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RALPH LAUREN

Lakshmi M S
SMBS, M G University
SMBSMIIC201708 : Entrepreneurship Development and Project
Management
Dr. Roshna Varghese
Assistant Professor
Assignment Due Date: 12/07/2021
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Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren is an American Fashion designer who is most famously known for Ralph

Lauren clothing company and the brand Polo which today is a multi-billion enterprise. For

more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren has cultivated the iconography of America into a global

lifestyle brand, and he is recognized as one of the world’s most innovative design and

business leaders. Taking inspiration from New England’s rusticity, the West’s natural beauty,

and Hollywood’s glamour, his collections for men and women, their children and homes

embody an expression of timeless style recognized and celebrated around the world.

Ralph Lauren, original name Ralph Rueben Lifshitz, (born October 14, 1939, New York,

U.S.), American fashion designer who, by developing his brand around the image of an elite

American lifestyle, built one of the world’s most successful fashion empires.

Lifshitz grew up in the Bronx, in New York City. He and his brother changed their last name

to Lauren when they were teenagers. Lauren attended day school followed by the Manhattan

Talmudical Academy, before eventually graduating from DeWitt Clinton High School in

1957.He went to Baruch College, at the City University of New York (CUNY) where he

studied business, although he dropped out after two years. Lauren was one of several design

leaders raised in the Jewish community in the Bronx, along with Calvin Klein and Robert

Denning. After high school, he took business classes at night school and worked in sales by

day. While working for a tie company, he was inspired to begin designing his own neckwear,

and in 1967 he went into business for himself, marketing his unique line of ties under the

name Polo.

From the inception of his brand, Lauren’s creations were characterized by a moneyed style

that evoked the look of English aristocracy as adapted by the sporty American East Coast

elite. His first menswear line in 1968 featured classic tweed suits, and his first womenswear
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line in 1971 continued his explorations of classic tailoring and good taste, but with a feminine

twist. In 1972 Lauren debuted what would become his signature piece: the mesh sport shirt,

available in a variety of colours and featuring his trademark emblem of the most aristocratic

of athletes, the polo player.

He has become well known for his collection of rare automobiles, some of which have been

displayed in museum exhibits. Lauren stepped down as CEO of the company in September

2015 but remains executive chairman and chief creative officer. As of 2019, Forbes estimates

his wealth at $6.3 billion, which makes Ralph Lauren the 102nd richest person in America.

The Ralph Lauren brand story

Ralph Lauren started off on a humble note by working out of a drawer in the Empire State

Building in New York City and selling men’s ties under the tie manufacturer Beau Brummell.

With this support, Ralph Lauren quickly expanded to a whole line of menswear which Lauren

named “Polo”, paying tribute to his love of sports. In just 2 years, Ralph Lauren was awarded

his own in-store shop in the Manhattan department store Bloomingdale’s for the first time.

Riding on this early success, Ralph Lauren launched a full women’s collection and later

opened his first store on Rodeo Drive in classy Beverly Hills – the first freestanding store for

an American designer.

Today, the Ralph Lauren Group manages a total of 17 fashion brands and 4 lifestyle brands

across 493 directly operated stores in 30 countries. Ralph Lauren is most well-known for the

Polo shirt from the oldest brand in its portfolio – Polo Ralph Lauren. The product lines of

Ralph Lauren cover all areas of apparel fashion, including men wear, women wear, women’s

watches and jewellery, children’s wear and sportswear. The distinct identity of a preppy,

aspirational American look is so powerful that it is now defined as a key element of

American fashion. With a multitude of sub-brands under the umbrella brand of Ralph Lauren
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catering to the needs of various market segments, Ralph Lauren has indeed become one of the

strongest fashion brands in the world.

Unlike the usual practices of branding that are normally seen in the consumer goods industry,

the branding philosophy in the fashion and luxury goods industry is quite different. Most

famous fashion houses like Christian Dior, Yves Saint-Laurent, Gucci, Versace, and Giorgio

Armani were built on the personality of the founders. As design is the most important

ingredient of fashion and luxury apparel, the individual style and personalities of these

designers became crucial to creating and sustaining the brand strategy of each of the houses.

The unique designs and patterns that reflect the personality of the creator gave the brand its

identity and helped it in attaining a differentiated image. A majority of the differences

between these fashion houses were also driven by the fact that the founders took up roles that

influenced the creative vision and direction of the whole house (something similar to what

Ralph Lauren is now doing).

