with the brand for over a decade, shaping its womenswear line with creativity and consistency. Her design approach involves clean lines, sharp tailoring, and functional pieces with just the right amount of timeless elegance.
But fashion moves fast. Keeping that balance—between consistency and innovation—means bringing in new voices who understand the brand and know how to move it forward, subtly.
“I’m always looking for pieces I can pass down to my future daughter or granddaughter,” Cheyenne says. “So much clothing is made just for the moment. But when I design, I think about how a piece will feel years from now—how it will age, how it will move with someone’s life.”
She sees her generation split—on one side, micro-trend chasers cycling through aesthetics at social media speed; on the other, a growing movement of vintage loyalists, gravitating toward pieces that have already stood the test of time. It’s a shift reflected in the renewed appreciation for brands like The Row, Bode, and Lemaire—design rooted in substance, not spectacle.
If the past decade was defined by excess, logomania, and the relentless churn of newness—the future is shaping up to be something else entirely. Whether it’s womenswear or menswear, Rag & Bone’s pieces are made for real life. Thrown across the passenger seat of a vintage Jaguar, layered under a trench on a crisp morning, or pulled from the closet at a moment’s notice, Rag & Bone designs are ready for wherever you’re heading next, and built to last.
Check out their entire man’s and woman’s collection here: www.rag-bone.com
more information: rag-bone.com
Photo Credit by rag-bone.com
