Ralph Lauren story. Ralph Lauren: history

The Ralph Lauren brand began with the creation of an extraordinary tie by Ralph Lauren in 1967. At that time, narrow ties were on the rise in popularity, and the American designer released a series of wide ones. Subsequently, Ralph Lauren also began producing collections women's clothing and by 1980 the brand had become so famous that later in the fashion world the 80s were called the decade Ralph brand Lauren.

How it all began

Ralph Lauren (his real name is Lifshitz) was born on October 14, 1939 into a modest family that once moved from Belarus to the United States. In his youth, he dreamed of an interesting and rich future in best traditions"American Dream".

Since he and his brother Terry often got into trouble at school due to unusual surname, then they were forced to change their last name to Lauren, not even suspecting how famous she would become several decades later.

Ralph does not have a specialized education; in 1957, he began studying at Bernard Baruch College in the field of Economics and Business, but abandoned his studies and joined the army. After the army, the founder accidentally met Ricky Lowby, his future wife, in an ophthalmologist's office. Six months later they got married. After the wedding, the founder began working as a sales consultant at BrooksBrothers, but later moved to Rivetz&Co, which sewed and sold ties. At this time, he discovered his passion for design and dared to come up with his own collection of wide ties. However, he was not supported at Rivetz&Co and at the age of 26 he opened his own tie-making company.

After wide ties began to appear in famous stores, they began to gain popularity. It gave me confidence to a young designer and he, having taken a loan, founded new brand"PoloFashion". He specifically chose for the brand name a rather privileged sport played successful people, with excellent taste and great income. Dreaming of fame and wealth, he created a brand that, by its name, made it clear that the brand belonged to the luxury class.

The work was appreciated and in 1970 he received prestigious award in the fashion world “CotyAward”, which became the first of a huge number of awards that the designer would receive in the future.

The founder managed to create a successful brand, because the PoloFashion brand, as well as its logo in the form of a polo player, is still popular and relevant to this day. At first, this logo could be seen in 1971 only on models women's shirts, which were an interesting interpretation of men's. A little later, the designer will tell you that the idea for adaptation men's shirts for the women came his wife, Ricky Lowby.

Despite the success and popularity of the new brand, the founder had a hard time managing the company, especially working with finances. So, the 1970s were not better times, and the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. The situation began to improve after he managed to attract investor Peter Strom. Later, a fairly successful tandem was formed, where Ralph was involved in the creation of new collections and their advertising, and Peter was involved in financial reporting and company management.

Brand development

In the second half of the 1970s, the Ralph Lauren brand began to actively develop. In 1974, Paramount began collaborating with the designer to create costumes for the film The Great Gatsby, directed by Jack Clayton. All men's suits were created by Ralph. Here the designer was able to show all his love for classics and chic: three-piece suits, noble colors and materials. As a result, the film received the world-famous Oscar award in the Best Costumes category.

He also begins to explore other areas, such as making shoes, cosmetics and perfumes. In 1978, the first fragrances for women were released under the names “Tuxedo” and “Lauren”, as well as a fragrance for men under the name famous name"Polo". The perfume was received positively, so the range of scents soon increased significantly. For him it was positive sign and a symbol that he is correctly and successfully moving towards his goal.

Branded boutiques began opening across the United States. And in 1981, the first store opened in London.

Lauren did not stop there and in 1983 he created an experimental line of accessories and furniture for the interior “HomeCollection”. Circumstances were such that whatever Ralph Lauren did was ultimately a success, so he deservedly began to be called the emperor in the fashion industry.

Ralph Lauren has always been an innovator and kept up with the times. He became the first designer to create his own website and online store. A little later, he opened a special online service, where he invited anyone to feel like a designer: the user himself could create a clothing design based on basic items from existing collections.

In 2005, the designer wrote the book “Collection Diaries” with his own illustrations, in which he talked about his work on the latest women’s collection. He also starred in popular TV series"Friends", playing himself in it. At this moment, two popular projects from the world of fashion and television came together.

In 2006, the founder abandoned the use of natural fur in his collections. Today the designer is a member of various animal rights organizations.

The brand appeared in Russia only in 2007 with the opening company store in Moscow.

Contribution to fashion history

Ralph Lauren managed to create a collection of polo shirts that still remains relevant today. Today, polo shirts are unmistakably recognizable, are available in 24 colors and are classic version for a basic wardrobe.

