[Hidden Industry Story] The First Lady's Choice 'Ralph Lauren'
Leading Trends with Ivy League Style, Pique Shirts, Gatsby Look
World-Renowned Designers Raised by Ralph Lauren: John Varvatos, Vera Wang, Tom Brown
[Asia Economy Reporter Shinwon Yoon] Presidents and first ladies around the world wear outfits that best represent their countries at presidential inaugurations. The United States is no exception. Among the 44 U.S. presidents in history, 40 have chosen the 'Brooks Brothers' tuxedo for their inauguration attire. This is because Brooks Brothers is the oldest men's clothing brand in America, with a history spanning over 200 years. But what about the first ladies? They also choose the most 'American' brand for their attire. The brand that has been the choice of many first ladies, including Melania Trump, wife of President Donald Trump, is none other than 'Ralph Lauren.'
The American fashion brand 'Polo Ralph Lauren,' better known simply as Polo, was established in 1967 and has a relatively short history of about 50 years, yet it is regarded in the U.S. as the brand that best represents America. It popularized the 'Ivy League style,' a gentleman's fashion favored by students and alumni of eight prestigious universities in the U.S. East Coast, and has led the 'American casual look,' which has now become a trend, making it the brand that drives the most 'American-style fashion.'
The Son of a Poor Immigrant Dreams of Becoming a Millionaire
Designer Ralph Lauren, the founder and CEO of Ralph Lauren for about 48 years until 2015, was actually born into a poor Jewish immigrant family. This background contrasts with the brand’s popularity as a representative of upper-class American fashion. Ralph Lauren’s original name was Ralph Lifshitz. The Lifshitz family produced rabbis (Jewish law scholars), but since he was more interested in economic success than religion, he changed his surname from Lifshitz, which evoked religious connotations, to 'Lauren.' He even wrote 'millionaire' as his dream in his high school yearbook. This is why Ralph Lauren is called a legend of the 'American Dream.'
From his school days, Ralph Lauren had a strong interest in fashion. He dropped out of the City College of New York to learn business through practical experience and entered the fashion industry by joining Brooks Brothers as a sales clerk. Later, he worked at Rivetz & Company, a necktie manufacturer, and in 1967, with the help of necktie maker Beau Brummell, he sold neckties under the name 'Polo.' As the 'Polo' necktie gained popularity, Lauren expanded into men's clothing in 1968 by borrowing $50,000 (about 60 million KRW).
Ralph Lauren differentiated himself by combining the traditional brand concepts of Brooks Brothers and Melrandry with the Ivy League style. At that time, the large American department store chain Bloomingdale’s recognized the popularity of Polo men's wear and opened the first boutique for Polo by Ralph Lauren. In 1970, he also received the 'Coty Prize,' awarded annually since 1942 to outstanding designers in the U.S.
Polo Ralph Lauren Rises to a National Brand
His heyday began from this point. In 1971, he expanded into women's wear by launching tailored shirts for women, and in 1972, he released shirts featuring the logo of a polo player, which has since become a symbol of Polo Ralph Lauren. Polo was a sport enjoyed by the upper class at the time, so it gained great popularity among the elite. As Polo became famous, a legal dispute arose with Brooks Brothers, which had been producing Oxford shirts under the name 'Polo' since the 1930s. Eventually, Ralph Lauren had to change the company name to 'Polo Ralph Lauren,' using his own name.
In 1972, Polo Ralph Lauren launched its hit product, the pique knit shirt. Although many people believe Polo’s pique shirt to be the original, the pique shirt was actually created by Lacoste. However, Lacoste only released it in three colors and used a polyester-cotton blend fabric. Ralph Lauren introduced pique shirts made of cotton in 24 different colors, surpassing the original Lacoste in popularity.
Polo pique shirt [Source - Polo]
Until the early 1970s, Polo Ralph Lauren was strongly perceived as a brand favored by the upper class. It rose to become a 'national brand' thanks to the 1976 film 'The Great Gatsby' and the 1977 film 'Annie Hall.' While Ralph Lauren did design the costumes for Robert Redford, the lead in 'The Great Gatsby,' Diane Keaton, who appeared wearing Polo Ralph Lauren clothes in 'Annie Hall,' actually styled her own wardrobe. Regardless of costume production, Polo gained significant promotional benefits from these two films. At that time, Ralph Lauren solidified a popular image by launching lines that popularized upper-class styles among the general public.
With these achievements, Ralph Lauren became the first to win five awards from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), including 'Menswear Designer of the Year,' 'Womenswear Designer of the Year,' and a 'Lifetime Achievement Award.' Considering that designers such as John Varvatos, Vera Wang, and Thom Browne have passed through his company, it reflects how highly he is regarded in the American fashion industry.
Currently, Ralph Lauren has stepped down from the CEO position. In 2015, after about 48 years, he appointed Stefan Larsson, a former executive of the Swedish SPA brand H&M, as CEO. However, Ralph Lauren’s long-standing influence over Polo Ralph Lauren led to conflicts with the new CEO, resulting in the hiring of Patrice Louvet, formerly of P&G, as the new CEO in 2017. Louvet is focusing on capturing the digital generation, something Ralph Lauren had not achieved.
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