Ralph Lauren, known as Ralph Lifschitz at birth on October 14, 1939, is an esteemed American fashion designer and business executive. He has earned a reputation for his classic style and is often referred to as “the first image-maker” according to New York magazine. Although he did not begin his career in fashion, Lauren has become a prominent figure in the industry. Prior to achieving success, he pursued studies in business science and served in the military. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York by parents who immigrated from Belarus.
Ralph grew up in a working class neighborhood with his parents (his father worked as a house painter) and three brothers. While not poor, Ralph understood the value of money from a young age and had a strong desire to succeed. During his teenage years, he worked part-time after school to save money for expensive suits. Despite having the option to buy cheaper clothes, Ralph always prioritized fashionable attire and has continued this habit since he was 12.
Despite not having attended fashion design school, Lauren’s passion for smart dress grew during his time studying business at the City University of New York. While working as a salesman at two glove companies during the day, Lauren pursued his studies in the evening. After a couple of years, he made the decision to leave the program and transition into the fashion industry. Before embarking on this new career path, Lauren served in the United States Army from 1962-1964 and later married Ricky Low-Beer. Returning to his focus on men’s fashion, Lauren started working at A. Rivetz & Co., a time manufacturer. This marked his first foray into design, and he debuted a wider tie than what was currently available on the market. As 1967 rolled around, Lauren secured financial backing to launch his own neckwear boutique, where he sold his own tie designs along with other brands. He chose to name his tie collection Polo as it embodied the power, style, and intrigue that the brand was synonymous with. According to informat.com, “Wearing a Ralph Lauren tie in those days was like belonging to a fraternity.” (Ralph Lauren The Man behind the Mystique p. 1)
And thus commenced the initiation of his fashion dynasty, following the inauguration of his inaugural necktie store. Subsequently emerged the collection for men, and in 1971, Lauren unveiled his line for women. The Polo brand, acclaimed today for exuding a refined English-tweed aesthetic, did not attain its status as a multimillion dollar empire solely due to Lauren’s good fortune, nor solely because of his impeccable fashion sense. Lauren possessed not only a visionary mind but also a comprehensive understanding that the packaging and presentation were paramount – a lesson he had already assimilated, even before pursuing his business degree.
Ralph Lauren’s company is almost unique because of its vertical integration. In the late 60’s, while trying to develop his line of wide ties, Ralph Lauren faced a demand from Bloomingdale’s to remove his name from the ties’ label and make them narrower. Despite the pressure from the retail giant, Lauren stood his ground and refused to sell to Bloomingdale’s under those conditions. Eventually, the department store had to come back to Lauren and agree to sell his ties on his terms after witnessing the success of the brand. (source: Ralph Lauren The Man Behind the Mystique p. 5)
The history of the Ralph Lauren brand is well-known. In the 80s, Ralph Lauren achieved tremendous success with his men’s collection, particularly with the introduction of the iconic power suit. While other fashion houses were also producing power suits at the time, people were captivated by the Polo image, which represented wealth, sophistication, and class. The clothing from his brand was crafted from the finest materials, featured impeccable tailoring, and had a timeless aesthetic that was unique to Polo. Additionally, casual wear was also a significant hit for the RL brand, embodying the popular preppy chic look of the 80s.
The brand proceeded to introduce women’s wear and Ralph Lauren home products, including bed sheets, towels, and furniture, all showcasing the classic American style that the Polo/Ralph Lauren brand was famous for. According to the book “Ralph Lauren The Man Behind the Mystique” (p. 4), the fall 1987 product list of the Ralph Lauren Home Collection alone consisted of 2,200 items. It is Lauren’s innovation, among his many other qualities as a model businessman, that has led him to become the founder, designer, and chairman of a company worth $900 million. He not only pioneered the concept of fashion designers having their own stores but also introduced the idea of selling consumers a complete lifestyle image, which has since garnered worldwide appeal.
