Ralph Lauren: The Man Who Made The Name

The Untold Story of a True American Underdog:

“I’m interested in longevity, timelessness, style—not fashion.”

If you say something is very ‘Ralph Lauren’, you’re immediately understood.

It’s a name that embodies class and taste.

But most people don’t know it’s actually a person, not just a brand.

Originally named Ralph Lifshitz, he changed his name to Ralph Lauren and wrote himself into the history books with a brand that has inspired multiple generations. 

In the last half-century, Ralph Lauren has not only captured the world with his iconic designs but has woven the essence of the American dream into the global tapestry of style and sophistication. 

He’s a man who completely flipped the script.

Coming from the roughest streets and clawing his way to a $10 billion empire, employing over 10,000 people across 400 stores worldwide. 

It all started with a necktie and a commitment to never compromise on personal values.

With each design, he paints a picture of possibility—a glimpse into a storybook lifestyle that through his journey, somehow now feels within reach. 

He reminds us that the American dream knows no boundaries, recognizes no limits. 

It's a beacon of hope, guiding us through the darkest of times and inspiring us to reach for the stars. 

But Ralph Lauren’s impact extends beyond the realm of business, reaching deep into the fabric of humanity itself.

Through his philanthropic endeavours and unwavering commitment to social responsibility, he has touched countless lives, uplifting communities and championing causes close to his heart.

This is a rags to riches story if there ever was one. 

Ralph Lauren’s designs grace the grandest stages and storefronts around the world, holding Ralph’s very words:

“Fashion isn't just about what you wear – it's about staying true to yourself, no matter the cost.”

Today on David to Goliath:

1. Dreaming Big At Rock Bottom

2. Belief Found in The Barracks

3. The Moment That Changed Ralph’s Life

4. The Unlikely Birth of a Clothing Giant

5. Nationwide Phenomenon

6. Beating Cancer And Finding His True Purpose

Dreaming Big At Rock Bottom

It was an inauspicious beginning for the style icon.

Ralph Lauren, originally named Ralph Lifshitz, grew up in an impoverished area in the Bronx neighbourhood of New York. 

His parents were Jewish immigrants from Belarus in Eastern Europe - a country targeted both by Nazi Germany and the Soviets during the war.

His father, Frank, was an artist and house painter. He began to plant seeds of creativity in his mind from the very beginning. 

Due to the family’s dire financial state, Ralph grew up in a single bedroom along with his two brothers and wore their hand-me-down clothes.

But he never let his start define him.

He was determined to forge a different path.

One with dreams most couldn’t even imagine.

“People ask how can a Jewish kid from the Bronx do preppy clothes? Does it have to do with class and money? It has to do with dreams.”

And so it began.

Growing up during the Golden Age of Hollywood, Ralph spent every Saturday at the movies watching Cary Grant or admiring Audrey Hepburn’s style.

“The films of those eras, mostly in black and white, had a romance and a real glamor that I found inspiring.”  

Films were his escape from the gritty, suburban sprawl of New York in the 1940s and ‘50s.

He would immerse himself in the fictional plot lines. 

And there was something brewing even deeper. Inspired by these characters, Ralph discovered very early on that he had an eye for design and an innate sense of style.

“Style is very personal. It has nothing to do with fashion. Fashion is over quickly. Style is forever.”

Living in the Bronx with a surname like Lipschitz was never going to be easy, but for Ralph it was torturous. 

After enduring years of bullying and ridicule, he legally changed his surname at 16. To the name we all know today:

Ralph Lauren. 

It wasn't just about a name change. It was about shedding the skin of his past and stepping into the shoes of the man he was destined to become.

While his classmates were dreaming about college degrees and steady jobs, he had his eyes set on something bigger. 

To stand bold in a world drowning in blandness.

With a flair and panache that no one around him would understand.

Yes, he loved clothes and was completely enamoured by the old-time elegance he would catch a glimpse of on screen, as he imagined a reality beyond the life of mediocrity.

