Ralph Lauren's rags to riches: How designer went from being a kid from the Bronx to a fashion mogul worth $6.5billion

By Sadie Whitelocks

PUBLISHED: 15:39 EST, 29 October 2012 | UPDATED: 18:21 EST, 29 October 2012

Ralph Lauren's fashion brand conjures up a life of luxury and privilege, but a new documentary reveals how the 73-year-old designer's upbringing was anything but.

The youngest of four children, Lauren grew up in the Bronx, New York, during the Forties an Fifties, as part of a Jewish immigrant working-class family. After dropping out of college he scored his first job as a glove salesman.

And with little money to splash, the creative, who has previously said that his childhood ambitions included being a baseball player, actor and dancer, would spend afternoons at movie theatres dreaming of a better life.

Scroll down for video

Daydreamer: A new documentary reveals how billionaire fashion designer Ralph Lauren grew up in the Bronx during the Forties an Fifties, as part of a Jewish immigrant working-class family

Daydreamer: A new documentary reveals how billionaire fashion designer Ralph Lauren grew up in the Bronx during the Forties an Fifties, as part of a Jewish immigrant working-class family

Michael Gross, author of the unauthorised biography Genuine Authentic: The Real Life of Ralph Lauren, explained in the documentary Bloomberg's Game Changers: Ralph Lauren: 'He told me at the very beginning when he was living in the Bronx he would go and escape to the movie theatre and literally fall into the fantasies of the movies of that era.

'That vision, that ability to step into a fantasy world, Ralph bought to the fashion business.'

 

More...

Actors such as Fred Astaire and Cary Grant are said to have inspired Lauren's style, along with Cedric Gibbons's classic set designs for MGM studios.

Indeed in a 1993 televised interview Lauren, who was born Lifshitz, noted: 'I was very influenced by movies, I was very influenced by a world that had a sense of dream.'

Wave of success: Ralph Lauren was revealed as the richest man in American fashion, and the 122nd wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of $6.5billion

Wave of success: Ralph Lauren was revealed as the richest man in American fashion, and the 122nd wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of $6.5billion

After leaving the Army in 1964, Lauren married receptionist Ricky Low-Beer, and determined to make his mark, he moved with his wife to New York to gain experience in the fashion business.

After working at Brooks Brothers, he secured a job at tie manufacturer A. Rivetz & Co, and it was there that he began designing wide ties, a stark contrast to the super-skinny versions that were then in vogue.

It was this design which would help him secure entrepreneurial success and in the first year of running his own business he sold half a million dollars' worth of ties.

Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren

To the manor born: Ralph Lauren said that his designs are 'influenced by a world that had a sense of dream'

His label, Polo, continued to go from strength to strength and he secured a boutique at Bloomingdale's flagship store.

Today Lauren's empire includes menswear, womenswear, jeans, fragrances, accessories and homewares.

And this fall Forbes named him the richest man in American fashion, and the 122nd wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of $6.5billion.

He has a home on Fifth Avenue, New York, beach resorts in Jamaica and Montauk, Long Island, and a 17,000-acre Range in Colorado.

The father-of-three also has a collection of more than 50 vintage cars.

 
Add your comments

Comments (27)

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

Understated elegance. Un-"chavvy" (as you'd say in the UK).

Click to rate     Rating   6

Report abuse

Why not include his real name in the article, Ralph Lipschitz? His name isn't Ralph Lauren. If you're going to do a story on a boy who went from rags to riches, at least give us the name he was born with. - James , London, 30/10/2012 10:45 LOL! Probably for the same reason that Prince Philip's lineage is NEVER mentioned as Battenburg(berg), He IS a "Mountbatten"! You DO know that his family had to change their surname to be acceptable to the Brits?

Click to rate     Rating   5

Report abuse

He's my favorite designer by far! Most of the other ones design something that will be out of fashion within a season - his clothes on the other hand are truly timeless. They are more expensive over here than in the States, but they're still quite affordable and definetly worth the money as they are of great quality and can be worn forever.

Click to rate     Rating   20

Report abuse

They can wrap him in an RL blanket when he dies as a tribute.

Click to rate     Rating   9

Report abuse

They can wrap him in an RL blanket when he dies as a tribute.

Click to rate     Rating   6

Report abuse

I have worked with him. He's okay for being short and insecure and having an affair with the Safari model among others. I like his wife better. He doesn't see himself as a designer but a "re-interpreter of tradition" He knocks a lot of designs off and trusts a series of WASP Interior designers to really drive his brand decision-wise. He pays junior staff poorly and doesn't treat them so well. His headquarters in the '80's were filthy and overcrowded because cleaners simply couldn't clean around the congestion. Sal Ceserani set him up in the tie biz.

Click to rate     Rating   11

Report abuse

He didn't build it, right?! Great clothes, timeless style, easily bought anywhere form full price retail to TJ Maxx/Marshalls, etc. Northern VA thrift shops are stuffed with these in nearly new condition. Point is - one does not have to be rich or pay top dollar to own closets full of well made clothes, RL included (including purple label)

Click to rate     Rating   15

Report abuse

Indeed in a 1993 televised interview Lauren, who was born Lifshitz, noted: 'I was very influenced by movies, I was very influenced by a world that had a sense of dream.' see that James, London its in the article

Click to rate     Rating   24

Report abuse

I love RL clothing. It's affordable, stylish and fairly hard wearing

Click to rate     Rating   69

Report abuse

Prep will always be in style, its timeless Americana.

Click to rate     Rating   62

Report abuse

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

You have 1000 characters left.
Libellous and abusive comments are not allowed. Please read our House Rules.
For information about privacy and cookies please read our Privacy Policy.
Terms