Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren^[1] KBE (born Ralph Lifshitz; October 14, 1939) is an American fashion designer and business executive, best known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand.

Ralph Lauren KBE
Lauren in 2013
Born	Ralph Lifshitz (1939-10-14) October 14, 1939 (age 85) The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Baruch College
Occupation(s)	Executive Chairman, Ralph Lauren Corporation
Board member of	Ralph Lauren Corporation Club Monaco
Spouse	Ricky Lauren ​ (m. 1964)​
Children	3, including Dylan and David Lauren

Career

Lauren named his first full line of menswear 'Polo' in 1968. He worked out of a single "drawer" from a showroom in the Empire State Building and made deliveries to stores himself.^[2] By 1969, the Manhattan department store Bloomingdale's sold Lauren's men's line.

In 1971, Ralph Lauren Corporation created a line of tailored shirts for women, which had the Polo player emblem for the first time, appearing on the shirt's cuff. The first full women's collection was released the following year. In 1971 Lauren also opened a store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California; this was the first freestanding store for an American designer.^[3]

In 1972, the Ralph Lauren Corporation created a Polo shirt with many colors. It had the polo player logo at the chest, the shirt became one of Ralph Lauren's best known styles.^[4]

Personal life

Lauren was born on October 14, 1939 in The Bronx, New York to Russian parents.^[5] He studied at Baruch College. He has been married to Ricky Anne Low-Beer since 1964. They have seven children. His son, David, was married to the granddaughter of George H. W. Bush.

Honors

In 2016, Vogue reported that Lauren was to receive an award for Outstanding Achievement at the Fashion Awards- British Fashion Council.^[6][7]

In January 2025, Lauren was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden, becoming the first fashion designer to receive the honor.^[8]