A Lifelong Ralph Lauren Collector Shares His 7 Greatest Finds

No one arrives at Thoroughbred New York by accident. Located on the second floor of a century-old building in Kingston, New York, Laird Mackintosh’s showroom of vintage Ralph Lauren clothes and accessories is a destination for a very specific breed of collector. “People sort of have to know what they’re in for when they come to my place,” says Mackintosh, who has been obsessed with all things Ralph since his teens. “When I go shopping for vintage, I’m hoping I might find one great old tweed jacket or a sweater if I’m lucky. But for Ralph Lauren collectors, when they come into the shop, they faint, right? Because the entire thing is nothing but Ralph Lauren.”

ScreenshotCourtesy of Thoroughbred New York

Mackintosh’s passion for all things Ralph began in the mid-1980s when he worked at a Polo store in his hometown of Calgary, Alberta. A few decades and countless navy blazers later, he’s now one of the country’s foremost experts in Lauren’s oeuvre, with a personal collection including some of the designer’s most iconic pieces, from western wear to tartan luggage to an ultra-rare bottle of 1970s Polo perfume. As the only store of its kind outside of Japan, Thoroughbred has become a pilgrimage site for like-minded enthusiasts and an invaluable resource for inspo-seeking designers. To give us a taste of the goods on offer, Mackintosh showed us through a few of his favorite pieces from Lauren’s golden era.

Polo Ralph Lauren tweed suit, 1982

Courtesy of Thoroughbred New York