How old is ralph lauren brand

Ralph Lauren is one of the most legendary fashion designers of all time, whose career has already spanned over 50 years - his business beginning as a tie line when he was just 28 years old and eventually becoming one of the most successful fashion empires in history. From the iconic on-screen moments to the unforgettable red-carpet gowns and the supermodel-studded catwalk shows, we round up Ralph Lauren's life and work in 80 pictures, as the designer celebrates his 80th birthday.

After a stint in the US army and two years studying business at The City University of New York, he became a salesman for a tie company, where, in , he convinced the company's president to let him start his own line. He was just 28 years old. The Ralph Lauren Corporation started in with men's ties and then sportswear the following year. By , Bloomingdales sold Lauren's menswear line exclusively, giving the brand its own boutique, something the department store had never done before. In , the designer launched womenswear and opened its first standalone store.

Lauren married Ricky Ann Low-Beer on 20 December after the two met in a doctor's office six months previously, where she was working as a receptionist. The couple went on to have three children together Andrew, David and Dylan. They are pictured here at their home in East Hampton, New York in The married couple were photographed in the back of a limousine as they headed to a charity event in Lauren seen in for a feature in the Toronto Star about his then already booming fashion empire.

Lauren posed with Bill and Hillary Clinton in July Type keyword s to search. Bernard Weil Getty Images. Ralph Lauren is most well-known for the Polo shirt from the oldest brand in its portfolio — Polo Ralph Lauren.

The distinct identity of a preppy, aspirational American look is so powerful that it is now defined as a key element of American fashion. With a multitude of sub-brands under the umbrella brand of Ralph Lauren catering to the needs of various market segments, Ralph Lauren has indeed become one of the strongest fashion brands in the world.

Unlike the usual practices of branding that are normally seen in the consumer goods industry, the branding philosophy in the fashion and luxury goods industry is quite different. As design is the most important ingredient of fashion and luxury apparel, the individual style and personalities of these designers became crucial to creating and sustaining the brand strategy of each of the houses. The unique designs and patterns that reflect the personality of the creator gave the brand its identity and helped it in attaining a differentiated image.

A majority of the differences between these fashion houses were also driven by the fact that the founders took up roles that influenced the creative vision and direction of the whole house something similar to what Ralph Lauren is now doing. In , a tradition was started wherein colleagues presented a Steiff bear version of both Jerry and Ralph Lauren to each of them as a birthday gift.

The bear was dressed preppy style, just like how Jerry Lauren dressed at the time. I am anti-fashion. Walking into any Ralph Lauren store, one will immediately notice that the majority of the apparel designs veer towards the classics — think clean-cut oxford shirts and basic polo shirts with the embroidered pony. The Ralph Lauren brand, since its launch, has crafted and operationalized a strategy that directly taps into a blue ocean opportunity in the fashion industry — the balance between haute couture sophistication and classical lines design and heritage.

By successfully mixing a new age identity with classical designs, Ralph Lauren has maintained its appeal with a wide range of consumers. This has also allowed it to attract consumers from different age groups, and has allowed it to hold on to them as they have progressively aged.

The balance of class and simplicity allows consumers to express their personalities by wearing Ralph Lauren. The design of its apparels starts on a blank canvas, allowing the consumer the flexibility to interpret and bring out his or her individual style in the final product. This effortless and clever design strategy has not only enhanced the Ralph Lauren brand identity, but has also allowed it to strengthen its equity in different market and product segments.

Maintaining this balance between the classics and latest trends is not a one-off tactic for Ralph Lauren. In September , it announced that it would revive one of its coolest and most successful collections from the s — the Polo Stadium Collection launched during the Barcelona Olympics which was in turn inspired by the uniforms worn by American athletes in the s and s. The Ralph Lauren brand is created for a consumer that values quality, exclusivity, style, fine living and prestige.

He or she appreciates the quintessential American look and timeless classics, and aspires to be respected and recognized for his or her wealth and sophistication. It is currently the official outfitter for all on-court officials at both the Wimbledon and US Open tennis tournament, and the official parade outfitter for the US Olympic and Paralympic Teams.

The Ralph Lauren brand has not been a laggard in the creation and implementation of digital and mobile marketing strategies. As digital and social media marketing increasingly became critical platforms to engage with consumers in the fashion and luxury space, most of its marketing efforts today are focused on digital and social media. These efforts have seen considerable success by being innovative and highly customer-centric. For example, Ralph Lauren publishes its own editorial content in its RL Magazine — a clever way to advertise by providing useful fashion content to consumers.

In , Ralph Lauren launched the Make Your Own Rugby iPhone mobile application, allowing customers to select a blank shirt, polo, sweater or jacket and customize it with distinguished crests, football-themed patches and letters.

They are largely focused on family, romance, and elegant living with a huge representation of the polo player, symbolizing refinement, affluence, esteem and style. Ralph Lauren follows one of the fundamental principles of brand building to the core, which is about having consistency in brand messages and positioning over a long term. With a CMO in place, Ralph Lauren hopes to achieve greater alignment between marketing efforts and corporate strategy, and a stronger customer focus in both strategic and tactical initiatives.

