VINTAGE IN CONVERSATION: NILI LOTAN AND THOROUGHBRED
There are partnerships that begin with strategy, and then there are those that begin with curiosity. The partnership between Nili Lotan and Thoroughbred New York belongs to the latter—a meeting of two worlds connected by instinct, obsession, and a shared reverence for authenticity.
For Nili Lotan, the partnership with Thoroughbred New York began with curiosity—the kind that leads you through a doorway and into another person’s world. Inside Thoroughbred, surrounded by decades of collected Ralph Lauren, there was an immediate sense of familiarity: the pursuit of a point of view. “I was curious to see a world I understood,” Nili reflects. “The authenticity of it. The passion behind it. The dedication to something timeless.”
That world belongs to Laird Mackintosh: Broadway actor, lifelong collector, and devoted archivist of vintage Ralph Lauren. Located in Kingston, New York, Thoroughbred is the only store of its kind in America dedicated exclusively to vintage men’s and women’s Ralph Lauren. More than a showroom, it is an ongoing study of Americana, heritage, and the emotional power of clothing.
For Laird, the fascination with Ralph Lauren began decades ago. Growing up in Calgary, Alberta, Ralph Lauren campaigns from the early eighties became formative. The Thoroughbred campaign from Fall 1984, safari imagery from Spring 1984, cricket sweaters, boating jackets, military tailoring, faded chambray, English aristocratic references—all of it felt cinematic and aspirational. The imagery became part of his consciousness long before collecting became an obsession.
Over time, that obsession evolved into an archive. During the pandemic, Laird began selling pieces through Instagram, filming garments in the hallway of his home and sharing rare finds with an audience equally passionate about vintage Ralph Lauren. Eventually, the collection grew too large for the house and he opened Thoroughbred New York. “I’m interested in the idea of the specialty shop,” Laird says. “Something curated. One thing done really well. I’m looking for rarity—pieces that make you stop and say, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen that before.’” That appreciation for rarity and authenticity is what drew Nili toward the partnership. “What I connect to is functionality,” she says. “Uniforms. Utilitarian pieces. Things made to serve people that eventually took on another life.”
For this partnership, Laird spent weeks setting aside pieces specifically for Nili—garments he instinctively felt belonged in her world. Rare vintage finds selected not simply for collectibility, but because they reflected the same visual language that has long shaped Nili Lotan collections: cotton boys’ school blazers with narrow shoulders, rugby-era tailoring, faded trenches with beautiful patina—pieces carrying both utility and elegance. Nili then personally curated the final selection for the pop-up, choosing the pieces that felt most authentic within her world and alongside her collection. Nili responded instinctively. "Loving something to the point that you go all the way,” Nili says. “That passion for history, quality, and expression in your own way—that’s where we connect.”
The partnership, hosted at the Nili Lotan Denim Shop on Duane Street from June 5–12, brings that connection to life through a tightly edited in-store installation. Rare vintage pieces sourced by Thoroughbred are displayed alongside Nili Lotan collections—military meets preppy, chambray layered with denim, faded shades of blue interrupted by flashes of red and army green, menswear and womenswear sharing the same sensibility.
Inside the partnership is also a deeper appreciation for Ralph Lauren’s enduring influence—not only aesthetically, but philosophically. The idea that a designer can create an entire universe with enough clarity that others instinctively understand the language. “What I learned from Ralph,” Nili explains, reflecting on years of designing menswear for the brand, “is the importance of having one voice. A true point of view. My name is on the door, so I have to go with what I know and stay true to myself.” That philosophy is what makes this partnership feel so natural. It is an appreciation for clothing that feels relevant because it was made honestly in the first place—garments created to serve people, not trends.
The result is a curated collection of vintage Ralph Lauren sourced by Thoroughbred and integrated into Nili Lotan’s world, displayed alongside her own collection in conversation with the things that inspired it. It is about understanding why certain garments continue to matter and what happens when two people meet through shared curiosity, shared discipline, and shared appreciation for the stories garments can carry forward.