It was he who came up with the idea of ​​popularizing country style clothing. Cowboy symbols and accessories, leather and suede jackets, and Cossack boots went down in history thanks to this designer.

Release idea fashion house interior accessories also belong to the Ralph Lauren brand, and today similar offers can be found not only in luxury brands, but also in the mass market.

And most importantly, Ralph Lauren gave society not just clothes, but an image created for privileged people, which every person wants to strive for. Clothes that are associated with wealth, style and taste.

Ralph Lauren today

The Ralph Lauren fashion house continues to develop successfully to this day. The brand creates not only the usual sports and basic clothes. Every season new current collections are released, but at the same time they clearly show form style Ralph Lauren. IN modern images Elements of country style are organically inserted: poncho, fringe, large knitting. Moreover, each show ends with the appearance of Ralph Lauren himself in his favorite three-piece suit, with a massive belt and pointed boots.

There are collections with fairly restrained images that can serve as an example of true Oxford style. The men's collections are especially rich in such options: many suits, trousers, shorts, pullovers and jumpers, representing classics in its modern interpretation. Ralph Lauren is called the standard American classics, brand suits are worn modern stars and even first ladies.

At fashion weeks in New York you can see flowing, light dresses from Ralph Lauren. Here the brand departs from the usual framework and creates images that emphasize femininity; there are deep cutouts, unusual geometry and unusual airiness from fairly dense fabrics.

In 2015, at the age of 75, Ralph Lauren officially left his post as chief designer at the Ralph Lauren fashion house. At the same time, he retained some leadership positions and is partially involved in the development of the brand of the same name. Swiss Stefan Larsen was chosen as top manager. However, in 2017, Stefan left his post due to differences in views on the management of the company with its founder. It is worth noting that Stefan Larsen himself is a talented specialist who once worked at Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) and increased the company's sales several times.

Today, Ralph Lauren's net worth is estimated at $5.4 billion according to Forbes, so we can say that his " American dream"came true.

Video

Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation is an American company headquartered in New York City, a manufacturer of clothing, accessories, perfumes, furniture and other home goods.

History of the Ralph Lauren company

The famous American company Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation was founded in 1967. Its designers develop clothing, perfumes, accessories, luxury and interior items. Long and hard way Its creator, Ralph Lauren, had to go through this for the company to achieve such prosperity, popularity and success as it does now.

Ralph Lifschitz was born ( real name future fashion designer) in the American city of the Bronx in a poor large family of a Belarusian immigrant. A neighbor of the Livshits family was famous designer Calvin Klein. One day little Ralph visited a famous fashion designer. Klein's huge dressing room literally amazed the young man. The things of the entire Livshits family were placed in one closet. Ralph decided that in the future he would have his own dressing room, with a huge number of shelves and hangers.

At the age of 12, Ralph bought himself an expensive classic English suit. The boy saved every extra cent for a long time to purchase it.

In 1955, Ralph came up with a pseudonym for himself and changed his last name to a more euphonious one - Lauren. This phenomenal event was the first step towards success.
Ralph Lauren began his design career by creating a completely new type of tie. His accessory was distinguished by its solid width and was made of silk. The designer was inspired to make this discovery by the novel “The Great Gatsby”. Later in 1974 Ralph Lauren will sew costumes for the actors of the film of the same name.
In 1967, investor Norman Hilton sponsors the aspiring legendary designer. With this money, the “Polo Fashion” brand was developed and a store of the same name was opened. The presence of the word “polo” in the brand’s name successfully reveals the specifics of all Lauren’s clothing: its elegance, aristocracy and seasoned traditions.
In 1968, the phenomenal men's collection clothes - “Polo Ralph Lauren”, which aroused deep interest among the business and busy public. The brand acquired its own logo - it became a polo player.
The 70s began with a change of investor; this was a difficult period in the life of a fashion designer. Despite the difficulties that arose, the company after some time managed to release a line of women's clothing and debut as a perfume manufacturer. Ralph Lauren was awarded the Council Award twice in the 1970s fashion designers America. The brand’s shirts “blew up” the usual stereotypes with a wide range of shades - there were 24 types!
In the 80s Ralph Lauren develops his own Western style of clothing; this zest distinguishes his clothes to this day. Fashion historians trumpet the “discovery of America to America.” In 1983 A collection of interior accessories was released, and already in 1986. Ralph Lauren won the Designer of the Year nomination. This prize will be awarded to the fashion designer twice more.