Ralph Lauren always had a long-term vision in shaping its product portfolio. It has always been important for the brand to link its different apparel and accessories lines under a single cohesive identity.

The brand is currently going through a difficult time with decline in revenues and the need for optimisation of its operations.

It has now become even more important for the brand to ensure that its product portfolio works together and portrays a consistent and credible image for the brand.

It is also exploring opportunities to broaden its product lines and also venture beyond fashion. Regardless of the outcome of these initiatives, it is important for Ralph Lauren to ensure that the expanded product portfolio still has a strong link with the iconic parent brand.

Ralph Lauren has always enjoyed success due to positive consumer perceptions of its classic designs, high quality and premium image. It has followed an expansion strategy using the same core credentials into other fashion segments. The Ralph Lauren brand architecture has always been a topic for branding discussions as the architecture is constantly optimized to maximise the Ralph Lauren brand equity.

Because of this executives do not hesitate to kill sub-brands that do not perform well — some examples of sub-brands that have left the portfolio are Ralph Lauren Black Label, Ralph Lauren Blue Label and Ralph Lauren Rugby. As of February , the Ralph Lauren brand portfolio comprises of 17 fashion brands, each differentiated by a different line of apparel with specific targeting towards different marketing and consumer segments.

In reality both Ralph Lauren and Polo have masterbrand status and are used to endorse specific sub-brands. The Ralph Lauren masterbrand has a broader equity compared to that of Polo, which is more used for endorsement of Polo-specific apparel lines.

Brands that are part of the portfolio from acquisitions are allowed to operate without any form of endorsement. The current portfolio stands as below and ensures that the Ralph Lauren masterbrand has its influence throughout the portfolio:. It now offers accessories including eye wear, handbags, hats, scarves, gloves, belts and small leather goods as well.

With its high price point, it targets the fashion-conscious and refined lady. It was launched in and offers rustic-styled apparel inspired by the independent, hardworking spirit of the West — including denim, military-grade chinos, sweaters, flannels, vintage accessories and leather goods. It was launched in and offers a large range of apparel, bags and accessories, from sophisticated work dresses to swimwear to sleepwear. Ralph Lauren Golf, RLX and RLX Golf: These collections were launched in and offers ultra-modern, graphic, performance-driven golf apparel, including progressive fits to sophisticated styles to technologically advanced fabrics.

It is targeted at younger golfers who want to look trendy. RLX offers clothing and outerwear built for general outdoor sports such as tennis, golf, skiing, sailing and hiking. Club Monaco: This Canadian-based specialty retailer which sells designer lookalike casual apparel for both men and women was acquired by Ralph Lauren in This was a growth strategy that aimed to provide a venue of choice for youth aged 15 — 25 who aspired towards well-fitted, fine clothing with modern, urban sophistication.

Pink Pony: Established in , the Pink Pony campaign is a global initiative that was set up to show support towards cancer victims. A proportion of Pink Pony product sales goes towards the Pink Pony Fund and other large cancer charities across the world.

It offers a variety of clothing from t-shirts and dresses to overalls and loafers. It was born in Brooklyn, New York, and is inspired by the style of artists, painters, musicians and poets who inhabited there.

With its lower price point and accessibility, it targets the younger crowd who is less interested in luxury and refinement. After a brief stint in the Army, Lauren took on a sales job at Brooks Brothers. In , Lauren was awarded the Coty Award for his men's designs.

Following this recognition, he released a line of women's suits tailored in a classic men's style. Then in , Lauren released a short-sleeve cotton shirt in 24 colors. Lauren is known for capitalizing on an aspirational style and key insignia which evokes the British gentry while also referencing the aesthetics of the American upper class. His fashion ideas have been criticized by some for not being particularly innovative while also embraced by scores of consumers who prefer more approachable looks.

Lauren subsequently broadened his brand to include a luxury clothing line known as Ralph Lauren Purple, a rough and rustic line of apparel dubbed RRL, a home-furnishing collection called Ralph Lauren Home and a set of fragrances. Polo currently produces clothing for men, women and children and has hundreds of internationally placed stores, including factory stores that produce the majority of his sales domestically. Lauren has also designed Olympic uniforms for Team USA, though controversy ensued when it was discovered that the competitors' attire for the summer games was made in China.

During the s, Lauren made his foray into the film business as well, further cementing his status as a classic American designer by outfitting cast members for the film adaptation of The Great Gatsby , starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. Lauren also received credit for helping to outfit the cast of 's The Wild Party , another early 20th-century outing starring James Coco and Raquel Welch. The designer then became well known for Diane Keaton 's rather distinctive looks in the comedy Annie Hall.

Decades later, Lauren would be enamored by a show that wholeheartedly reflects his particular vision, the PBS series Downton Abbey. He subsequently created a fall collection inspired by the show and sponsored its final season in Polo expanded rapidly in the s and s, opening boutiques across the United States and abroad.