Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren, born Ralph Lifshitz on October 14, 1939, in the Bronx, New York, is an American fashion designer, businessman, and philanthropist. His parents, Frieda Lifshitz (née Cutler) and Frank Lifshitz, were Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Pinsk, then part of the Second Polish Republic (now Belarus). Lauren grew up as the youngest of four siblings, with two brothers and one sister.

At age 16, Lauren and his brother George Poitras Lauren legally changed their surname from Lifshitz to Lauren, a decision influenced by experiences with bullying at school. Prior to high school graduation in 1957, Lauren attended day school and the Manhattan Talmudical Academy. He then enrolled at Baruch College of the City University of New York to study business but left after two years. Among notable peers raised in the Bronx Jewish community are Calvin Klein and Robert Denning.

Lauren served in the United States Army from 1962 to 1964. Following his military service, he worked briefly at Brooks Brothers as a sales assistant and then for Rivetz, a necktie company, as a salesman. At age 28, working for tie manufacturer Beau Brummell, Lauren convinced the company's president to allow him to create his own line, leading to the launch of The Ralph Lauren Corporation in 1967, initially selling men's ties.

In 1968, Lauren introduced his first full menswear line named Polo. Operating initially from a single drawer in a showroom located in the Empire State Building, he personally delivered merchandise to stores. By 1969, Bloomingdale's developed a Polo shop-in-shop boutique within its department store. In 1971, Ralph Lauren Corporation expanded into women's apparel with tailored shirts featuring the Polo player emblem, debuting on the shirt's cuff, followed by the launch of the first women’s full collection in 1972. The same year, Lauren opened a store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, establishing his presence in the luxury retail space.

The 1972 signature cotton mesh Polo shirt with the Polo player logo became a widely recognized emblem of the preppy style. In film, Lauren outfitted the male cast of "The Great Gatsby" in 1974, with a pink suit designed especially for Robert Redford’s portrayal of Jay Gatsby. His designs were also featured in Woody Allen's 1977 film "Annie Hall," worn by Diane Keaton and Allen himself.

In 1978, Lauren launched his initial fragrances, "Lauren" for women and "Polo" for men, produced by Warner-Lauren, Ltd., marking the first simultaneous introduction of two designer fragrances. The company entered Europe in 1981 with a store on Bond Street in London.

Lauren’s flagship store was opened in the Rhinelander mansion on Madison Avenue and 72nd Street, New York City, in 1986. Expanding his product lines, Ralph Lauren introduced Polo Sport in 1992, followed by multiple lines and acquired brands including Ralph Lauren Purple Label (1995) and Lauren Ralph Lauren (1996). The corporation became publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange on June 12, 1997.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Lauren expanded into the hospitality sector with restaurants such as Ralph's in Chicago (1999), Ralph's in Paris (2010), and The Polo Bar in New York (2015). The online presence was established with polo.com launched in 2000, later rebranded as ralphlauren.com in 2007.

In September 2015, Stefan Larsson replaced Lauren as CEO, with Lauren remaining as executive chairman and chief creative officer. Lauren has appeared on numerous magazine covers, including Architectural Digest, GQ, Forbes, Town & Country, TIME, and Vogue. The brand celebrated its 50th anniversary with a fashion show at Bethesda Terrace in Central Park on September 8, 2018, attended by notable figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton.

Lauren married Ricky Ann Loew-Beer in 1964; they met six months prior when she was working as a receptionist and teaching dance. She authored a book on the Hamptons’ food, family, and history. The couple are members of the Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan, with involvement in its capital campaign ending in 2019. They have three children, including David Lauren and Dylan Lauren. David Lauren married Lauren Bush in 2011.

Lauren underwent surgery in 1987 to remove a benign brain tumor and has since maintained good health. His personal property includes a 17,000-acre cattle ranch in Colorado and a 17,000-square-foot manor in Bedford, New York.

A notable automobile collector, Lauren owns approximately 100 cars, including rare and historic models such as a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO and a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. His collection has been exhibited at museums including Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

Philanthropically, Lauren has contributed extensively to cancer research and awareness. He co-founded the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research at Georgetown University Hospital in 1989, and supports the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem, established in 2003. The Ralph Lauren Corporation has also partnered with the Royal Marsden Hospital in London since 2014 for breast cancer research initiatives.