Ralph Lauren’s clothing and home collection represents a timeless sense of taste and snobbishness, without being extravagant like the Ralph Lauren/Polo brand. Along with apparel and home furnishings, Lauren promotes an image of sophistication, class, and refined living as a lifestyle. His exceptional business skills, unyielding commitment to his products, and ability to overcome multiple business failures have contributed to his net worth of $1 billion. Moreover, he possesses an impressive fleet of cars including a 1929 Bentley, 1937 Alfa Romeo, 1938 Bugatti, and 1962 Ferrari. Additionally, he owns various properties such as a ranch in Colorado, residences in Jamaica and Long Island, an estate in Bedford New York , as well as his Fifth Avenue residence in Manhattan. By purchasing his products anyone can achieve the same level of style as himself.
(Source: www.informat.com)
In 1997,Polo Ralph Lauren,Polo Sport,and the Ralph Lauren Collection went public on the US stock market under names associated with Lauren’s fashion empire.He also made his foray into the entertainment industry by making a cameo appearance on the TV show Friends back in 1999.
In the early 2000s, Ralph Lauren signed a significant 30-year deal with NBC and two NBC affiliates. This deal allowed him to sell his designer “lifestyle” through various mediums such as the Internet, television, and print. At the time, Lauren emphasized that they were not only selling clothes but also a dream and a vision. Currently, Ralph Lauren resides in Bedford, Connecticut, with his wife Ricky. Together, they have two sons named Andrew and David, as well as a daughter named Dylan. David holds an executive position at Polo Ralph Lauren while Dylan owns and operates a luxurious candy store called Dylan’s Candy Bar in Manhattan’s 59th Street and Third Avenue. (Source: www.allthingspoloralphlauren.blogspot.com)
On December 6th, 2006, Ricky appeared on Martha’s television show and mentioned that her son Andrew is involved in the “movie business”. There have been multiple biographies written about Lauren by Jeffrey Trachtenberg, Michael Gross, and Colin MacDowell. Lauren is famous for being a collector of classic automobiles. His cars have won best in show at the esteemed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance multiple times. Recently, his collection was displayed at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
By 2007, Ralph Lauren had boutiques in various locations including New York, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Boston, East Hampton (NY), Manhasset, Short Hills (NJ), San Francisco, Bal Harbour and Honolulu. Despite being in business for 42 years at that point, the Ralph Lauren brand continues to be successful. The RL family has expanded to include shoes and clothing for babies and children as well as a more casual line called Rugby and a highly profitable fragrance line.
Polo for men remains a top-selling product since its launch in 1978 while the women’s line has seen numerous successes with fragrances like Romance, Notorious, Pure Turquoise and Love. Polo prefers licensing rather than manufacturing; it oversees many licensees along with more than 350 contract manufacturers worldwide.
(Source: www.eilatgordinlevitan.com)
Ralph Lauren, founder of Polo, currently controls almost 90% of the company’s voting power. The firm operates approximately 275 retail and outlet stores in the US, as well as licensing more than 100 others globally. Ralph Lauren’s brand, known for its American casual chic style, has achieved worldwide dominance, growing from a line of wide ties to a $900 million empire. He is a visionary designer with a keen business sense, and his brand exudes timeless class without excessive flash. Ralph Lauren has become an iconic figure in American fashion, capturing the essence of the American spirit through his clothing and perfumes. (source: www.no1-in-beauty.com)
Jaesen Keith Costume History FM 122 Anne Hankey Foreman
Bibliography
Gross, Michael. Genuine Authentic: the Real Life of Ralph Lauren. New York, NY: HarperCollinsPublishers, 2003. Print.
http://www.ralphlauren.com. “Ralph Lauren Biography and Profiles of Fashion Designers.” InfoMat – Home Index. 18 Jan. 2007. Web. 26 May 2010.
http://www.infomat.com/ralphlauren.html. “Ralph Lauren Biography, Classic American Fashion Designer.” Beauty Tips and Reviews on Beauty Products and Treatments. Web. 26 May 2010.
http://www.articles.com/ralph_lauren.htm. “Ralph Lauren.” Eilat Gordin Levitan. Web. 26 May 2010.
http://www.eilatgordinlevitan.com/pinsk/pinsk_pages/pinsk_stories_ralphlauren.html. Tiffany.“Ralph Lifshitz- The Man Known as ‘Ralph Lauren’” All Things Polo Ralph Lauren Blogspot, Mar 26th, 2008.Web.May-26-10
.
