Ralph Lauren
(1939 - )
Ralph Lauren was born Ralph Lifschitz on October 14, 1939, in the Bronx, New York City. Early in his life he worked as a sales assistant for a number of clothing stores including Alexanders, Bloomindales, and Brooks Brothers.
After serving in World War II Lauren worked at Beau Brummel as a designer, where he started designing his signature wide flamboyant ties.
In 1968, Ralph Lauren opened his own company, Polo Fashions, where he began selling men’s clothing lines that combined classic English and traditional American styles. His lines featured the natural shoulder line of the Ivy League style. In 1971, he introduced his first women’s collection which he divided into four different lifestyle groups: collection, classics, country and active wear.
Lauren launched the Ralph Lauren label in 1972, with a complete range of garments for women in cashmere, cotton and tweed. Hacking jackets, fair isle sweaters, pleated skirts, crewneck shirts, lace-collared velvet dresses, flannel trousers and flannel skirts all featured in Lauren's following collections. In 1978, Lauren introduced the casual/sophisticated "prairie look" which featured cotton petticoats, fringed buckskin jackets, leather belts, and full-sleeved, soft blouses.
Lauren opened his first retail store in 1971 on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California. In 1974 Lauren launched his Polo Eyewear collection and in 1978 he also launched a boy’s wear collection and introduced two fragrances Polo for men and Lauren for women; which later expanded to over 100 skin color and treatment products.
Ralph Lauren has been awarded the Coty Award seven times and was inducted into the Coty Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1992 and in 1996 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of American Fashion Designers. The Woolmark Tribute Award for influence on American style was presented to Lauren for his 25 years of contribution to fashion.
In 1997 his Polo Ralph Lauren Company became a public corporation, listed on the New York Exchange. Today Ralph Lauren stands out as the best-selling designer in the world. He was also the first designer to market a lifestyle, and also the first to appear in his own advertisements.
