The History of Ralph Lauren
Sometimes businesses get started in the most unusual way. The fashion designer Ralph Lauren was born in 1939 in New York. He studied art at night school and was employed at a necktie manufacturer during the day. This production experience gave him a great idea. What if he made the ties wider? In 1968, he took out a loan for $50,000 and founded Polo Fashions with his brother. He was on his way to being one of the most well-known entrepreneurs of the century. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
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Defiance Wins
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Lauren went to a variety of stores to carry his line of wide ties. The department store Bloomingdale's demanded that Lauren take his name off the tie's label and make the ties more narrow. Lauren did not give in to Bloomingdale's demands and refused to sell the product under those conditions. It was not long before Bloomindale's saw how successful Lauren's brand was and agreed to his terms.
Finding Success
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When Lauren won the prestigious Cody Award for Menswear in 1970, he proved the rumors right: He was certainly someone who was going to give all other designers a run for their money. He started a woman's line to go hand-in-hand with the one for menswear. With its two dozen colors and quality, and stylish design, this new Polo label became a success in a very short time.
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Cologne
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Lauren started producing one type of product after another. He introduced a new cologne in the 1970s and bed and bath items in 1983. The latter continued to grow and eventually become crafted home furniture, as well. He had also received the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of American Lifetime Achievement Award two years earlier in 1981, because of his major contributions to the world of fashion innovation.
Passion
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Over the years, Lauren's company has made hundreds of millions of dollars. It is not only product that has earned him a special name, but packaging as well. He has recognized that in the fashion industry, the way something is presented is just as important, if not more, than the merchandise itself. He also has learned that the amount of passion that a designer has for his business may make all the difference between mediocrity and true success.
Memorable
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Today, when people see the Polo player on the left breast of a knit shirt with short sleeves, they automatically know that it is clothing by the Lauren company. His logo, the Lauren brand, has become one of the most recognized symbols across the world. Many times over the years, other designers may have given up due to the difficulties facing designers. Fashion is a very tough, fickle and competitive business. That, however, was not Ralph Lauren's way of doing things. As soon as he produced his wide tie and would not budge an inch for Bloomingdale's, he set his goals as being his own person. He has continued in that direction ever since. He has become a model for all other designers to follow.
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References
- Photo Credit vis-www.cs.umass.edu/lfw/devTrain.html