All subsequent years these days Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation wins the hearts of fashionistas all over the world. The release of each new product is marked wild success and popularity. In 2002 a children's collection is coming out. Ralph Lauren opens stores all over the world. In 2007, residents of the Russian capital can boast of their own boutique. Next starts children's project"Draw your polo." It takes place in the Paris department store Colette. Children coloring white shirt polo in your own way.

Ralph Lauren is a famous American designer whose style is recognized as unique throughout the world. His talent as a designer is adequately appreciated in the fashion industry, not to mention his fans. US Design Council for Talent and creative success awarded him the title “Fashion Legend”. And this is not just one award. With all his work and life, he proved that a person can achieve significant heights...

Unlike many designers, Ralph Lauren does not have a degree in fashion design. But all his collections can be classified as those that are relevant in for a long time. They are dominated by beauty and quality, they are luxurious and romantic, there is no cheap glamor in them. As the designer himself says: “Luxury is the ability to feel, it is an attitude towards life. This is your personal style and the ability to create a world around you in which you feel good and easy. Luxury is quality and timeless elegance.”

Ralph Lauren does not sew his own clothes, but all the images in the collections are carefully thought out by him. About those who know how to sew, he says: “I don’t know what they can do, but they don’t know how to do what I can.”

Images from different Ralph Lauren collections

Absent from Ralph Lauren own production. It works on the principle of cooperation with more than 350 manufacturers. For example, the Luxottica company produces personalized Ralph Lauren glasses, and the Richemont Group produces branded watches.

Biography

Ralph Lauren was born on October 14, 1939 in the Bronx, New York, into a Jewish family. His surname was Livshits (a fairly common surname among Jews). Father and mother were from Belarus. But they met and got married in the USA. Mother, Frida Kotlyar, was from Grodno, and father, Frank Livshits, was from Pinsk. The family had four children. They all had to live in a one-room apartment, because while the children were small, the father worked alone, and they did not have the funds to buy a house. My father had a hard job - painting buildings. Ralph's mother was involved in raising children. By chance, the future famous lived next to them.

Ralph loved sports very much, he wanted to become a professional basketball player, and of course, famous. Then his desires changed, the dream of becoming an actor appeared, and no less than famous actor Hollywood. But one day, this dream disappeared, one might say, instantly. What happened? The Livshits then had only one closet in which clothes for all family members were stored. But, having once visited his classmate, Ralph was surprised. He saw that he had a separate wardrobe, where there were many shelves and compartments on which clothes and shoes lay, and even a place for a shoe horn!

Ralph thought about it - after all, he could have all this. When he Once again got his older brother's cast-offs, he said to himself: “I need my own clothes!” He started working. He worked at night and studied during the day, saving money to buy himself a suit. Sometimes I helped my father - carried his bags or helped him draw in order to save money. Ralph learned to appreciate any purchase. He didn't have much that an ordinary boy would want to have, but he knew that his parents couldn't afford it. Then Ralph realized that he needed to achieve everything on his own. Become famous actor- a very dubious prospect, but to become successful and rich you just need to want it and work hard. And at the age of 12, he independently buys his first suit.

Ralph lived in America, his classmates often laughed at his last name. Ralph was hurt and even offended by this. He thought more than once about changing Jewish surname to Americanized.

And then his father’s relatives, who moved to California, began to be called Lawrence in the local manner. That's when Ralph became Ralph Lauren in 1955.

“I changed my last name not at all because I was ashamed of being a Jew. My American classmates heard only the “shit” part of the surname Livshits. I absolutely did not want to endure ridicule all my life because of the flat jokes of my fellow countrymen.”

In 1964, Ralph Lauren, after two years of military service, began studying at City College in Manhattan, majoring in economics and business. But two years later, already in his third year, he dropped out of school. He couldn’t wait to make his dreams come true as quickly as possible, because he was already approaching thirty.

Ralph Lauren began working as a clothing salesman at Brooks Brothers and then moved to Rivetz & Co. Here he was accepted as a tie designer. One day, after reading Francis Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, Ralph decided to create a completely new model tie – wide silk tie. He proposed an idea for a new tie to a senior colleague. To which he replied that the world is not yet ready to accept ideas from Ralph Lauren. After this conversation, Ralph quit his job and began making his own ties from various scraps and selling them. They heard about the popularity of his ties and received offers.