In the case of Ralph Lauren, the influence of its founders’ personalities on its products is

evident in the emergence of the famous “Polo Bear”. The story goes that Jerry Lauren, Ralph

Lauren’s brother and head of the menswear division at Ralph Lauren, was an avid collector of

Steiff stuffed bears. In 1990, a tradition was started wherein colleagues presented a Steiff

bear version of both Jerry and Ralph Lauren to each of them as a birthday gift. The bear was

dressed preppy style, just like how Jerry Lauren dressed at the time. This preppy-dressed bear

later became a brand mascot and made its way into stores as both the actual teddy “Preppy

Bear”, and as a design icon that frequently started appearing on the brand’s products.

The Ralph Lauren story is indeed a fascinating tale of how the persona and lifestyle of a

brand’s founder has created and sustained a fashion brand for over 50 years and has made it a

globally recognized icon of American lifestyle.

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Ralph Lauren Brand Architecture

Ralph Lauren Corporation is an American fashion company producing products ranging from

the mid-range to the luxury segments. They are known for the clothing, marketing and

distribution of products in four categories: apparel, home, accessories, and fragrances. The

Company's brands include the mid-range Chaps brand, to the sub-premium Lauren Ralph

Lauren brand, to the premium Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Ralph Lauren children’s wear,

Denim & Supply Ralph Lauren, and Club Monaco brands, up to the full luxury Ralph Lauren

Purple Label and Ralph Lauren Collection brands.

Polo Ralph Lauren: This is Ralph Lauren’s first complete line of men’s Polo shirts,

sportswear and tailored clothing. Launched in 1968, it is the oldest brand in the portfolio and

continues to be top-of-mind in the men’s luxury casual and sportswear markets. It now offers

accessories including eye wear, handbags, hats, scarves, gloves, belts and small leather goods

as well.

Ralph Lauren Collection: The Ralph Lauren Collection is Ralph Lauren’s highest end brand

launched in 1971. Timeless and sophisticated, it is a line of women’s clothing that ranges

from handmade evening gowns and tailored blazers to luxury sportswear. With its high price

point, it targets the fashion-conscious and refined lady.

Polo Golf: Launched in 1987, Polo Golf combines Ralph Lauren’s love for sport and a luxury

lifestyle. It offers state-of-the-art golf apparel including custom-fit mesh polo shirts, stretch

shorts and that aims to enhance a golfer’s swing.

Polo Sport: Launched in 1992, this is Ralph Lauren’s line of high-performance active wear,

targeted at athletes and fitness junkies. This brand showcases Ralph Lauren’s dedication to

innovation. In 2014, it ventured into smart wearables and showed the world its first
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PoloTech shirt – a men’s shirt with cutting-edge silver fibers woven directly into the shirt

and a small sensor-filled black box attached near the ribcage to collect real-time biometric

stats like steps taken and heart rate.

Double RL (RRL): This brand was named after Ralph Lauren and his wife Ricky’s ranch in

Colorado (hence the “double R”). It was launched in 1993 and offers rustic-styled apparel

inspired by the independent, hardworking spirit of the West – including denim, military-grade

chinos, sweaters, flannels, vintage accessories and leather goods.

Ralph Lauren Purple Label: This is the upscale couture line of Ralph Lauren that was

launched in 1994. It offers refined and custom-made tailoring for men’s tuxedos, suits, and

sportswear, including Polo shirts made from luxury two-ply long-staple cotton.

Lauren by Ralph Lauren: This was Ralph Lauren’s line of women’s clothing priced at a

more accessible point, aimed at the modern, everyday lady. It was launched in 1996 and

offers a large range of apparel, bags and accessories, from sophisticated work dresses to

swimwear to sleepwear.

Ralph Lauren Golf, RLX and RLX Golf: These collections were launched in 1998 and

offers ultra-modern, graphic, performance-driven golf apparel, including progressive fits to

sophisticated styles to technologically advanced fabrics. It is targeted at younger golfers who

want to look trendy.

Club Monaco: This Canadian-based specialty retailer which sells designer lookalike casual

apparel for both men and women was acquired by Ralph Lauren in 1999. This was a growth

strategy that aimed to provide a venue of choice for youth aged 15 – 25 who aspired towards

well-fitted, fine clothing with modern, urban sophistication.

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Pink Pony: Established in 2000, the Pink Pony campaign is a global initiative that was set up

to show support towards cancer victims. The Pink Pony brand comprises of women’s

sportswear and shoes crafted in luxurious fabrics, all of which feature the pink Polo player

logo, demonstrating the company’s commitment towards the battle against cancer.

