Polo Ralph Lauren continues its Artist in Residence program by partnering with TÓPA, an Indigenous-led label created by Jocy and Trae Little Sky. The collaboration brings forward a focused exchange of design traditions through pieces that connect Native artistry with Polo’s fall silhouettes. TÓPA guides the capsule with motifs rooted in the Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota peoples, giving the partnership a clear sense of cultural and visual direction.
For this limited-edition release, TÓPA builds on its signature border designs inspired by the Dakota valley trails. Intarsia v-neck sweaters, chore coats, and trousers carry these patterns with strong graphic precision. A studded leather jacket anchors the assortment with four-pointed stars and a mirrored thípi graphic that introduces an Americana tone through Indigenous references.
The brand name holds personal meaning for the founders. TÓPA means “four” in the languages of the Oceti Sakowin, a word that guides their work and anchors their identity as designers. Jocy is Dakota and from the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. Trae is Oglala Lakota and Stoney Nakoda. They honor their communities through visual language and through handmade regalia worn during Pow Wows. They use quilling, beading, and leatherwork passed through generations, giving their craft a direct line to ancestral knowledge.
“We’ve long admired Ralph Lauren and how the brand brings worlds to life through its designs and storytelling,” says Jocy. She sees the project as a way to honor their culture and hopes the collection encourages people to value their roots, their background, and their aspirations.
Ralph Lauren connects the project to community support. The company will donate 5% of the purchase price of each item to Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation, which supports the Lakota Language and Education Initiative. This connection reinforces the program’s intention: to work with artisans who carry traditional knowledge and to support the communities that sustain those traditions. The Artist in Residence series began in 2023 and continues to grow through collaborations that lift craft and cultural storytelling.
TÓPA’s collaboration with Ralph Lauren enters this landscape with a clear point of view. The collection draws its meaning from the significance of “four” within Oceti Sakowin languages, reflecting directions, seasons, stages of life, and meaningful colors.
