Ralph Lauren turns 85 – a homage in pictures

It was shortly before his death that Karl Lagerfeld once again commented on his friend Ralph Lauren. In an interview for the documentary “Very Ralph” he said of his colleague that for him he was “the US designer who best represents America and American style for the rest of the world.” Ralph Lauren probably couldn’t have been described better, because hardly anyone plays with the American trappings as convincingly as he does.

In 1967 he started his career with ties and later founded the “Polo Ralph Lauren” brand. Back then, he was looking for a symbol that embodied sportiness and exclusivity at the same time – and found it in polo. The sport was popular among wealthy Americans. Lauren therefore had a logo with a rider and horse embroidered on his fashion, which became a symbol of the jet set. He never had anything to do with the sport himself.

Ralph Lauren: from the Bronx to self-made millionaire

Ralph Lauren was born Ralph Lifshitz in the Bronx in 1939, his parents were Jewish immigrants from Belarus. Since he and his two brothers were often teased because of their name – it sounded like “lift shits” – they changed it to Lauren in the 1950s. It is said that the designer was inspired by actress Lauren Bacall.

Today the name Ralph Lauren stands for luxury, the designer is revered as a self-made millionaire. In 1997 he took his company public on the New York Stock Exchange, and today the company’s sales are more than 6.6 billion US dollars. Lauren worked at the company for over 40 years, but stepped down as CEO in 2015. He hasn’t lost interest in his brand yet. Although he no longer walks down the catwalk after a show like he used to, he still sits in the audience with his wife Ricky and their family.