VINTAGE IN CONVERSATION: NILI LOTAN AND THOROGHBRED
There are partnerships that begin with strategy, and then there are those that begin with curiosity. The partnership between Nili Lotan and Thoroughbred New York belongs to the latter—a meeting of two worlds connected by instinct, obsession, and a shared reverence for authenticity.
For Nili Lotan, the partnership with Thoroughbred New York began with curiosity—the kind that leads you through a doorway and into another person’s world. Inside Thoroughbred, surrounded by decades of collected Ralph Lauren, there was an immediate sense of familiarity: the pursuit of a point of view. “I was curious to see a world I understood,” Nili reflects. “The authenticity of it. The passion behind it. The dedication to something timeless.”
That world belongs to Laird Mackintosh: Broadway actor, lifelong collector, and devoted archivist of vintage Ralph Lauren. Located in Kingston, New York, Thoroughbred is the only store of its kind in America dedicated exclusively to vintage men’s and women’s Ralph Lauren. More than a showroom, it is an ongoing study of Americana, heritage, and the emotional power of clothing.
For Laird, the fascination with Ralph Lauren began decades ago. Growing up in Calgary, Alberta, Ralph Lauren campaigns from the early eighties became formative. The Thoroughbred campaign from Fall 1984, safari imagery from Spring 1984, cricket sweaters, boating jackets, military tailoring, faded chambray, English aristocratic references—all of it felt cinematic and aspirational. The imagery became part of his consciousness long before collecting became an obsession.
Over time, that obsession evolved into an archive. During the pandemic, Laird began selling pieces through Instagram, filming garments in the hallway of his home and sharing rare finds with an audience equally passionate about vintage Ralph Lauren. Eventually, the collection grew too large for the house and he opened Thoroughbred New York. “I’m interested in the idea of the specialty shop,” Laird says. “Something curated. One thing done really well. I’m looking for rarity—pieces that make you stop and say, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen that before.’” That appreciation for rarity and authenticity is what drew Nili toward the partnership. “What I connect to is functionality,” she says. “Uniforms. Utilitarian pieces. Things made to serve people that eventually took on another life.”
For this partnership, Laird spent weeks setting aside pieces specifically for Nili—garments he instinctively felt belonged in her world. Rare vintage finds selected not simply for collectibility, but because they reflected the same visual language that has long shaped Nili Lotan collections: cotton boys’ school blazers with narrow shoulders, rugby-era tailoring, faded trenches with beautiful patina—pieces carrying both utility and elegance. Nili then personally curated the final selection for the pop-up, choosing the pieces that felt most authentic within her world and alongside her collection. Nili responded instinctively.
“Loving something to the point that you go all the way,” Nili says. “That passion for history, quality, and expression in your own way—that’s where we connect.”
The partnership, hosted at the Nili Lotan Denim Shop on Duane Street from June 5–12, brings that connection to life through a tightly edited in-store installation. Rare vintage pieces sourced by Thoroughbred are displayed alongside Nili Lotan collections—military meets preppy, chambray layered with denim, faded shades of blue interrupted by flashes of red and army green, menswear and womenswear sharing the same sensibility.
Inside the partnership is also a deeper appreciation for Ralph Lauren’s enduring influence—not only aesthetically, but philosophically. The idea that a designer can create an entire universe with enough clarity that others instinctively understand the language. “What I learned from Ralph,” Nili explains, reflecting on years of designing menswear for the brand, “is the importance of having one voice. A true point of view. My name is on the door, so I have to go with what I know and stay true to myself.” That philosophy is what makes this partnership feel so natural. It is an appreciation for clothing that feels relevant because it was made honestly in the first place—garments created to serve people, not trends.
The result is a curated collection of vintage Ralph Lauren sourced by Thoroughbred and integrated into Nili Lotan’s world, displayed alongside her own collection in conversation with the things that inspired it. It is about understanding why certain garments continue to matter and what happens when two people meet through shared curiosity, shared discipline, and shared appreciation for the stories garments can carry forward.