Amid the cultural boom that was 1960s America, Manhattan’s La Côte Basque was a bastion of high society. The restaurant served as a headquarters, of sorts, to the city’s most rarefied figures, from Jacqueline Kennedy to Truman Capote to Frank Sinatra. For more than 50 years, sharp-dressed regulars dined on jambon à la crème au porto and soufflé tous parfum, forming an unofficial yet tantalizingly exclusive social club. That was until 2004, when the restaurant shut down, temporarily closing the doors to one of the city’s temples of the social elite. It wasn’t until Ralph Lauren himself took over the property in 2015 and broke ground on The Polo Bar that the building once again began attracting America’s most influential figures and hosting conversations that would reverberate through the culture. A New Yorker by transplant, multiplatinum recording artist Usher knows these conversations well — so much so that one particular Polo Bar run-in has shaped the next chapter of his career, appropriately, as the face of Ralph’s Club New York.

At The Polo Bar, “icons” are not uncommon. In fact, it’s an environment that feels designed to make such grandiose figures feel at home; the interior is warmly glamorous, adorned with rich wood paneling, brass accents, and a wealth of equestrian-themed art. It was here that the R & B superstar spotted Ralph Lauren himself across the room. Naturally, as perhaps the smoothest man in America, he didn’t hesitate to make an introduction.

“There was a brief conversation at The Polo Bar where I came over to Ralph and his wife,” Usher explains. “They were celebrating one of their child’s birthday or something like that, and I said, ‘We have something in common.’ He said, ‘Yeah, what is that?’ I said, ‘Our birthdays are on the same day.’ So, you know, then we had a quick chuckle, talked a little bit.”

There was no motive to the conversation. As one might imagine, Usher isn’t one to network, even if he needed to. Like so many of the figures who have occupied those tables over the years, he moves through life with a combination of cool nonchalance and amiable warmth that one would expect from a veteran entertainer. In each chapter of his career — from his initial records to global tours to Las Vegas residencies — he hasn’t hurried toward the next opportunity. Instead, he seems to possess a sort of gravitational pull that draws in the right people, the right places, the right opportunities.

“I mean, I didn’t even know that they were in the process of selecting an ambassador,” he laughs, recalling that fateful conversation with Lauren and his wife. “I guess I fit the idea of what he had in mind. It just worked for where I was.”

What Usher describes as a moment of serendipity is, in fact, an opportunity that even the most seasoned superstars would clamour for: the role as the face of Ralph’s Club New York, the latest fragrance from Ralph Lauren. Of course, the more Usher describes his relationship with not only the brand, but the fragrance itself, it becomes clear that the connection between the eight-time Grammy winner and Ralph Lauren runs far deeper than shared birthdays.

“[A Ralph’s man] has individual style. That person is charismatic. That person is unmistakably charming and has a very unique sense of style in this time. These are all things that not only Ralph represents, but I feel like I represent as well.”

— Usher

“I felt like it was a natural organic connection given the fact that you [have] two iconic brands working together,” Usher says. “I mean, I don’t want to talk about myself in third person, but I feel the idea of what Usher represents and the story that is historically talked about with Las Vegas has a lot to do with Frank Sinatra. So, I think around that time, maybe two, three years ago, when the conversation of collaborating came up, I was walking in the shadows of the stories that had been told at the time in Las Vegas for Frank Sinatra. So that was the beginning of the kickoff for us.”

Usher is referring to his Las Vegas residency that somehow added an entirely new layer to an already storied career. The residency ran from 2022 to 2023 and quickly became one of the most sought-after spectacles on the Strip. His Caesars show was so wildly successful that he parlayed it into an even bigger Vegas residency down the street at the Park MGM, where he’d continue to — in his words — “walk in the shadows” of Sinatra’s own time in Vegas.