He took samples of his ties to stores on his own. Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus took the ties for sale. And Ralph himself decided not to sit idly by and wait for his ties to be sold. He found an investor. It turned out to be Norman Hilton, who lent him 50 thousand dollars. Together with his older brother, Ralph opened the Polo Fashion brand and the store of the same name. It seemed to him that the name of both the brand and the store was no less important for the business than its products.

The aristocratic sport in the name of the store seemed to presuppose the elegance and style of the products. Although Ralph never played polo, he liked the game, because it is very stylish look sports Ties made from luxurious materials truly matched impeccable style and were a reflection of taste. They quickly became popular. In the 60s, when all stereotypes were breaking, Ralph Lauren believed that “... people were already ready for something new and unusual.” A year later, when his ties brought him his first profit, Ralph released his first ready-to-wear collection, Polo Ralph Lauren.

The symbol became a polo player. The brand has acquired its logo. This beginning can be considered classic example Good luck.

This collection featured loose-fitting trousers, tailored shirts, elegant blazers and simple jackets. The clothes were designed for business Americans. The store has gained popularity among both young people and older people. And just a few months after the first sales, the most sophisticated fashionistas of New York could be seen wearing Polo shirts and sweaters.

Already in 1969, Ralph Lauren opened a large men's department in the New York department store Bloomingdale's. Ralph understood that all people needed changes in style and appearance, but did not know how to do it. He felt that he could do this.

But not everything went so smoothly in the company. Soon Polo Fashion was threatened with bankruptcy. At this point, he was helped by investor Peter Smith, who became president of the company. In the 70s, a perfume line and an accessories line were launched. Ralph Lauren began producing sports shirts in 24 shades.

In general, the 70s were marked as years of great change. In 1971, the first line of women's clothing, Ralph Lauren Women's wear, was launched, in which white cotton shirts, cut like men's shirts, became the main accent. And the women received them with delight. Soon, Ralph Lauren opened a boutique in Beverly Hills on the prestigious Rodeo Drive. The main principles of Ralph Lauren were quality and comfort, which have always been and are symbols of the elite. That's why Ralph Lauren's clothes quickly conquered the world.

"My wife's good taste and your own style. When she wore shirts, sweaters and jackets bought at men's stores, people always asked where she got it."

In 1974 Paramount Studios invited Ralph Lauren to design Jack Clayton's men's costumes for The Great Gatsby. “My clothes are a vision of what I believe in... They embody a story, not just clothes.”

And in the same 1974, the sports line “CHAPS by Ralph” was launched, as well as the collection of men’s and women’s glasses “Ralf”. Sportswear has not often been the subject of design interests. But when Ralph Lauren began designing it, it began to be considered a classic.

In 1978 The first fragrances - men's "Polo" and women's "Tuxedo" and "Lauren" - became popular. And in the same year, the designer created a collection of men's and women's clothing, which was in the style of the Wild West - “Western wear”. The collection included leather items with fringes, Cossack boots, ranch jackets, etc. In the 80s fashion clothes in the western style by Ralph Lauren opened America to the entire fashion world.

One day, Ralph's wife said that she couldn't find cotton shirts for her sons. Ralph began to think, and soon a line of clothing for children was created, first for boys, then for girls and babies.

He creates a collection of underwear and leather goods, opens a store in London and a Polo Ralph Lauren store, produces a line of furniture and a line of home accessories.

“Everything I do is a reflection of my life. I am attached to my family." That's why natural continuation clothing collections became the designer's passion for creating the Home Collection - furniture, curtains, carpets, decorative fabrics, wall panels, lamps, dishes, home accessories. After all, everything that surrounds us in life should be imbued with comfort.

Every year in Ralph Lauren's life is marked by success in creative work and new awards, as well as the opening of new lines or new stores. In 1997, shares of the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation appeared on the stock exchange. A little later, the organization acquired the “Club Monaco” brand, and in the same year Ralph Lauren opened the Polo.co website, and a year later an online store was opened on the site. He lives with the times. Like a real businessman, he knows how to feel what the trends are today.

2000s
2002 Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation has launched the website RLHome.Polo.com. Ralph Lauren opened his first showroom in New York, where the Ralph Lauren clothing line and the Polo children's clothing boutique were presented.