But he knew from his upbringing that dreams alone wouldn’t pay the bills.

He needed a job to fund this passion and thus, took a part time job at Alexander's – a now defunct chain of stores around NYC.

Hustling hard to make ends meet.

By 16, during the school day he would sell handmade ties to fellow students with a $7-10 markup.

Peddling it like it’s pure gold - learning the art of sales.

His enterprising nature was beginning to shine through.

In his 1957 yearbook, he summed up his goal by writing nothing but the word "millionaire". 

And while he struggled to fit in amongst his peers, faced failure after failure in his exams and merely managed to scrape his way into college, he more than made up for it in ambition.

The rigid confines at school, the dark days of his youth, were about to become not an anchor but a catapult.

Ready to launch him into a world he always knew was possible.

Belief Found in The Barracks

After scraping a meagre graduation, he bagged his place at business school – at Baruch College in Manhattan.

A great opportunity to most, yes.

But not to Ralph. Something just didn’t quite fit.

So what did he do? 

He grabbed the bull by the horns. 

Dropped out. 

And took a different path. 

Straight into the deep.

He signed up for the U.S. military,

America’s post-WWII recovery was well underway, but the Vietnam war was gearing up. 

Stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey, he confronted the harsh realities of service, where individuality was subsumed by the relentless demands of duty.

He trained as a supply clerk - a valuable lesson in organizing stock - but military, even though taught him valuable lessons, still wasn't for him. 

"You have no face. You're not a person. You're a robot," he said.

But there was one huge takeaway.

A quiet boy at heart, this experience forced him to embark on a journey of physical endurance. A journey that would challenge his beliefs and give him that push towards leaning into himself as a visionary. 

Amidst the drudgery of barracks and basic training, he discovered an unexpected solace in the uniform. 

In its crisp lines and disciplined aesthetic, he glimpsed a reflection of the values he never even knew he held dearly, the immutable ethics that from this point forward defined his character: strength, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to a cause greater than oneself.

As he sketched designs by the dim light of his bunk, he knew there was a world of endless possibility out there.

A world where creativity knew no bounds and where the power of imagination could transcend even the darkest of days.

It was time to make a stand.

The Moment That Changed Ralph’s Life

After his brief stint in the Army, Lauren took on a sales job at Brooks Brothers, while continuing to hone his business skills at night classes. 

It was during this period he realised that shoppers of the higher echelons would pay extra for personal service and premium quality – a notion that hadn’t struck him during his poverty-ridden youth.

But then the moment that changed his life, forever.

One morning in 1966, when stepping out of the store he bumped into 1930s film star Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

He noticed his European style, double-breasted suit with spread-collar shirt – completely contrasting with the "cookie-cutter clothes" (button-down shirts, thin ties) of mid-60s Manhattan.

This look became solidified in Lauren’s mind, and would become the foundation for the design of his first necktie.

“I never went to fashion school. I didn’t know what a designer was. I knew I had something, but I didn’t know what it was. And it could just have easily been nothing.” 

But this design faced fierce rejection at Brooks Brothers, leading Lauren to the epiphany that in order to unleash his creativity to the world, he needed to be independent. 

He couldn’t succumb to the opinions of industry ‘know-it-all’s’. 

He needed to carve his own path and cast aside the safety net of corporate conformity.

At the flick of a switch, he resigned and joined Beau Brummell as a designer, where he would establish his small personal company, setting out to sell his necktie designs to small New York stores. 

Working day and night in a tiny drawer at a showroom in the Empire State Building.

“We all get report cards in many different ways, but the real excitement of what you’re doing is in the doing of it. It’s not what you’re gonna get in the end – it’s not the final curtain – it’s really in the doing it, and loving what you’re doing.”

The first sign of success was when a man called Neiman Marcus bought a hundred dozen of them, a fateful deal that benefited him tremendously.

He didn’t bask in glory though or pocket any of the cash – he used it as leverage. 

He went on to pitch hundreds of other stores before eventually landing a deal at upscale New York neckwear kingpin, Bloomingdales, in 1967. 