When Lauren tapped Usher as the new face of Ralph’s Club New York, he did so knowing that he was approaching a figure not only expertly versed in the brand’s heritage but one who had a vision of who a “Ralph’s man” is, and what he represents. “That person has individual style. That person is charismatic. That person is unmistakably charming and has a very unique sense of style in this time,” he says, flashing his signature smile. “These are all things that not only Ralph represents, but I feel like I represent as well.”

In many ways, Usher is an enigmatic, almost fantastical figure. He describes everything as a dreamy monologue, assigning poignant significance to every moment. He’s been at the forefront of culture for more than three decades, and yet he remains ageless. He is — as he attests — able to sit effortlessly at the intersection of “a guy’s guy and a lady’s man.” And despite his superstar status, he maintains an unwavering dedication to making those around him feel a part of his orbit, whether it’s performing intimate, personal (very intimate, very personal) serenades for fans mid-concert or repeating his interviewer’s name throughout each answer of a conversation. In essence, no one makes stardom look more effortless.

His ability to create a shared moment, he explains, is partly due to his southern upbringing and partly a muscle honed over years of performing for those who have gone to great lengths to share a fleeting moment with him. It feels quite fitting, then, that he’d embrace introducing all that Ralph’s Club New York represents. The concept of a Ralph’s man isn’t something to be easily achieved; it takes intention.

“It’s about being unapologetically individual,” Usher explains, speaking to not only the fragrance but its striking campaign that pays homage to New York City. While the fragrance itself delivers a seductive fougère: an ambery-fruity fragrance featuring juicy blackcurrant accord (used for the first time in a men’s fragrance) and an addictive blend of creamy vanilla and warm sandalwood, the campaign echoes the same unbridled sense of romance.

“I’m making references to places like Studio 54, but we weren’t there. You know what I mean? We’ve heard about it, we’ve seen pictures, but to kind of recreate this idea into what Ralph’s Club is — because it is all those institutions and the embodiment of them, really — is the goal. This is a moment between heritage, edge, and tradition coming together. And Ralph’s Club New York is just that.”

— Usher

Brought to life over three days of shooting, the images and film are the result of months of meticulous planning and creative collaboration. “I am who I am, you are who you are. And what’s beautiful about this brand, this house, is there’s a place for you to find yourself in it,” he explains. “[Ralph’s Club New York] gave me, really, an opportunity to reach into ideas that I’d always wanted to explore outside of live performance. And if you want a piece of it, you can. You can have it all, if you choose to.”

Yes, the “Ralph’s man” could be any of us. Even so, whether it’s the campaign or the bottle itself or Usher’s own impassioned narrative, one figure stood as the beacon for what he and Lauren were hoping to evoke: Frank Sinatra. “One thing that I love about Ralph is the fact that you always feel like you’re in some piece of history. [For the campaign], I wanted to do a remake of ‘New York, New York,’ and they wanted a Frank Sinatra remake. I thought, ‘You know what? I’ve got an idea. Let me go into the studio.’ I went in and I worked on my version of ‘New York, New York,’ and they loved it. So, we kind of exceeded the expectation […] and then all these things just naturally started to fall into place [in] regards to the fashion and the story that was to be told there.”

As his trailblazing, 30-year career can attest, Usher isn’t quick to follow the footsteps of anyone. Yet, when he discusses Sinatra, there’s a rare tone of reverence in his voice. The parallels between the two are uncanny, from Usher’s “My Way” Las Vegas residency to their shared relationship with New York City. Both were transplants brought to the city by lofty career aspirations, Sinatra from the nearby Garden State, Hoboken, N.J., and Usher arriving by way of Dallas, Texas, Chattanooga, Tenn., and finally, Atlanta, Ga. Sinatra, of course, quickly became synonymous with the city and a staple of spaces like La Côte Basque. As for Usher, he credits New York City as the place that made his career and an inspiration for the storytelling that fuels it today, whether that manifests in sold-out stadiums, Super Bowl halftime shows, his personal style, or the campaign itself.

