Ralph Lauren: Gentleman of Style

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Few modern American designers have been as influential on the style of the post-Boomer generations as Ralph Lauren. His unique ability to blend classic materials and silhouettes with modern styling is unique in a fashion environment that single-handedly pursues the next trend.

Ralph Lauren: Gentleman of Style

After 50 years in the business, Ralph Lauren is being honored this month by an HBO documentary Very Ralph. Alan Flusser‘s long-awaited book, Ralph Lauren: In His Own Fashion, is set to publish the same day, and the man himself is also releasing an Anniversary edition of his massive, epoynomous book. It’s only fitting that we also weigh in on Ralph Lauren’s incredible legacy as a Gentleman of Style.

The Early Years

Ralph Lauren in 1955
Ralph Lauren in 1955

Ralph was born in 1939 in the Bronx, NYC, to Ashkenazi Jewish immigrant parents from Belarus. His last name was originally Lifshitz, which eventually he changed to Lauren at the young age of 16 after years of teasing at school. Even as a young man, he developed a taste for fashion. He studied business at college, but ended up enlisting in the military for two years.

Ricky and Ralph

In 1964, after leaving the military, Ralph met Ricky Ann Low-Beer at the eye doctor’s office where she worked. Just before Christmas that year, the couple married. They would go on to have three children, Dylan, David, and Andrew. Ralph worked briefly for Brooks Brothers before moving on to work for Beau Brummell, a tie maker named after the famous 18th century dandy.

Ralph Lauren Begins Designing

Ralph Lauren begins designing
Ralph Lauren as a young designer

In 1967, Ralph convinced his manager at Beau Brummell to let him create is own tie line. As a sports fan, Ralph named his line “Polo” hoping to convey the athletic sophistication of the sport. In the 1960s, ties were being mass produced in synthetic materials with a trim shape; bucking the trends, Ralph cut his ties wide and had them handmade with classic fabrics. He made $500,000 in his first year alone.

From ties, Lauren designed custom clothes

Lauren’s interest in resurrecting classic fashion didn’t stop with ties; even though he had no design experience of his own, he would have his own clothes custom-tailored to to mimic the look of the traditional English gentleman. For this kind of man, his clothes represented his wealthy, wordly, chic lifestyle that Lauren wanted to emulate. After the success of his tie line, he was able to expand into tailored suits and shirts the following year. A reporter at the time, Buffy Birrittella, noted that Lauren was “merging the tailored heritage of Europe with the American senibility of sportswear and way of living.”

Ralph Lauren Builds His Empire

Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby
Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby

The 1970s was a decade of significant milestones for the now-household name of Ralph Lauren. In 1971, Ralph Lauren expanded into women’s wear. In 1972, he introduced a polo shirt in 24 colors bearing the iconic polo logo. In 1974, Lauren outfitted the male cast of The Great Gatsby almost entirely from pieces already in his Polo line. Only the famous double-breasted pink suit worn by Jay Gatsby was designed just for the film. The success of the movie prompted a trend in the “Gatsby look,” vaulting Lauren’s 30’s influenced designs into the spotlight.

Ralph Lauren tailoring in Annie Hall
Annie Hall wearing menswear inspired Ralph Lauren clothing

In 1976, Lauren was elected to the Coty Hall of Fame for menswear, and in a celebratory ad, Saks featured Lauren wearing a tuxedo jacket and jeans. The mixing of traditional tailoring with western-inspired work attire would become one of his style hallmarks. Not long after, Lauren designed the costumes for Annie Hall, inspiring the menswear-themed trends that would round out the end of the ’70s and the early ’80s.

Polo for Men Cologne
Polo for Men Cologne

In 1978, Ralph Lauren’s first fragrances, Polo for Men and Ralph Lauren (for women), were launched. Polo for Men in the original green bottle is pine-forward and still considered an icon among men’s classic frangrances. In the same year, Westernwear debuted, closing the loop on the quintessential Lauren look of American West meets English Tweed. Not long after, the Laurens bought the 16,000 acre Double RL ranch in Telluride, CO, where Ralph could immerse himself in the weather-worn aesthetic of the West that he loved so much.

Ralph Lauren Home
Ralph Lauren home collection

In 1983, Ralph Lauren became the first clothing designer to launch a full Home collection. The endeavor perfectly suited his desire to have a lifestyle brand, and the line continues to be an excellent resource for men who love classic interior design.

Ralph Lauren Flagship Store in Manhattan
Rhinelander Mansion Ralph Lauren Store 1

In 1986, Lauren opened his first flagship store in the Rhinelander Mansion on Madison Ave & 72nd Street in Manhattan. When Lauren acquired the mansion, less than 5% of the original interior remained, but Lauren meticulously restored it to its former Gilded-Age glory. It boasts over 5 floors and 20,000 square feet of retail space.

Ralph Lauren on the cover of Time

Through the mid-’90s, Lauren continued to launch satellite collections, including Polo Sport, Polo Golf, RRL casualwear, and Lauren by Ralph Lauren. In 1995, the Savile Row-inspired Purple Label collection was launched even as “casual Fridays” were starting to become a trend.

US Olympic Team in Ralph Lauren
Olympic uniforms by Ralph Lauren

In 1997, Ralph Lauren Corporation went public on the NYSE. In the next 20 years, Lauren would go on to be the official outfitters of the US Olympic Teams, the US Tennis Association, and Wimbledon. In 2015, Ralph Lauren stepped down as CEO, but remains on the board as the executive chairman and Chief Creative Officer.

Ralph Lauren’s Legacy

My vision continues to be as it was in the beginning. It hasn’t changed. I don’t want what I created in 1967 to be old or what I created in 2017 to be new.

Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren in a Navy Double Breasted Blazer and White Pants
Ralph Lauren in a Navy Double Breasted Blazer and White Pants

Even though Raplh Lauren is no longer the CEO of his company and he has reached his 8th decade, his legacy in the fashion world still endures. Over his career, he has been featured on more than 100 magazine covers, is heavily involved in cancer philanthropy, and became a famous collector of rare cars.

Style Lessons from Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren in a two-piece suit
Ralph Lauren in his signature suit style

Ralph Lauren was not afraid to dress exactly the way he wanted, even if it made him an outlier. He managed to revive ’30s classics like wide ties and DB suits even when it appeared that the market didn’t want them. He reminded the world that the classics will always have a place in a man’s wardrobe. Though it would be impossible to distill Ralph Lauren’s incredible legacy into a single outfit, he has left us with some important lessons about style.

Ralph Lauren wearing a tux jacket with jeans
Ralph Lauren wearing a tux jacket with jeans
Ralph Lauren waving on the catwalk in a leather jacket and jeans
Ralph Lauren in a leather jacket and jeans

What to Buy (and Not Buy) from Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren sells thousands of clothing types, shapes, and looks, so dressing like him is both easy and hard. There are many things to choose from this full-fledged clothing brand, but not everything truly represents what he stands for, or the quality he espoused. In this video, we take a closer look at what is worth buying from this icon’s eponymous brand.

Are there other style lessons from Ralph Lauren that we missed? What are your thoughts on his brand? Do let us know in the comments section!

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