January 14, 1939 The Bronx, New York, United States
From 1962 to 1964 he served in the United States Army and left to work briefly for Brooks Brothers as a sales assistant before becoming a salesman for a tie company. The Ralph Lauren Corporation started in 1967 with men's ties. At 28 years old, Mr. Lauren worked for the tie manufacturer Beau Brummell, where he convinced the company's president to let him start his own line. His wide, colorful ties were the opposite of the narrow dark neckties common at the time; they sold well and started a new trend. Mr. Lauren started his own company and the next year launched a line of men's clothing, Polo, offering styles that were a mix of English and American styles and that expressed an image of class. Ralph Lauren's menswear was a success, and in 1971 he introduced his women's line, which developed into four lifestyle groups: collection, classics, country, and active. As the years went by he continued to branch out into children's clothes, colognes, footwear, home products, and other merchandise. The same year he opened his first retail store on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, California, building toward a total of 116 Polo-Ralph Lauren freestanding stores in the United States, plus one in London, Paris, and Shanghai, as well as 1, 300 boutiques in department stores. Eyewear was launched in 1974, boyswear and the fragrances Polo for men and Lauren for women in 1978. Girls' clothing was introduced in 1981, footwear followed in 1982, an extensive home collection in 1983, then came scarves, hosiery, sleepwear, leather goods, luggage, jewelry, and finally his Safari fragrance in 1990. His costuming for the films The Great Gatsby (1973) and Annie Hall (1978) influenced the way millions dressed. Ralph Lauren's vision was to represent timeless American style with a dash of British elegance and the comfort of natural fibers. Some critics said that Mr. Lauren sold a high-priced lifestyle dream more than innovative designs. His advertising drove the message by focusing on the concept, rather than a single item; and his marketing and merchandising translated the vision at retail. His formidable fashion formula was the most successful in fashion retailing, garnering a multitude of honors from his peers. In 1986 he made fashion retailing history with an expansive megastore housed in the huge, elegant, former Rhinelander Mansion in New York. A tour de force of his concept of dreams and designs, the store is a stunning showcase for Mr. Lauren's lifestyle marketing philosophy. Consumers responded, spending over $5 billion a year by 1997 to have the Ralph Lauren look and making him the best-selling designer in the world. In 1989, he co-founded the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington D.C. in memory of the late Post fashion correspondent. In 1994, Ralph Lauren acted as chairman and creates the name and symbol for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, a charitable initiative of the CFDA that marshals the goodwill and services of the fashion industry to raise public awareness and funds for breast cancer internationally. Two major new ventures begun in 1995 took Mr. Lauren into the highly competitive blue jean and mass-market women's clothing categories. Both took the Ralph Lauren name to a new customer at lower prices and were instant hits. In 1996 Mr. Lauren's Home Collection contributed about $535 million in sales world-wide - more than any other designer. Paints were launched the same year, along with instruction videos and all the tools needed to create the living environment of one's choice. By 1997 investment bankers were fighting for the opportunity to help Ralph Lauren put his company on the stock market. In 1998 Mr. Lauren announced that his company would donate $13 million to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., mainly to preserve the original American flag that inspired the writing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in 1812. In 2000 the company's Web site, Polo.com, was introduced, allowing online access to all Ralph Lauren products. Mr. Lauren's charitable contributions continued with the creation of the Polo Volunteer Program and the contribution of $5 million to establish the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention and Care at North General Hospital in Harlem, New York. On September 15, 2000, Ralph Lauren Corporation launched the Pink Pony Campaign, a national initiative to reduce disparities in cancer care by raising awareness as well as enhancing prevention, screening, and treatment in poor and underserved communities. In 2001, the Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation established the American Heroes Fund following September 11 to allow Polo's 10,000 employees worldwide, as well as their customers, the opportunity to participate in the relief effort. In 2003, Mr. Lauren established the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem. The Center is a collaboration between Ralph Lauren, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and North General Hospital in Harlem, New York City. In 2004, the Polo Fashion School was established, in which company executives work with inner-city youth to offer insights into the fashion business. In 2007, Ralph Lauren Corporation acquired the NBC share of RL Media and the web site was relaunched as ralphlauren.com. In 2008, Ralph Lauren Corporation launched a brand called American Living, exclusively for JCPenney. It was the largest cross-category brand launch in the history of Ralph Lauren and JCPenney. In July 2013, Ralph Lauren Corporation announced its commitment to restore the elite École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, one of the most influential art schools in France. In 2014, Ralph Lauren Corporation partnered with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, the largest and most comprehensive cancer center in Europe, to develop a world-class breast cancer research facility. In 2016, Ralph Lauren Corporation opened the Royal Marsden Ralph Lauren Center for Breast Cancer Research. On 29 September 2015, it was announced that Stefan Larsson would replace the company's founder, Ralph Lauren, as CEO in November. Mr. Lauren will stay on as executive chairman and chief creative officer. Ralph Lauren has been featured on over 100 global magazines covers including Architectural Digest, GQ, Forbes, Town&Country, TIME and Vogue.