But still, rejection flowed. They wanted him to make his ties a quarter of an inch narrower, and put their private label ‘Sutton East’ onto them. There was no sign luck was on his side.

But he kept pushing.

His designs, wide and handmade from high-end fabrics, were the polar opposite of what was common at the time. 

Of course he was tempted at the allure of consistent sales to a high-end retailer, but like a true rule-breaking maverick, he said no. He chose the long and gritty route. 

Relying on nothing but instinct.

This left everyone in his circle spellbound. They couldn’t believe he passed on the chance to sell to Bloomingdale’s, one of the most reputable department stores of its day. 

But what he had, stemming from his early years and his time in the army, was self-belief.

As they say, crazy until genius, hey?

Add to that his fundamental principles about life and style, which he knew in his heart would elegantly capture the essence of the American dream. He was determined not to give up. 

“There was no chance in hell I would take my name off the ties, nor make them a quarter of an inch narrower.” 

So chasing trends he knew deep down were fleeting was not an option. His only option was to go all-in.

All or nothing.

With no money to his name, he had no choice but to go out and find rags, make them into ties out of his Empire State showroom drawer, and personally go out to force them into stores. 

After a tumultuous 12 months of highs and lows and no financial reward, the ties suddenly broke throught. 

People were beginning to catch on. They wanted more. 

“I kept going in a straight line even when people said, ‘Give it up’.” 

Then of course, Bloomingdale’s came crawling back in 1969. They wanted a whole rack and case of his ties.

It was the first time that Bloomingdale's had offered a designer their own in-store boutique.

You couldn’t write it (well, he kinda did).

Staying true to himself paid off. 

Ralph now had a brand to showcase to the world, but more importantly, an avenue to pursue his dreams.

The stage was set.

The Unlikely Birth of a Clothing Giant

Having only a high school diploma and a few business classes under his belt, the decision to start his own company was the next of many risks Ralph would take in his legendary career. 

By chance, he attended his first polo match at the suggestion of a friend. 

A lovely day out in the eyes of the masses.

A world-shattering experience in the eyes of Lauren. 

The very experience that would shape his perspective and pour petrol on his entrepreneurial visions. 

"We were exposed to fabulous things. The silver, the leather, the horses, the tall slinky blondes with the big hats, and the high society that we really weren't knowledgeable of." 

On this very day, the American super brand that exists today, was born.

The event inspired him to start developing a high-class, elegant men’s clothing brand, which would eventually become Polo Ralph Lauren, offering styles that were a mix of English and American styles and that expressed an image of class.

“I am constantly drawing inspiration from everything I see-the places I travel, the people I know and the movies I see.” 

Lauren was able to start his business with a $30,000 loan, helping him launch his first full menswear line.

With only one egg and one basket, he focused on designing clothing he himself would want to wear, keeping it simple yet ‘fit for a movie star’.

But after inception, there came an initial period when the new business had to weather vast, treacherous storms.

The clothes literally weren’t fitting, and the finances were bone dry.

Worse yet, Lauren had brought in a friend as his financial expert who hadn’t watched the money. 

None of the bills had been paid. 

“People were calling and saying ‘Mr. Lauren, the check that was supposed to be in the mail never arrived’.” I remember being scared I'd lose everything. What was most upsetting was the thought of having to call my father and say, ‘Dad, I lost my business’.”

That's what I was worried about—disappointing my father. He was so proud that I was doing exactly what I wanted to do. 

“I was so scared,” Lauren recalled in a documentary. “I was sweating, but it was cold.”

Retail is a risky domain to try and stamp your mark. 

But where the world sees risk, entrepreneurs spot opportunity.

With self-belief as their sling and courage as their shield, they dream like giants, but fight like underdogs. 

This is where Lauren had to dig deepest.

When his resources dwindled and his prospects seemed bleak, he took a leap of faith, investing all his savings into his dream.