2003 The Polo.com website introduced a service through which customers could create their own polo shirt design. In the same year, the local website Global.Polo.com was launched.

2005 year. Ralph Lauren has released a book-album, "Collection Diaries", which presents the latest fall line of women's clothing.

2006 The designer signed a contract to design uniforms for the Wimbledon tournament. At the end of the year, Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation entered the Fortune 1000 list. The first store opens in Tokyo.

2007 Ralph Lauren received the title "Fashion Legend" from the Council of Designers of the United States. The brand's first boutique opened in Moscow.

“Opening a store in Moscow is more than just the implementation of company strategies. Opportunity to meet new culture brings us real joy."

Once upon a time, as a boy, Ralph dreamed of becoming a famous basketball player, and now he has become famous designer American team uniforms at the Beijing Olympics. He created the legendary polo shirts in the colors of the American flag.

2010 Ralph Lauren was awarded the French Legion of Honor.

2011. The American magazine Forbes placed Ralph Lauren in 173rd place in the ranking of the richest people in the world. His fortune at that time was estimated at $5.8 billion.

Ralph Lauren owns a 17,000-acre ranch in the US state of Colorado, houses in Jamaica and Long Island in New York, an estate in Bedford, and an apartment on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. He collects vintage cars. His collection is one of the largest. It presents cars from 1929 - Bentley, 1937 - Alfa Romeo and many others. The collection has been exhibited several times in art museums. Ralph Lauren also collects watches.

Ralph Lauren is married. He met Ricky Ann Low-Beer at student years. They have been married for more than 40 years. Ricky is a general practitioner by training and graduated from Columbia University. She is very sociable, but was not interested in fashion. And always when she puts on some outfits, she consults with Ralph. Their lifestyle has always been quite modest. Both Ralph and his wife tried to instill in their children “... the right system values."

The eldest son works in television, the middle one is vice president of advertising and marketing at Ralph Lauren, the daughter is the owner of the Dylan’s Candy Bar sweets store in Manhattan (her father’s company also has a line of sweets).

Everything Ralph Lauren does is for the home and family.
Today, Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation produces clothing, underwear, accessories, perfumes, textiles, furniture, dishes, wallpaper, as well as sweets and even pet products. The designer is a member of several animal protection organizations and does not use real fur in his collections.

Its brands are: Ralph Lauren, Rugby, RL Childrenswear, Polo Jeans Co., RRL, RLX, Club Monaco, Chaps, Blue Label, Purple Label, Lauren, Ralph Lauren Home and others.

Here are some of Ralph Lauren's awards:

1970 Coty Awards in the category " Men's clothing».

1976 Coty Awards for men's and women's clothing.

1977 Coty Awards for women's clothing.

1986 CFDA Designer of the Year Award.

1990 FiFi Award "Fragrance - Star of the Year" for the women's perfume "Safari Ralph Lauren".

1992 Awarded the title "Lifetume Achievement Award".

1992 FiFi Award “Fragrance – Star of the Year” for the men's perfume “Safari Ralph Lauren”.

1995 CFDA Award and Designer of the Year title.

1996 CFDA Designer of the Year Award. FiFi Award for the best national advertising campaign for the women's fragrance "Ralph Lauren Polo Sport".

1998 FiFi Award “Fragrance – Star of the Year” and “Best National advertising campaign" for the perfume "Ralph Lauren Romance".

1999 FiFi Award "Fragrance - Star of the Year" and "Best National Advertising Campaign" for the men's perfume "Ralph Lauren Romance".

2007 Ralph Lauren received the title "Fashion Legend" from the Council of Designers of the United States.

2010 Ralph Lauren was awarded the French Legion of Honor.

“I never went to fashion school – I was a young guy who had his own style. I could not imagine that Polo would become what it is. I just followed my instincts."

Ralph began to create things that he himself would like to have.
He entered the business on his own terms and when things got really bad, his saddest thought was to upset his father, because he was proud of him. Ralph Lauren has great respect for his parents. He believes that his success is due to them.

Ralph wears 90% of his own clothes, sometimes wearing things from other brands. When creating a thing, he is guided by the basic principle - to do something that can touch the hearts of people, but first of all it must touch himself. He chooses his team carefully. The ideas for new collections belong not only to Ralph, but also to his colleagues. However the last word always remains behind him.

