The VaultThe All-American man Ralph Lauren, was born on October 14, 1939 in the Bronx, New York. For over 40 years Ralph Lauren has created an elite brand embodying the classic "American Lifestyle". Without any formal fashion design experience, Ralph Lauren has built his classic American empire from the ground up. Polo, Ralph Lauren originated as a line of neckties which later retailed at Bloomingdales.
The line "Polo" was "named after a sport that embodies a world of discreet elegance and classic style". -RalphLauren.comAfter only 3 years in the Industry, Lauren won his first Coty Award for Menswear. In 1971, he opened his first store located in Beverly Hills, CA along with the debut of his first womenswear line.
Throughout the rest of the 1970s Ralph Lauren continued reign over the world of fashion. He designed all of the menswear garments in the classic film, The Great Gatsby and went to on to win even more remarkable awards, including the Coty "Hall of Fame" award for Womenswear.
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| Rhinelander mansion on Madison Avenue at 72nd Street |
The Council of Fashion Designers of America honored Ralph Lauren in 1992 with the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Womenswear Designer of the Year Award and the Menswear Designer of the Year Award, as well as Retailer of the Year. With these awards, Ralph Lauren became the only designer to ever receive the CFDAs four highest awards. Throughout the 1990s "philanthropy" became an important focus for the brand. Polo Ralph Lauren provided $13 million dollars to preserve one of America's most valuable and meaningful treasures, the Star-Spangled Banner which is housed at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
In the Y2k decade, the Ralph Lauren power house took off. Ralph Lauren set off countless achievements such as opening the "RL Rugby" brand and outfitting competitors at Wimbledon and the American Olympians of 2008.
New Innovations?
-The classic Ralph Lauren Polo is now open to mass customization. Customers can now go online and select their fit, size, and color of their shirt and Polo pony logo.
-The introduction of the first ever Rugby online fashion show took place in 2009. The online fashion show created a "VIP" experience for the customer allowing them to purchase garments directly from the runway.
~Since 1967 to present day, Ralph Lauren has had a common, steady trend throughout all of his work. He creates classic and timeless collections season after season that are not just articles of clothing but the quintessence of the feeling and lifestyle of America.~
The Valuables
The four most important elements to consider when identifying a Ralph Lauren piece:
1. Signature Tailoring.
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| Fall 2010 RTW Runway |
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| Spring 2010 RTW Runway |
2. Classic American heritage fabrics and textures- denim, florals & crisp cotton
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| Spring 2010 Runway |
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| Fall 2010 Runway |
3. American Region influences- Western fringe & Navajo Prints
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| Spring 2011 Runway |
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| Spring 2011 Runway |
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| Spring 2009 Runway |
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| Fall 2010 Runway |
The Lock
What does Ralph Lauren have in store for us this upcoming season?
The Fall 2011 Ralph Lauren runway brings us chinese-esqe details tied together with Art-Deco influences. A black and white pallet with Dragon-Red accents. Leather, satin, and silk adorning the svelte models down the Ralph Lauren runway, clad in beaded jewelry and sophisticated, patterned accents.
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| Images courtesy of Vogue.com |
The Key
In 2011 love and commitment are in the air for the Lauren family. Ralph and Ricky Lauren's daughter, Dylan Lauren is to be married to Paul Arrouet this coming June.
Dylan is quoted in February 2011 Vogue- "I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have my father designer the most important gown he will ever make".
Ahh the quintessential Ralph Lauren!! We still love him and his classic looks with a twist to make it new.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that the love focus is now on the children :) used to be about him! I look forward to future entries! hokie fan