Ralph Lauren facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ralph Lauren
Lauren in 2013
Born	Ralph Lifshitz (1939-10-14) October 14, 1939 (age 85) The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Alma mater	Baruch College
Occupation	Executive chairman, Ralph Lauren Corporation
Board member of	Ralph Lauren Corporation Club Monaco
Spouse(s)	Ricky Lauren ​ (m. 1964)​
Children	3, including Dylan and David Lauren
Relatives	Greg Lauren (nephew)

Ralph Lauren (born October 14, 1939) is a famous American fashion designer. He is also a philanthropist (someone who helps others) and a very successful businessman. He is best known for starting the global brand Ralph Lauren.

Ralph Lauren is also known for his amazing collection of rare cars. Some of these cars have even been shown in museums! In 2015, he stepped down as the CEO of his company. But he still works as the executive chairman and chief creative officer, guiding the company's style.

Early Life and Education

Ralph Lauren was born on October 14, 1939, in the Bronx, a part of New York City. His parents, Frieda and Frank Lifshitz, were immigrants from Poland (now Belarus). Ralph was the youngest of four children.

When he was 16, Ralph and his brother George changed their last name from Lifshitz to Lauren. They did this because they were teased at school. His older brother, Jerry, had already changed his name for similar reasons.

Ralph went to DeWitt Clinton High School, graduating in 1957. He then studied business at Baruch College in New York City. However, he left college after two years. Ralph Lauren grew up in the Bronx, just like other famous designers such as Calvin Klein.

Ralph Lauren's Career Journey

Starting in Fashion

From 1962 to 1964, Ralph Lauren served in the United States Army. After leaving the army, he worked as a sales assistant for a short time at Brooks Brothers. Then, he became a salesman for a necktie company called Rivetz.

When he was 28, Ralph worked for another tie maker, Beau Brummell. He convinced the company's boss to let him create his own line of ties. This was the start of The Ralph Lauren Corporation in 1967. He began by selling men's ties.

The Polo Brand is Born

Ralph Lauren loved sports, so he named his first full line of men's clothing "Polo" in 1968. He worked from a small space in the Empire State Building. He even delivered clothes to stores himself!

By 1969, the big department store Bloomingdale's in Manhattan sold only Ralph Lauren's men's clothes. This was a big deal because it was the first time Bloomingdale's gave a designer their own special section in the store.

The Polo Ralph Lauren flagship store on Madison Avenue in New York City.

In 1971, Ralph Lauren launched a line of shirts for women. This was when the famous Polo player emblem first appeared on the cuff of the shirts. The next year, he launched his first full collection for women. Also in 1971, Lauren opened his first stand-alone store in Beverly Hills, California. This was a first for an American designer.

In 1972, the Ralph Lauren Corporation introduced its famous cotton mesh Polo shirt. It came in many colors and had the polo player logo on the chest. This shirt became a symbol of the "preppy" style, which is one of Ralph Lauren's signature looks.

Ralph Lauren's clothes also became famous in movies. In 1974, he designed the costumes for the male actors in the film The Great Gatsby. He even created a special pink suit for the main character, Jay Gatsby. Later, in 1977, Diane Keaton and Woody Allen wore Lauren's clothes throughout the movie Annie Hall.

Expanding with Fragrances

Lauren in his office in 1978.

In 1978, Ralph Lauren launched his first perfumes. He introduced "Lauren," a fragrance for women, and "Polo," a cologne for men, at the same time. This was a new idea for a designer. In 1981, his company went global, opening its first international store in London, England.

Growth in the Late 20th Century

A Polo Ralph Lauren store on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago.

In 1986, Ralph Lauren opened his first big flagship store in the Rhinelander mansion in New York City. He worked to make the building look as grand as it did originally.

The "Polo Sport" line was introduced in 1992. After that, more than ten new lines and brands were added, including "Ralph Lauren Purple Label" in 1995.

On June 12, 1997, the company became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. This meant people could buy shares of the company.

Ralph Lauren also opened restaurants. The first, "RL," opened in Chicago in 1999. Later, "Ralph's" opened in Paris in 2010, and "The Polo Bar" opened in New York in 2015.

The Ralph Lauren Store on Newbury Street in Boston.

Recent Years and Milestones

In 2000, the company launched its website and online shop, polo.com. In 2007, the website became ralphlauren.com. In 2008, Ralph Lauren Corporation launched a brand called "American Living" just for JCPenney stores. This was a huge launch for both companies.

On September 29, 2015, it was announced that Stefan Larsson would become the new CEO of the company. Ralph Lauren remained as executive chairman and chief creative officer.

Ralph Lauren has been featured on over 100 magazine covers, including GQ, Forbes, and Vogue.

In 2018, Ralph Lauren celebrated his brand's 50th anniversary with a big fashion show. It was held at Bethesda Terrace in Central Park, New York City. Many famous people attended, like Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton.

Personal Life

Family Life

On December 20, 1964, Ralph Lauren married Ricky Ann Loew-Beer in New York City. They met six months earlier when she was working as a receptionist. Ricky is also an author. The Laurens are active members of their synagogue in Manhattan.

They have three children:

• Andrew Lauren (born 1969), who is a film producer and actor.
• David Lauren (born 1971), who is an executive at the Ralph Lauren Corporation. In 2011, David married Lauren Bush, who is the niece of former U.S. President George W. Bush. David and Lauren have three children.
• Dylan Lauren (born 1974), who owns Dylan's Candy Bar in New York City. She married Paul Arrouet in 2011. Dylan and Paul had twins in 2015.

In 1987, Ralph Lauren had surgery to remove a non-cancerous brain tumor and fully recovered.

Ralph Lauren owns a large cattle ranch in Ridgway, Colorado. He also has a big manor house in Bedford, New York.

Amazing Car Collection

Ralph Lauren with his Porsche GT3 RS (2010).

Ralph Lauren is famous for his incredible collection of about 100 cars. Many of them are extremely rare and valuable. His collection includes a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, and a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing.

His cars have won the "Best of Show" award at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance twice. In 2005, some of his cars were shown at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Seventeen cars from his collection were also displayed at a museum in Paris in 2011.

Helping Others: Philanthropy

Ralph Lauren has given a lot of money to help fight cancer.

• In 1989, he helped start the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research.
• In 1994, he created "Fashion Targets Breast Cancer." This project brings together the fashion industry to raise money and awareness for breast cancer around the world.
• In 2003, Lauren supported the creation of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem, New York City.
• In 2014, the Ralph Lauren Corporation partnered with the Royal Marsden, a big cancer center in Europe. They opened the Royal Marsden Ralph Lauren Center for Breast Cancer Research in 2016.
• In 2023, the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention opened at Georgetown University.

In 2000, the Ralph Lauren Corporation started a Volunteer Program. This program encourages employees to help out in their communities. The "Pink Pony Campaign" was launched to help reduce differences in cancer care. It aims to raise awareness and improve prevention and treatment in communities that need it most.

After the September 11th attacks, the Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation created the American Heroes Fund. This allowed employees and customers to help with relief efforts.

In 2004, the Polo Fashion School was started. Here, company leaders work with young people from cities to teach them about the fashion business.

Ralph Lauren also helped preserve an important piece of American history. In 1998, he gave $10 million to help save the Star-Spangled Banner. This is the original 1813 flag that inspired the United States National Anthem. The flag is now displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. In 2013, the Ralph Lauren Corporation also promised to help restore the famous École des Beaux-Arts art school in Paris, France.

Awards and Honors

Ralph Lauren has received many awards for his work in fashion and his charitable efforts.

See also

• List of swimwear brands