Ralph Lauren has his own style and at the same time feels the pulse of the world, so he manages to create a collection every season that delights the public.

Cars from the Ralph Lauren collection on video

Ralph Lauren suffered serious illness, then surgery. “The most important thing is to wake up in the morning and feel good—whether you’re rich or not.”

But despite his achievements and fame, he regrets that he lacks education. No, it's not that he once dropped out of college. “I wish I could speak more languages, I wish I could read more, but I was so busy trying to be somebody that I missed out on a lot.”

Ralph Lauren is not only a talented designer, but also a successful businessman. His brand was one of the first to sell products online. Now, as you know, many brands sell through online stores. For the first time, it was in his advertising campaigns that the QR codes, or Quick Response, function was introduced. And his store on Madison Avenue in New York has a touch screen in front, allowing you to make purchases at any time of the day.

The brand philosophy, which conquered the world many years ago, continues its victorious march today. The principles of this philosophy are eternal - to remain true to your ideals, to be independent of fashion, which must correspond to true style. His work in all fields of activity is considered an example of classic American style. Things with the Ralph Jauren brand symbolize quality, taste, and style all over the world.

When I started working on this article, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was necessary? The Internet is replete with a sea of ​​information about the Ralph Lauren brand and it seems that this “field” has already been plowed up and down. But still, at my own peril and risk, I will try to collect information together and tell you something new. Hoping that I can do it. And the main purpose of my publication will be to talk about the “American Dream” that exists. And the existence of which was proven by the legendary man Ralph Lauren - an extraordinary and bright personality. The name Ralph Lauren is always associated with luxury.

Once in a school essay he wrote “I want to become a millionaire.”

What is the "American Dream" from Ralph Lauren? Yes, everything is very simple, this is a ten-billion-dollar empire called RALPH LAUREN, which has a large number of brands: Polo Jeans Co., Ralph Lauren Home, Blue Label, Club Monaco, RL Childrens wear, RRL, Purple Label, Rugby (the division has been closed since January 2013), RLX, Chaps, Club Monaco, Vintage RL and others.

Worldwide recognition in the fashion world and great amount the most prestigious awards, including the most important one from the US Council of Designers “Fashion Legend” and, importantly, this title was awarded for the first time in the 25 years of the existence of this organization. On the Fashion Walk of Fame, which is located on Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, there is a memorial sign in the form of a metal round plate with the inscription Ralph Lauren installed in 2000.

More than three hundred stores around the world. And “for the soul” there are a huge number of acres of real estate located in Jamaica, Colorado, New York, England.

Ralph Lauren owns 2 Hawker aircraft and a Gulfstream G650.

He is a world-recognized collector of both rare and modern top cars, including: Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, McLaren, Ferrari, Jaguar, Morgan, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes Benz, Porsche.

The property has a Chicago restaurant serving American cuisine.

Ralph spends a lot of money on charity and one of the projects in this area is supporting one of the most famous cancer centers, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, located in New York.

And in Jamaica, a postage stamp was issued in honor of Ralph Lauren, which few, even very famous people, receive.

He is also a fan of Rolex watches. The name Ralph Lauren is always associated with luxury.

No matter how strange it may seem, but with multi-million dollar sales turnover, Ralph Lauren does not have its own production facilities, i.e. there is no production. From the very first day in big business Ralph Lauren decided that he would focus exclusively on design and sales. Products for RL are produced in numerous factories, about 350 of them, located in Italy, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia and other countries. Products in these factories are manufactured under license, under the strict control of RL managers.

The prototype of the first joint venture was conceived in 2008 between RL and Richemont Group, the largest manufacturer jewelry and luxury watches. This joint venture produces watches under the RL brand. The price of these watches starts from $10,000. There is also a joint project With Italian company Luxottica eyewear manufacturer.

Start

After such enchanting achievements, the question arises: How did it all begin?

