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Ralph Lauren, American’s Leading Designer

Ralph Lauren is American’s leading designer in the classic tradition, who has stayed true to his own point of view, despite the seasonal vagaries of fashion. Mr. Lauren has always believed that fashion is function of lifestyle. He believes that clothed should be natural, comfortable and elegant, for the way people live today. His clothes have timeless grace and become more personal and special age. For Mr. Lauren, the starting point is always his concern for quality and attention to detail, while the creative drama comes from his own romantic sense of elegance and reverence for authencity.

Always true to his own purely American vision of fashion, his products are nearly as diverse as the country that inspires them. He designs a wide range of products, including menswear, womenswear, boyswear, girlswear, home furnishing, eyewear, scarves, shoes, hosiery, fragrances, handbag, luggage and leather goods. And the stores that carry his products are located across the United States and around the world. In 1967, the New York born bred Ralph Lauren started the Polo division of Beau Brummel neckties. Ties at that time were in an Ivy League phase-dark, narrow and undistinguished.

But, for several years, Mr. Lauren had harbored the nation that the time was right for a new look. And so, he pioneered the wide tie-a four-inch tie made from opulent materials and fabrications that were unheard of in the business. Polo ties soon became the status tie. And Ralph Lauren became the menswear design to watch, as his ties revolutionized the industry. Mr. Lauren had more dreams to fulfill. He chose the name Polo for his line of ties because the sport repsented to him a lifestyle of athletic grace and discreet elegance, an image of men who wore well-tailored, classic clothes and wore them with style.

With that image in mind, Mr Lauren established Polo as a separate menswear company in 1968, producing a complete line of men’s clothes. Using only the finest fabrications, Mr. Lares’s menswear was distinctive, innovative, but always classic and refined. His suits blended the American Ivy League natural shoulder silhouette with the fitted shape and expensive fabrics of the best European custom tailored clothing. His shirts were all cotton, richly patterned and expertly made.

This same care was, and still is, applied to every element of Mr. Lauren’s collections as it expanded to include knitwear, sportswear, outwear, accessories and shoes. Today, Polo stands as a bastion of quality and elegance, a menswear institution that maintains a readily identifiable image and a devoted following. Polo/Ralph Lauren’s men’s apparel is distributed by licences in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hongkong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Panama, Scandinavia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, The United Kingdom and Uruguay, all under the Polo by Ralph Lauren label.

Under the Chaps by Ralph Lauren label, Mr. Lauren’s designs a collection of mens’s clothing, shirts, sportswear and ties for young executives who want a traditional look and have an appreciation for good design and value. In 1981, Mr. Lauren introduced Polo University Club, a line of tailored to the college student and aspiring young businessman developing his professional wardrobe with the taste level that Polo represents. Ralph Laurens first introduced his clothing for women in 1971, and his impact on women’s fashion has been such that “Ralph Lauren woman” gas become part of the vocabulary of our time.

She is active, independent and assured-the images of a woman who possesses innate elegance, based on understatement, and feminity. His are clothes for women who would wear tailored clothing much in the manner of Hepburn or Garbo and, with their own sense of personal style. Today, Mr. Ralph Lauren has established his own medley of signature classic – well cut hacking jackets, man tailored shirts, pleated trousers, chic city suit and exquisitely-colored Fairisle and motif sweaters.

His collection offers the most elegant and feminine silhouette in beautiful fabrics, including delicate handkerchief linen and lace blouses, classic tailored blazers, refined and sophicasted dresses, handknit folk art sweaters, elegant sportswear and rich cashmere evening dresses. Ralph Lauren’s ready to wear lines include collection, classic, Roughwear, Activewear and Swimwear. Mr. Lauren’s ready to wear collections are licenses on Brazil, Canada, Europe, Hongkong, Japan, Korea, and Mexico. Ralph Lauren also licenses a line of sewing patterns to Vogue Patterns.

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