And just as the sun rises after the darkest of nights, so too Ralph Lauren's fortunes began to change. 

Again, taking a big bet on himself paid off.

The next two years saw Ralph Lauren menswear become a huge success, as slowly but surely the vision of an everyday David giving every ounce of energy to build their dreams started to spread.

“Fashion is not necessarily about labels. It’s not about brands. It’s about something else that comes from within you.”

To the point that in 1971, he dialled up the stakes and introduced a women’s line, before continuing to branch out into children’s clothes, colognes, footwear, home products, and other merchandise as the years went by. 

It’s a reminder to us all – that even in our darkest hours, when all seems lost and the odds are stacked against us, it is our belief in ourselves and our dreams that carry us forward. 

His unshakeable conviction led to the opening of a store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The first freestanding store for an American designer. The first of its kind. 

And the following year, the Ralph Lauren Corporation launched an ad campaign that sent shockwaves around the world of retail. 

The tagline was ‘Every team has its colour – Polo has seventeen.’ 

This birthed the signature cotton mesh Polo in various colours, introducing the world to the short-sleeved collared sport shirt, featuring what we see today – the iconic polo player and pony at the chest, characteristic of the preppy look.

This would become the trademark emblem of the most aristocratic of athletes, the polo player. 

But more importantly, a symbol of a man who dared to be great. 

The rest is history.

Nationwide Phenomenon

From the inception of his brand, Lauren’s creations were characterized by a moneyed style that evoked the look of British gentry as adapted by the sporty American East Coast elite.

“When I create a collection, I approach it with a cinematic point of view-I am not designing clothes, I’m creating a world.”

A unique, somewhat random, certainly downright bold combination to splash across the standard population through the biggest retailers. 

As we know, initially the world wasn’t ready for it.

But the true trailblazers are the ones who take one quick look at the status quo and put their middle finger up to conformity, silencing the doubters into irrelevance. 

And this is exactly what happened with Polo Ralph Lauren. 

The next three decades saw the brand expand internationally and diversify its range, launching dozens of denim lines and luxury labels.

By 1974, the Ralph Lauren style was a nationwide phenomenon. A behemoth in the world of fashion.

“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.” 

The brand went on to dress the male actors in the adaptation of The Great Gatsby. The film’s evocation of the lost, elegant era of F. Scott Fitzgerald provided a perfect vehicle for Lauren’s classic, sometimes nostalgic, vision.

More breakthroughs came flooding in when he created the clothing worn by Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in Annie Hall (1977).

“I’m interested in longevity, timelessness, style—not fashion.”

His work throughout the following years reflected this motto, as his exploration of new ideas – including Southwestern themes and safari looks – was always grounded in his central focus on classic American clothing. 

Seeing how his vision, through his clothing was becoming more and more associated with a certain lifestyle, Lauren turned his label into an empire.

“What I do is about living. It’s about living the best life you can and enjoying the fullness of the life around you- from what you wear, to the way you live, to the way you love.” 

From 1983, he began expanding into home accessories like pillows, bath products, furniture, and even household paint, at a wide range of price points and amassing huge attention from all different demographics, from baby’s to grandparents.

It's earned him a small fortune close to 1 billion dollars.

From his poverty stricken beginnings, Ralph Lauren went public as the largest listed clothing company on the New York Stock Exchange in 1997. 

The 98-seat restaurant ‘RL’ opened two years later in Chicago, followed by two additional restaurants – ‘Ralph’s’ and ‘The Polo Bar’. 

The brand also became the official outfitter of the US Open, the Wimbledon tournament, and the US Olympic team. 

To wear Ralph Lauren was to be draped in opulence.

“There is a way of living that has a certain grace and beauty. It is not a constant race for what is next, rather an appreciation of what has come before. There is a depth and quality of experience that is lived and felt, a recognition of what is truly meaningful. These are the feelings I would like my work to inspire. This is the quality of life I believe in” 

He was no longer in the clothing business. He was in the empire business (Thank you Walter White for that quote). 

