Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren
Fashion Designer Ralph Lauren has become the epitome of classic fashion. Ralph Lauren (born Ralph Lifschitz on October 14, 1939) is an American fashion designer and business executive. "The first image-maker", according to New York magazine, Lauren is one of the fashion industry's biggest hitters. But Lauren studied business science and served his time in the army before breaking into fashion. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, by his parents who had emigrated from Belarus. He grew up in a working class neighborhood with his three brothers, mother and father (a house painter). While they were by no means poor, Ralph knew the value of a dollar from an early age and was blessed with a steadfast determination to make money and be successful. By his early teens, he was working after school jobs so that he could save up to buy expensive suits. Although he knew he could find his clothes at a less expensive price, he made it a point to look stylish in his expensive threads -- and he has succeeded at looking cool in his attire since the age of 12.
His love of smart dress continued to grow, one would think that Lauren attended fashion design school, but he actually studied business at the City University of New York, in Manhattan. Student by night, Lauren would work by day at two glove companies as a salesman. After two years, Lauren decided to leave the program, between school and his career move into the fashion industry, Lauren served in the United States Army from 1962-1964, and married Ricky Low-Beer after his army days. Lauren then went back to focusing on men’s fashion, working at the time manufacturer A. Rivetz & Co., Lauren ventured into design for the first time, creating a tie that was wider that the ones currently on the market. In 1967, Ralph Lauren found a financial backer and launched his own neckwear boutique, with no formal design training, where he sold his own wide tie designs along with other brands. He named his tie collection
Fashion Designer Ralph Lauren has become the epitome of classic fashion. Ralph Lauren (born Ralph Lifschitz on October 14, 1939) is an American fashion designer and business executive. "The first image-maker", according to New York magazine, Lauren is one of the fashion industry's biggest hitters. But Lauren studied business science and served his time in the army before breaking into fashion. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, by his parents who had emigrated from Belarus. He grew up in a working class neighborhood with his three brothers, mother and father (a house painter). While they were by no means poor, Ralph knew the value of a dollar from an early age and was blessed with a steadfast determination to make money and be successful. By his early teens, he was working after school jobs so that he could save up to buy expensive suits. Although he knew he could find his clothes at a less expensive price, he made it a point to look stylish in his expensive threads -- and he has succeeded at looking cool in his attire since the age of 12.
His love of smart dress continued to grow, one would think that Lauren attended fashion design school, but he actually studied business at the City University of New York, in Manhattan. Student by night, Lauren would work by day at two glove companies as a salesman. After two years, Lauren decided to leave the program, between school and his career move into the fashion industry, Lauren served in the United States Army from 1962-1964, and married Ricky Low-Beer after his army days. Lauren then went back to focusing on men’s fashion, working at the time manufacturer A. Rivetz & Co., Lauren ventured into design for the first time, creating a tie that was wider that the ones currently on the market. In 1967, Ralph Lauren found a financial backer and launched his own neckwear boutique, with no formal design training, where he sold his own wide tie designs along with other brands. He named his tie collection
Bibliography: Gross, Michael. Genuine Authentic: the Real Life of Ralph Lauren. New York, NY: HarperCollinsPublishers, 2003. Print. Lauren, Ralph. Ralph Lauren. New York: Rizzoli, 2007. Print. McDowell, Colin. Ralph Lauren: the Man, the Vision, the Style. New York: Rizzoli, 2003. Print. Ralph Lauren. Web. 21 Apr. 2010. <http://www.ralphlauren.com>. "Ralph Lauren Biography and Profiles of Fashion Designers." InfoMat - Home Index. 18 Jan. 2007. Web. 26 May 2010. <http://www.infomat.com/whoswho/ralphlauren.html>. "Ralph Lauren Biography, Classic American Fashion Designer." Beauty Tips and Reviews on Beauty Products and Treatments. Web. 26 May 2010. <http://www.no1-in-beauty.com/Articles/ralph_lauren.htm>. "Ralph Lauren." Eilat Gordin Levitan. Web. 26 May 2010. <http://www.eilatgordinlevitan.com/pinsk/pinsk_pages/pinsk_stories_ralphlauren.html>. Tiffany. "Ralph Lifshitz- The Man Known as "Ralph Lauren"" All Things Polo Ralph Lauren. 26 Mar. 2008. Web. 26 May 2010. <http://allthingspoloralphlauren.blogspot.com/2008/03/ralph-lifschitz-man-known-as-ralph.html>. Trachtenberg, Jeffrey A. Ralph Lauren: the Man behind the Mystique. Boston: Little, Brown, 1988. Print.