It was the 20th century that was the “forge” greatest talents V different areas human life. And then on October 14, 1939, a new addition appeared in the “forge of talents” in the person of Jewish boy Ralph Lifshitz. This happened in the Bronx of New York. Natives from Belarus Frida Kotlyar (mother) - a native of the Belarusian city of Grodno and Frank Livshits (father) - a native of the Belarusian city of Pinsk, emigrated separately to the USA in the 20s. Escape from Russian Empire was dictated by poverty, pogroms and increasing revolutionary movement. It was an escape to a new life - from a clean slate. Frida and Frank met in New York and got married at the age of 16! At the time of his birth, Ralph already had three brothers. Ralph's mother was raising her sons, and his father worked as a painter and painted buildings, although he was an artist by profession. They lived in the Bronx in a one-room apartment and, as paradoxical as it may sound, next to their future colleague in the “talent forge” Calvin Klein.

Little Livshits grew up and shared not only a small bedroom with his older brothers, but also wore their things. As a child, Ralph wanted to become either an actor or a basketball player. At school, he always amazed his friends with his ability to give old, worn things a special chic and shine. As a child, he could spend a lot of time talking about buttons, ties, and scarves.

When he was 12 years old, he collected all the money he had saved and bought himself his first three-piece suit. One day, a famous actor at that time passed by young Ralph, wearing a double breasted jacket and a snow-white shirt with a turn-down collar. Lauren was shocked by the man’s elegance and immediately caught himself thinking that he was much younger than this man, and would like to dress exactly like that. After all, at that time, only narrow ties and regular shirts with a small collar were sold for teenagers his age.

In 1955, he decided to change his last name. According to Ralph himself, this was partly dictated by the fact that he was tired of enduring the ridicule of his new environment, and he wanted to finally Americanize his surname. As a result, Lauren appeared instead of Lifshitz. After graduating from school and subsequently serving in the army, Ralph went to college in Manhattan, majoring in economics and business. But he was never able to complete his studies and got a job as a traveling salesman of ties and gloves. The position of traveling salesman taught him a lot. He never liked herring ties. He offered this product to customers while working for the Brooks Brothers office. He had his own tie design in his head, which was completely different from the ones he sold. Lauren gets a job as a tie designer at the New York company Beau Brummel. Subsequently, Ralph will say that: “A tie for a man is the detail with which he expresses himself.” And on a verbal level he will understand that men are ready for change.

"I don't create clothes, but dreams" RL

Releasing models of ties of his own design and under his own name has always fascinated the young fashion designer. And the impetus for leaving Beau Brummel was the following incident. One day, in a burst of creativity, Lauren approached a senior employee with a proposal: Let’s make a tie like this? These ties will sell very well in stores New York. To which a discouraging answer was immediately received: The world is not ready for Ralph Lauren. Design opportunities were jeopardized and he simply quit!

From now on, he can fantasize and bring his ideas to life as much as he wants. He is developing his own model of a wide tie. Out of pure enthusiasm, he begins to make his masterpieces from scraps of fabric and sell them to stores. People accepted the new product and began asking for even more ties. Ties designed by Lauren sell like hot cakes and become a trendy accessory. Then there was a manager from the Neiman Marcus store who asked Ralph to personally deliver ties to a large buyer. Ralph Lauren returned from a business trip with a very large order for his products.

The year was 1967. This year has been eventful for Lauren. In order to develop, it needed working capital. And he set out in search of an investor. It didn't take long to search; he very quickly convinced a man named Norman Hilton. And he invested $50,000 in the young fashion designer. This money could not have come at a better time. In them, Ralph Lauren and his older brother Terry open a store under the Polo Fashion brand.

Why Polo? Ralph Lauren always liked the game of polo; it reeked of aristocracy and wealth. The players were graceful, strong and elegant. And he wanted to become just as rich and independent. And so “The Polo Player” perfectly reflected his ambitions. The brothers knew for sure that they could grow this business. With borrowed money, in addition to ties, Ralph designed and sewed suits, which also began to sell very well. Subsequently he will say: I didn’t have any plan, I just knew and saw what people wanted. And later the huge Bloomingdale’s store became interested in his products. They came to him themselves and offered cooperation. Lauren didn't mind, opening a small stand with his own products in the store.

"What I'm most proud of is that I went into business on my own terms" RL

Ralph's business began to develop by leaps and bounds in a short time. A year later, in 1968, he designs and launches his first collection. It consisted of loose-fitting trousers, elegant shirts and jackets business style. The collection was released under the name "Polo Ralph Lauren" and was liked by people of all ages.

