Ralph Lauren

The success story of Ralph Lauren

If Ralph Lauren truly embodies the American dream, it is simply because nothing destined its founder for such success. Indeed, Ralph Lauren was born in the Bronx, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents from Russia. As a matter of fact, Ralph Lauren lived in the same neighborhood as Calvin Klein. He first studied business at the City College of New York but did not enjoy it in the slightest, and left the institution two years later without any degree. He then enlisted in the American army, from 1962 to 1964, and afterward held various odd jobs upon his return. It was there that he worked in different stores as a salesman. Introduced in this way to the world of fashion, Ralph Lauren decided to create a collection of ties, wider than usual, as he believed that it was through this accessory that men of the time could express themselves. It was then in 1967 that he was noticed by Norman Hilton, a fashion entrepreneur. Ralph Lauren borrowed $50,000 from him to open a tie shop. Success followed, allowing him to expand his range to shirts and other menswear barely a year later. Ralph Lauren's creations earned him a City Award, and it was that same year that his emblem in the shape of a polo player on horseback made its appearance. Finally, it was in 1972 that Ralph Lauren truly achieved consecration thanks to the creation of his iconic short-sleeved polo shirts, released in more than 24 colors.

The diversification of Ralph Lauren

Eager to diversify even further, Ralph Lauren then created his perfume line. He established the cosmetics license Parfums Ralph Lauren in 1978. It was created under the direction of Warner Cosmetics before being acquired by L'Oréal in 1984. In keeping with the house's fashion creations, a first fragrance named Polo was launched in 1978, accompanied by a feminine counterpart named Lauren. Since then, the Polo fragrance has been declined in every possible way: Crest in 1991, Sport in 1994, Sport Extrême and Sport Woman in 1997, Blue in 2003, Black in 2005 and Explorer in 2007. Furthermore, other iconic fragrances in perfumery also bear this house's name, such as Romance, Purple Label and Big Pony.

Ralph Lauren's success is such that the company today counts more than 300 stores spread across 80 countries. In April 2010, Ralph Lauren was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor. Furthermore, with his fortune estimated at around $8 billion, he ranks among the 120 richest people in the world.