“They say if you make it in New York, you can make it anywhere, right?” he says. “My career started in New York. So, while I’m not from New York, the spirit of New York is something that I think everybody can participate in. […] It’s elegance. It’s boldness. It’s unapologetic style. When I think of Frank Sinatra, he was the man’s man and the lady’s man at the same time. Those are things that are all about an attitude. And you can pick up an attitude no matter where you’re from. But it is something that is synonymous with New York. There’s a boldness that comes with New York. I’m just so happy to be a part of the story. It’s a character that I’m in the middle of, but one that is organic and that I happen to be in my life right now.”

This notion of creating not merely a narrative but an immersive world within the campaign mirrors what Usher has done throughout his entire career. Following a string of sensual hits throughout the ’90s, Confessions (2004) took a purposeful plot twist toward turning the singer into R & B’s bad boy. When he took on Las Vegas, the various residencies were a glimpse into different periods of what Usher previously described as the “hero’s journey.” Now, with Ralph’s Club New York, the story of Usher continues to evolve alongside the brand.

“I’m almost representing a multitude of icons in the moment,” he explains, painting the picture behind the campaign. “I’m making references to places like Studio 54, but we weren’t there. You know what I mean? We’ve heard about it, we’ve seen pictures, but to kind of recreate this idea into what Ralph’s Club is — because it is all those institutions and the embodiment of them, really — is the goal. This is a moment between heritage, edge, and tradition coming together. And Ralph’s Club New York is just that.”

“There’s a sensual nature to who and what we represent as romantics in terms of how we move through the world. But there’s also a spirit that you have to possess organically. You can’t just play a part. You have to embody romanticism in your life, entirely.”

— Usher

A few years ago, perhaps when discussions surrounding his new role as the face of Ralph’s Club New York first began, Usher shared his thoughts on how R & B could become more consumable as a genre. Hip-hop, he noted, had associations with particular jewellery, COOGI sweaters, hairstyles, etc. As for how R & B’s storytelling could become more tangible, he wasn’t sure. Perhaps in the story of R & B — and Usher himself — Ralph’s Club New York offers such tangibility. After all, wouldn’t a fragrance balancing boldness, sensuality, and a true narrative be the perfect representation for the genre? Even the bottle itself takes inspiration from a polished gentleman’s flask, with its distinctive “R” diamond monogram framed by sharp architectural lines inspired by New York’s Art Deco landmarks, capturing the city’s golden era of design. In true Usher fashion, everything he touches feels grounded in romance, whether in referencing this century or the last.

“Romanticism just feels exactly like what New York is,” he says. “When you go to New York, you get lost in New York. It’s the place where our liberties lie. It’s where we sleepwalk through the day and we run through the night, you know what I mean? You can want it all. And you can have it all.”

But to “have it all” goes beyond possessing the fragrance itself. Of course, there’s no true barrier to purchasing a cologne. But for Usher, being a Ralph’s man in the vein of Sinatra or himself isn’t merely about blends of creamy vanilla and warm sandalwood (as intoxicating as it may be). It’s about embracing the history and attitude of New York City, discovering your own individual sense of boldness, and committing every day to seeking romance. The scent itself is just a part of the story.

“There’s a sensual nature to who and what we represent as romantics in terms of how we move through the world. But there’s also a spirit that you have to possess organically,” he explains. “You can’t just play a part. You have to embody romanticism in your life, entirely. There’s an idea of fearlessness and making sure you understand the most elegant and expressive moments. […] Casualness is something that we can all easily do. But it takes effort to be elegant. It takes effort to dress up and put on. And I think we’re coming back to a time where that effort is really embraced. So, it’s beautiful to me that this partnership is happening at this time. It’s natural for my life and career. It was natural that Ralph and I made that connection at The Polo Bar. And now, we have this amazing relationship that has led to the next part of our story.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RALPH LAUREN.