Polo Ralph Lauren Children: This collection is designed to reflect the timeless heritage and

modern spirit of Ralph Lauren’s men and women collections. It is subdivided into Boys

(sizes 2-7 and 8-20), Girls (2-6X and 7-16), Big Kid, Little Kid and Baby (Boy and Girl). It

offers a variety of clothing from t-shirts and dresses to overalls and loafers.

American Living: Launched in 2008, American Living was bought over by Ralph Lauren.

The brand is available at department stores Macy’s, Belk and JC Penney and offers classic,

all-American collections including men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, and home goods.

The brand’s pricing is aspirational yet accessible.

Ralph Lauren Watches and Fine Jewellery: Launched in 2009, the Ralph Lauren Watch &

Jewellery Co. introduced a premium collection of timepieces that are inspired by the image of

prestige and sophistication that the Ralph Lauren brand has evolved to represent.

Denim & Supply Ralph Lauren: As its name suggests , this sub-brand that was launched in

2011 offers mainly denim-based and casual apparel, including loose sweaters and plaid. It

was born in Brooklyn, New York, and is inspired by the style of artists, painters, musicians

and poets who inhabited there. With its lower price point and accessibility, it targets the

younger crowd who is less interested in luxury and refinement.

Chaps: This brand is similar to the Lauren by Ralph Lauren brand, and offers casual

sportswear and dresses at a slightly lower price point. It draws on authentic inspirations, from
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nautical styles to American vogue, and offers apparel for men, women and children as well as

home accessories.

Ralph Lauren Entrepreneurial Characteristics

Ralph Lauren's creativity was what made him a great entrepreneur and fashion designer.

When he started making neck ties out of old rags to get his business going this displayed his

creativity to be able to make old rags into a neck tie that people actually bought. It also

displayed his enthusiastic nature for fashion. Most people wouldn't ever be able to think, and

even if they did, act on making the old rag neck ties because they would be discouraged with

what they had to work with. Also when he started making neck ties from a very young age up

until he was in college, selling these neck ties and trying to make extra money this displayed

Persistent characteristics. If he didn't make these neck ties he might not be where he was

today.

The Ralph Lauren brand strategy

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

FIVE YEAR GOALS : Drive sustainable, long-term growth and value creation

 +$1B incremental sales

 +$300M incremental operating income

 Return >$2.5B cash cumulatively to shareholders

 Top 10% employee engagement

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

 Consumer at the center

 Elevate and energize the brand

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 Balance growth and productivity

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

 Win over a new generation

 Energize core products and accelerate underdeveloped categories

 Drive targeted expansion

 Lead with digital

 Operate with discipline to fuel growth

Walking into any Ralph Lauren store, one will immediately notice

that the majority of the apparel designs veer towards the classics – think clean-cut oxford

shirts and basic polo shirts with the embroidered pony. The unwavering focus on classic

designs, together with the Ralph Lauren brand name, the elegance of the stores and the luxury

of the materials, have managed to capture precisely what consumers’ desire from a luxury

brand.

The Ralph Lauren brand, since its launch, has crafted and operationalized a strategy that

directly taps into a blue ocean opportunity in the fashion industry – the balance between

haute couture (sophistication) and classical lines (design and heritage). By successfully

mixing a new age identity with classical designs, Ralph Lauren has maintained its appeal

with a wide range of consumers. This has also allowed it to attract consumers from different

age groups, and has allowed it to hold on to them as they have progressively aged.

The balance of class and simplicity allows consumers to express their personalities by

wearing Ralph Lauren. The design of its apparels starts on a blank canvas, allowing the

consumer the flexibility to interpret and bring out his or her individual style in the final

product. This effortless and clever design strategy has not only enhanced the Ralph Lauren
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brand identity, but has also allowed it to strengthen its equity in different market and product

segments.

Maintaining this balance between the classics and latest trends is not a one-off tactic for

Ralph Lauren. It is built into the brand’s core. In September 2017, it announced that it would

revive one of its coolest and most successful collections from the 1990s – the Polo Stadium

Collection launched during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics (which was in turn inspired by the

uniforms worn by American athletes in the 1920s and 1930s).

References

 Martin Roll (2018,July) Ralph Lauren – A Brand Capturing The American Spirit.

Website:https://martinroll.com/resources/articles/strategy/ralph-lauren-a-brand-

capturing-the-american-spirit/

 Bodie Fisher (2019,September 23). Ralph Lauren Entrepreneur Profile.

https://prezi.com/p/t-amzbouavjx/ralph-lauren-entrepreneur-profile/

 Wikipedia contributors . (2021,July 6) . Ralph Lauren From Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Lauren