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Ralph Lauren, born 1939
Born Bronx, New York
Long synonymous with classic American style, fashion designer Ralph Lauren has built an enormously successful lifestyle brand by making upper-class, casual elegance accessible to a global clientele. While still in his teens, Lauren developed an eye for timeless design, fine tailoring, and superior fabrics when he purchased a Brooks Brothers suit with earnings from his part-time job as a stock boy. Following his two-year service in the army and a stint as an assistant buyer for a department store chain, he began creating designs for Beau Brummell Ties. Having learned from his early experiences, Lauren launched his own Polo neckwear line in 1967. He premiered his men's clothing collection in 1968 and soon brought home the first of many coveted fashion awards. Lauren's line of women's clothing made its debut in 1971, just before the introduction of his signature mesh sport shirt with the iconic polo player logo. Since the arrival of the sport shirt in 1972, the brand has grown to include a vast array of products -- from perfume to home furnishings.
Mark Seliger, 2002 (printed 2017) |