Ralph Lauren's portrait.
Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy.
Baruch College City University of New York.
Ralph Lauren in his youth.
Ralph Lauren's company logo.
Designer Ralph Lauren walks the runway at the Ralph Lauren fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015 at Skylight Clarkson SQ. on September 11, 2014.
Fashion show, 1993.
Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy.
DeWitt Clinton High School.
Baruch College City University of New York.
Ralph Lauren's company logo.
Designer Ralph Lauren walks the runway at the Ralph Lauren fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015 at Skylight Clarkson SQ. on September 11, 2014.
Ralph Lauren show, 2017.
Fashion show, 1993.
Ralph Lauren in his youth.
https://www.amazon.com/Speed-Style-Beauty-Lauren-Collection/dp/0878466851?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook0b-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=0878466851&SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook0b-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953
https://www.amazon.com/Ralph-Lauren-2007-10-01/dp/B01N0DIIZN/ref=la_B001KIVQKO_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1526454611&sr=1-2&SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook0b-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953
(Men’s Polo, Ralph Lauren’s first complete line of sportsw...)
Men’s Polo, Ralph Lauren’s first complete line of sportswear and tailored clothing launched in 1967.
1967
1978
1978
(Founded in 1993 and named after Ralph Lauren and his wife...)
Founded in 1993 and named after Ralph Lauren and his wife Ricky's “RRL” ranch in Colorado, RRL offers men a mix of selvage denim, vintage apparel, sportswear and accessories, with roots in workwear and military gear.
1993
(Uniforms to be worn in the Olympic Village.)
Uniforms to be worn in the Olympic Village.
2012
(PoloTech Shirt featured smart fabric technology that supp...)
PoloTech Shirt featured smart fabric technology that supposedly "captures robust biometrics from the wearer."
2014
Mr. Lauren was born in the Bronx, New York, United States, on October 14, 1939 to Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants, Frieda (Cutler) and Frank Lifshitz, an artist and house painter, from Pinsk, Belarus. Ralph Lauren grew up in a working-class neighborhood. He is the youngest of four siblings - two brothers and one sister. He and his brother changed their last name to Lauren when they were teenagers.
Ralph Lauren attended day school followed by MTA (now known as the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy), before eventually graduating from DeWitt Clinton High School in 1957. He went to Baruch College, at the City University of New York (CUNY) where he studied business, although he dropped out after two years.
From 1962 to 1964 he served in the United States Army and left to work briefly for Brooks Brothers as a sales assistant before becoming a salesman for a tie company. The Ralph Lauren Corporation started in 1967 with men's ties. At 28 years old, Mr. Lauren worked for the tie manufacturer Beau Brummell, where he convinced the company's president to let him start his own line. His wide, colorful ties were the opposite of the narrow dark neckties common at the time; they sold well and started a new trend.
Mr. Lauren started his own company and the next year launched a line of men's clothing, Polo, offering styles that were a mix of English and American styles and that expressed an image of class. Ralph Lauren's menswear was a success, and in 1971 he introduced his women's line, which developed into four lifestyle groups: collection, classics, country, and active. As the years went by he continued to branch out into children's clothes, colognes, footwear, home products, and other merchandise. The same year he opened his first retail store on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, California, building toward a total of 116 Polo-Ralph Lauren freestanding stores in the United States, plus one in London, Paris, and Shanghai, as well as 1, 300 boutiques in department stores.
Eyewear was launched in 1974, boyswear and the fragrances Polo for men and Lauren for women in 1978. Girls' clothing was introduced in 1981, footwear followed in 1982, an extensive home collection in 1983, then came scarves, hosiery, sleepwear, leather goods, luggage, jewelry, and finally his Safari fragrance in 1990. His costuming for the films The Great Gatsby (1973) and Annie Hall (1978) influenced the way millions dressed. Ralph Lauren's vision was to represent timeless American style with a dash of British elegance and the comfort of natural fibers.
Some critics said that Mr. Lauren sold a high-priced lifestyle dream more than innovative designs. His advertising drove the message by focusing on the concept, rather than a single item; and his marketing and merchandising translated the vision at retail. His formidable fashion formula was the most successful in fashion retailing, garnering a multitude of honors from his peers.
In 1986 he made fashion retailing history with an expansive megastore housed in the huge, elegant, former Rhinelander Mansion in New York. A tour de force of his concept of dreams and designs, the store is a stunning showcase for Mr. Lauren's lifestyle marketing philosophy. Consumers responded, spending over $5 billion a year by 1997 to have the Ralph Lauren look and making him the best-selling designer in the world.
In 1989, he co-founded the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington D.C. in memory of the late Post fashion correspondent. In 1994, Ralph Lauren acted as chairman and creates the name and symbol for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, a charitable initiative of the CFDA that marshals the goodwill and services of the fashion industry to raise public awareness and funds for breast cancer internationally.
