L'OFFICIEL tracks the decades-spanning symbol of Ralph Lauren's vision of Americana.

With the United States of America's semiquincentennial on the horizon, cue one of the most fitting garments for the occasion: Ralph Lauren's iconic flag sweater. While this classic knit has become a staple across styles, generations, and seasons, have you ever wondered why the flag on the sweater features only 13 stars?Let's begin with a quick history lesson. The Stars and Stripes in use today is, in fact, the 27th version of the national flag. The 13-star Ralph Lauren flag references the 1777 design, which featured 13 stars and 13 stripes representing the original 13 colonies that declared themselves an independent nation in 1776.

Ralph Lauren Fall 1989 Ready-to-Wear Runway Show. Getty Images.

The legendary flag sweater made its debut in Ralph Lauren's Fall/Winter 1989 collection. Model Isabelle Townsend <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/ralph-lauren-classic-timeless-runway-moments-90s-knitwear">graced the runway</a> in an American flag-emblazoned sweater, a design that originated from a friendly bet between <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/men/ralph-lauren-fashion-designer-facts-polo">Ralph Lauren</a> and his brother Jerry Lauren, who each championed a different motif—an American flag and an eagle, respectively—and agreed to let customers decide the winner. As part of a collection that paid homage to Americana and American folk art, the flag ultimately prevailed, and the design would continue to evolve through later iterations and archival reissues, gaining the now-quintessential "RL" embroidery in the corner. Today, the flag sweater remains one of the brand's most enduring signatures, returning season after season on runways, in campaigns, and in everyday wardrobes.In 2018, Ralph Lauren's <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/ralph-lauren-spring-summer-2019-collection">50th anniversary show</a> transformed Central Park's Bethesda Terrace into a patchwork-lined, star-studded celebration of American style. Models walked hand in hand with children through the grand hall, pairing flag sweaters with camel overcoats, denim, Western boots, and collegiate knits, presenting the sweater as a symbol threaded through generations of American life.

Ralph Lauren 50th Anniversary Show. Getty Images.

Ralph Lauren at his 50th Anniversary Show. Getty Images.

The flag was more than an inspiration or design motif for Lauren. As the designer once said, “I am the product of the American dream, and the flag is its symbol,” he honored it in ways beyond turning it into one of fashion's most recognizable icons. In 1998, the designer donated $13 million to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's preservation project for the original Star-Spangled Banner—the flag that flew over Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore and inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner."In 2001, Ralph Lauren postponed and relocated his Spring/Summer 2002 show—originally set to take place on September 12—following 9/11. He appeared on the runway afterward wearing a flag sweater with a pair of jeans. Deeply affected by the tragedy, Lauren established the American Heroes Fund through the Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation to support relief efforts and the families of victims. The initiative ultimately raised millions of dollars through corporate contributions, employee donations, and customer purchases, while also funding long-term scholarship programs for victims' children.

Ralph Lauren on the Spring/Summer 2002 runway. Getty Images.

Ralph Lauren at his Fall 1989 Ready-to-Wear Runway Show. Getty Images.

Lauren has long <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/ralph-lauren-catwalk-book-bridget-foley-release-date-buy-american-fashion">stood at the forefront of American fashion</a>. When he opened his first store outside the United States in 1981, the Polo shop on London's New Bond Street became the first freestanding store in Europe by an American designer. Over the decades, both the brand and its Star-Spangled Banner-inspired emblem have come to embody a distinctly American aesthetic. Today, Ralph Lauren serves as the official outfitter of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, where <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/fashion-labels-designed-olympic-uniforms-ralph-lauren">athletes proudly sport</a> the iconic sweater, bringing the historic 13-star flag to the world stage alongside the Olympic rings and the Agitos.

Para Snow athletes Keith Gabel and Joe Pleban in the Ralph Lauren studio. Getty Images.

Para Snow athletes Kate Delson, Jackie Hamwey and Brenna Huckaby in the Ralph Lauren studio. Getty Images.

Team USA at the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Getty Images.

This year, Ralph Lauren celebrates the country's 250th anniversary in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service. The <a href="https://www.ralphlauren.global/gi/en/rlmag/ralph-lauren-commemorative-stamp.html">"American Icons"</a> capsule features commemorative postcards, stamps, and—you guessed it—the sweater bearing the historic 13-star flag. Since its debut more than three decades ago, designs change, trends come and go, but the iconic flag sweater remains the timeless expression of Ralph Lauren's vision of Americana.

The History Behind Ralph Lauren's 13-Star Flag Sweater

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