Ralph Lauren creates a new title for a man who tells stories about suits

The story

Ralph Lauren promotes Ryan Lally to a newly created role as chief brand communications officer, with oversight of global brand strategy and storytelling.

Source: wwd.com

Our reading

Ralph Lauren has created a new title for Ryan Lally: chief brand communications officer. It’s a role that sounds like it could have been filled by a PR intern with a flair for metaphor, but now it’s a full-time gig. The company seems to think that the way people ‘experience’ the brand is just as important as the clothes themselves.

The new title is a reminder that in fashion, the real product isn’t the suit or the shirt—it’s the story you tell about why you’re wearing it. Lally’s job is to make sure that story is consistent, compelling, and, above all, not boring.

Now, if only the brand could figure out how to make its storytelling as sharp as its tailoring.