Two major new ventures begun in 1995 took Mr. Lauren into the highly competitive blue jean and mass-market women's clothing categories. Both took the Ralph Lauren name to a new customer at lower prices and were instant hits. In 1996 Mr. Lauren's Home Collection contributed about $535 million in sales world-wide - more than any other designer. Paints were launched the same year, along with instruction videos and all the tools needed to create the living environment of one's choice. By 1997 investment bankers were fighting for the opportunity to help Ralph Lauren put his company on the stock market.
In 1998 Mr. Lauren announced that his company would donate $13 million to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., mainly to preserve the original American flag that inspired the writing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in 1812. In 2000 the company's Web site, Polo.com, was introduced, allowing online access to all Ralph Lauren products. Mr. Lauren's charitable contributions continued with the creation of the Polo Volunteer Program and the contribution of $5 million to establish the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention and Care at North General Hospital in Harlem, New York.
On September 15, 2000, Ralph Lauren Corporation launched the Pink Pony Campaign, a national initiative to reduce disparities in cancer care by raising awareness as well as enhancing prevention, screening, and treatment in poor and underserved communities. In 2001, the Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation established the American Heroes Fund following September 11 to allow Polo's 10,000 employees worldwide, as well as their customers, the opportunity to participate in the relief effort.
In 2003, Mr. Lauren established the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem. The Center is a collaboration between Ralph Lauren, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and North General Hospital in Harlem, New York City. In 2004, the Polo Fashion School was established, in which company executives work with inner-city youth to offer insights into the fashion business.
In 2007, Ralph Lauren Corporation acquired the NBC share of RL Media and the web site was relaunched as ralphlauren.com. In 2008, Ralph Lauren Corporation launched a brand called American Living, exclusively for JCPenney. It was the largest cross-category brand launch in the history of Ralph Lauren and JCPenney. In July 2013, Ralph Lauren Corporation announced its commitment to restore the elite École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, one of the most influential art schools in France.
In 2014, Ralph Lauren Corporation partnered with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, the largest and most comprehensive cancer center in Europe, to develop a world-class breast cancer research facility. In 2016, Ralph Lauren Corporation opened the Royal Marsden Ralph Lauren Center for Breast Cancer Research.
On 29 September 2015, it was announced that Stefan Larsson would replace the company's founder, Ralph Lauren, as CEO in November. Mr. Lauren will stay on as executive chairman and chief creative officer. Ralph Lauren has been featured on over 100 global magazines covers including Architectural Digest, GQ, Forbes, Town&Country, TIME and Vogue.
By developing his brand around the image of an elite American lifestyle, Ralph Lauren built one of the world’s most successful fashion empires. He was the first designer to market a lifestyle, and also the first to appear in his own advertising.
Among his numerous awards were the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards for Lifetime Achievement (1992), Womenswear Designer of the Year (1995), and Menswear Designer of the Year (1996, 2007) as well as its Fashion Legend Award (2007). He was awarded the Legion of Honour by the government of France in 2010 and the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal by the Smithsonian Institution in 2014. As of October 2017, Forbes estimates his wealth at $5. 8 billion, which makes Ralph Lauren the 91st richest person in the world.
Double RL
(Founded in 1993 and named after Ralph Lauren and his wife...)
1993PoloTech Shirt
(PoloTech Shirt featured smart fabric technology that supp...)
2014Polo Ralph Lauren
(Men’s Polo, Ralph Lauren’s first complete line of sportsw...)
1967Polo Ralph Lauren for the 2012 US Olympic Team
(Uniforms to be worn in the Olympic Village.)
2012Fragrance Lauren for women
1978Fragrance Polo for men
1978Mr. Lauren is a regular donor to the Democratic Party.
Quotations:
"I believe in clothes that last, that are not dated in a season. The people who wear my clothes don't think of them as fashion."
"I’m interested in longevity, timelessness, style - not fashion."
"I like romance, I like glamour and I like realism. I think that's a great combination.
"I don't design clothes, I design dreams."
"They know they're going to look beautiful, and I don't think women should look like costumes. They shouldn't look like fashion victims."
Physical Characteristics: In April 1987, Ralph Lauren underwent surgery to remove a benign brain tumor and made a full recovery.
Quotes from others about the person
“Woody Hochswender: "Ralph is a great interpreter of American traditions and he shapes these traditions in an ongoing way."
Alan Millstein: "Lauren is the only 7th Avenue high roller who has a successful chain of retail stores. He's the billion-dollar baby."”
On December 20, 1964, Ralph Lauren married Ricky Ann Low-Beer in New York City. They have three children. Andrew Lauren (born in 1969) is a film producer and actor. David Lauren (born in 1971) is executive vice president of global advertising, marketing, and communications at Ralph Lauren Corporation. In September 2011, he married Lauren Bush, the granddaughter of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush. Dylan Lauren (born in 1974), owner of Dylan's Candy Bar in New York City, was married in June 2011 to hedge fund manager, Paul Arrouet.
