From Bronx Immigrant To A Man Worth $7 Billion - The Legendary Ralph Lauren

Every person has heard about the American Dream at some point in their life, but only a few have managed to turn it into reality.

Born in the Bronx to an immigrant Jewish family, Ralph Lifshitz was, at first glance, just another normal kid who would spend his lifetime working a regular job while living a mediocre life.

With only one dream, a strong passion for fashion and an immense will to get out of poverty, Ralph Lauren managed to realize his dream. Today he is considered one of the world’s most recognized designers.

Faced with violence throughout his childhood, Ralph even had to change his last name to Lauren early in his career – which ended up being a pretty good decision.

From a young age, Lauren was faced with numerous challenges. Later in his career, he suffered a serious illness – a brain tumor, which fortunately was successfully cured.

All the challenges he faced over the years made him a stronger man, who today is considered one of the most popular designers, philanthropists and car collectors in the world – all with a touch of his recognizable classic style.

How Ralph Lauren became one of the most famous names in fashion, what he had to go through and how he rose from the bottom, will be revealed below!

IT ALL STARTED IN THE BRONX

Ralph Lauren (formerly Ralph Lifshitz) was the youngest son of four siblings. He was born in the Bronx, New York City, in 1939.

His parents, Frank and Fraydl, were Jewish immigrants from Europe who struggled within their small neighborhood to provide their kids a pleasant upbringing.

People who have known Ralph since he was a little child have seen his potential. Ralph was a creative boy with a vivid imagination. To escape his situation, he frequently went to the movies and fantasized about being a well-known actor..

In high school, Ralph set a goal of becoming a millionaire one day. He was influenced by famous actors like Cary Grant and Fred Astaire. From a young age, he was well-known for his distinctive style, combining old-world grace with traditional preppy attire.

A fashion lover like him had to find a part-time job to finance his passion.He enrolled in the business school at Manhattan’s Baruch College after graduating from high school. Ralph chose to leave college after just two years of study and recognized he did not belong there. He then opted to focus solely on fashion.

His enthusiasm and love for fashion were interrupted once more in 1962, when he served in the United States Army for two years. He returned from the service in 1964, married Ricky Anne Loew-Beer, with whom he now has three children, and started out to pursue his aspirations.

FROM A TIE SHOP TO THE WORLD-RENOWNED BRAND “POLO RALPH LAUREN”

Dissatisfied with the way men were dressing, Ralph decided to make the clothes he wanted to wear. He turned his dreams into reality by creating preppy clothes as none saw before. He brought elegance and classics to the clothing of many generations. Forever changing the attitudes of the time that you can’t do anything if you don’t come from money.

At the age of 24, Ralph Lauren started to realize his dreams. He started his fashion career with a sales job at the Brooks Brothers in New York.

Inspired by an unconventional way of dressing, Ralph releases a new collection of ties in 1967, which he refers to as “wide and unusual”. The men’s ties released that year culminated in the creation of the well-known Ralph Lauren Corporation. Ralph sold his ties from store to store and from a booth in New York City’s Empire State Building. $500,000 worth of ties were sold in just one year, which was a real boon to his career

Lauren defined the Polo apparel line’s aesthetic as a “tweedy English-American appearance with a French shape”, and the Ralph Lauren Corporation soon after blossomed into a lifestyle brand

The moment that shaped his unique style for fashion was the first polo match that Ralph went to with his friend Warren Helstein. Surrounded by silk, leather, horses and the high society of that era, the environment that was foreign to the young designer became a source of his inspiration.

In the 1970s, Ralph launched the first authentic cotton polo shirt on the market, along with the first women’s collection – which resulted in this brand becoming one of the most recognized in the world. Today, they offer everything from apparel and accessories to home items and fragrances.

In 1997, Ralph made the decision to take the company public, introduced shareholders and a board into the picture, and still retained 81.5% voting power.

With only a dream and hard work, Ralph managed to make himself one of the world’s most successful fashion designers with a net worth of over $6 billion. Designing everything from costumes for films like The Great Gatsby and Annie Hall to USA Olympic uniforms, Ralph has left an indelible mark on fashion history in his varied career, paving the way for new designers of the same background.

WHAT CAUSED RALPH TO DEVOTE HIMSELF TO CHARITY WORK?