In 1969, the newly minted businessman stepped even further and in the already mentioned Bloomingdales store he was offered to open a large department, which he took advantage of. It turned out very well. Inside the huge store was not a department, but an entire Ralph Lauren store. In 1970, Lauren received her first recognition in the form of the Coty Awards in the Men's Wear category. 1971 was marked by the fact that this year the first collection for women from Ralph Lauren was released. In the 70s, Ralph brought the production of polo shirts to 24 colors - this was his strong point and a hit! He had no equal in this segment.

I remember being afraid that I would lose everything. The saddest thing was the thought that one day I would call my father and say: “Dad, I lost everything.” That's what I was worried about—disappointing my father. He was so proud that I was doing exactly what I wanted. So I put in every last penny I had and made it through, I made it! R.L.

But the world is structured in such a way that after the “white stripe,” no matter how thick it is, comes a black one. This rule did not escape Ralph Lauren either. By the end of the seventies, everything did not go as we would like. The suits simply no longer fit people, sales fell and money quickly ran out. But he did not panic and he had to look for a partner and sponsor again. A sponsor was found in the person of Peter Strom. The businessman made the necessary injection and subsequently became responsible for finance and economics, and Ralph Lauren continued to work until his seventh sweat developing new clothing models and advertising products. The fruits of this collaboration There was an expansion of the product range and the production of perfumes and cosmetics was added to the production of clothing. And in 1978, two fragrances were born: for women “Lauren” and for men “Polo for men”. Two years later, a collection of women's underwear was issued to the mountain. The outlines of a “white stripe” began to appear again ahead.

The man who discovered America to the Americans

In the 80s, Ralph finally came under the influence of the “white streak” and the business exploded. Ralph Lauren boutiques began to open all over America, and not only that, in 1981 he entered the international market and opened a store in London. Lauren launches the Ralph Lauren Home line - consisting of furniture and accessories for the home.

And in this endeavor he is again the first of the world elite of fashion designers. But the most important achievement of this world-famous designer was that he opened “America to the Americans.” Sounds paradoxical, doesn’t it? By the mid-80s, he had become an undeniable trendsetter. His leather jackets ranch style, cowboy aesthetics and frilled skirts captivated Americans. Many agreed that Lauren presented them with familiar things in a new way. He turned it into a masterpiece and taught it like a cult national clothes Indians The image of the American flag on products has become business card fashion designer

"Fashion is not labels or brands. Fashion is what is hidden in your soul" RL

The company grew, accumulated strength and acquired the features of an Empire. In the 90s of the 20th century and the 2000s, lines of clothing, perfumes, and accessories mushroomed. The Polo Sport line was born in 1993, Purple Label in 1994, Polo Jeans Co was released in 1996, RLX in 1998, then there were Denim & Supply, Polo for girls, Rugby and so on.

In 2000, the Polo.com website was created on which he, again, the very first of the fashion designers, included the “Create your own” option, allowing customers to create their own polo shirt designs. The year 2003 is significant in that the global website Global.Polo.com is launched. In 2004, a store opens in Milan. In 2006, he abandoned the use of natural fur in his collections and opened a store in Tokyo. Ralph Lauren appeared in Russia in 2007 and opened a boutique in Moscow. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, as in 2012 at the Summer Olympic Games in London, he outfitted Team USA in his clothing. In 2013, he launched the website he had dreamed of for a long time, this is the website of Vintage Things.

Of course, I could not cover all the collections and design solutions of Ralph Lauren, but I mentioned the main directions.

Ralph received awards one after another: 3 “Designer of the Year” awards, “Fragrance Star of the Year” award, “Council of Fashion” award, “Lifetime Achievement Award” and many others. The crowning achievement was the award that I mentioned at the beginning of the article - “Fashion Legend”.

"I love my life and don't want to lose what I have" RL

Ralph Lauren turns 74 this year. He is full of strength and ideas. He still keeps his finger on the pulse of world fashion. Just like in his younger years, he sells inspiration and gives dreams to people. He is confident that he is moving in the right direction and always has several young and interesting brands in stock.

I didn't specifically describe it family life Ralph Lauren is a whole article and a separate story. I will only say that the family was always unshakable for him and, like fashion, he devoted himself to it completely without reserve.

I am a long-time fan of this brand and admire its creator. I have about a dozen items from different lines in my wardrobe. I can safely say that things from Ralph Lauren are extraordinary and individual.

It's a pity that the "American Dream" is only possible in America! But still not a bad example to follow!