But from the pinnacle of triumph, he was about to plunge headfirst into his toughest test yet. 

A personal tragedy that nearly cost him his life. 

But as they say every grey cloud has a silver lining.

Beating Cancer And Finding His True Purpose

Lauren was 47 and at his peak in 1987, working on his own show when his doctor who’d read some of his X-rays invited him into the clinic and said ‘Ralph, you’re going to have an operation – is there anything else you want to hear?’. 

He’d been diagnosed with a brain tumour. 

His entire life’s work and empire he’d built was about to be shattered.

A stark reminder that no matter how much money you have, our health is priceless.

“Yes, it's one of the scariest things you could ever live through.”

He lived with it alone. He didn’t even tell his kids until much later on.

He did what he had to do to keep his family and his brand sheltered from the ashes of adversity.

Not only did he go on to make a full recovery, once he stepped out of the hospital after life-changing brain surgery, he had a completely renewed sense of vigour.

 “When I came out of the hospital I got wrecked in a funny way.” 

It was an evolution of the soul. A fire burning within him to make every moment count.

He became a man focused on philanthropic initiatives, dedicating a huge amount of his time to the fight against cancer.

He co-founded the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research, served as chairman for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, and used his image to marshal the goodwill of the fashion industry to raise public awareness for the disease.

“Breast cancer is not just a woman’s issue – it affects all of us: the brothers, husbands, fathers, children and friends.”

He then went on to establish the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem, partnering with the Royal Marsden, developing world-class research facilities in universities far and wide.

He launched the Pink Pony campaign, a national initiative to reduce disparities in cancer care, and the Polo Jeans G.I.V.E (Get Involved, Volunteer, Exceed) campaign to inspire community service, supporting the Habitat for Humanity in the process.

Now a global philanthropist, he established the American Heroes Fund following the September 11^th attacks and paid Polo’s 10,000 employees worldwide extra bonuses to participate in the relief effort.

The Polo Fashion School was then set up, in which company executives work with inner-city youth to offer insights into the fashion business. 

The Star-Spangled Banner, the original 1813 flag that inspired the US National Anthem, was preserved by a $10 million contribution from the Polo Ralph Lauren foundation. 

In 2019, he became the first US fashion designer to be named an Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Prince Charles.

This seems to be a common thread weaving through all the stories of these rule-breaking entrepreneurs.

Once they've scaled the peaks of success, they don't stop climbing. Instead, they extend their hands, pulling others up with them to drag human evolution to even greater heights.

David to Goliath Takeaways:

1) Don’t Expect Good Health:

Even with as much money as Ralph Lauren, you can’t buy back poor health. Don’t think everything will be great forever just because it is now. Take care of yourself even if you're building something extraordinary. All you have to do is sleep enough, stay away from processed foods and do intense exercise 4-5 times a week.

2) Dream In Your Darkest Days:

People label daydreamers in a negative light. I know because that person was me at school. But in your lowest moment dreaming of a brighter reality (as long as you take action) is the best way to keep a positive spirit.

3) Be Careful Who You Trust:

Don’t go into business with your friend just because it feels like a good option. Outline responsibilities in line with their strengths and hold people accountable. Otherwise, you could be on the wrong end of financial ruin just like Ralph and his ‘mate’.

4) Climb Higher By Giving Back:

Once you’ve experienced success the best feeling in the world is giving back to help others. This is the true telling of a real entrepreneur - laying a path for others to follow. And use Ralph Lauren’s comeback from cancer to inspire you.

5) Use Self Belief As Your Guide:

All the greats before us were once called crazy. Just like Ralph and Bloomingdales, who first said no, and then asked him to become the first independent designer ever to own their own boutique, keep believing when others would not. Remember: Noone will believe in you for you. Stay true to yourself and keep working in the dark knowing one day you will ultimately bring greatness into the light.

And with that being said until next time.

Keep dreaming like a Giant.

But fight and believe in your dreams like a God damn Underdog baby!

Yours truly,

-Nigel Thomas

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