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Staff post about: Ralph Lauren Become an Author

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Fashion Forward: The Early Years of Ralph Lauren

Lauren was working as a salesman for Brooks Brothers in New York when he decided to jump head first into a new venture: Lauren was going to start designing his own ties. After hearing the news, Lauren’s boss told him, “The world isn’t ready for Ralph Lauren.” Today, with over $4 billion in revenue, Lauren has taken the fashion world by storm. But his newfound fortune is a long way from where Lauren started off.

Ready to Wear: Lauren Launches His Line

Lauren’s handmade neckties were flying off the shelves. It was a conservative time in the fashion world and Lauren’s ties, showy as they were, were making a splash. But Lauren knew that if he was going to stick around in the business for much longer, he had to follow that up with something else – and fast. In 1968, with the help of a $50,000 loan, Lauren founded Polo Fashions. He chose the name not because he liked the sport; indeed, he had never played polo before in his life. But to Lauren, the name symbolized power and style – an image he wanted his clothes to project.

Lesson #1: Do Something that Excites the Senses

Lauren is an avid car enthusiast. His rare and classic car collection has won numerous best in show awards and has been featured at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. But for Lauren, spending money on expensive cars was never just about driving fast or looking good.

Lesson #2: Do Not Try to Please Everyone All the Time

“Your vision is very important. You should know whom you’re selling to, what your marketing and advertising says about you, and whom it’s speaking to,” says Lauren. “Me personally, I don’t try to please everyone. I understand who I am selling to and I work towards that vision all the time.”

Lesson #3: Build a Brand that will be Around Tomorrow

“I am not looking like Armani today and somebody else tomorrow,” says Lauren. “I look like Ralph Lauren. And my goal is to constantly move in fashion and move in style without giving up what I am.”

Lesson #4: Tune In and Pay Attention

“It’s about broadening your scope through history and living your life,” says Lauren. “Tune in and pay attention.”

Lesson #5: A Strong Work Ethic is A Work Essential

Lauren grew up in the Bronx, a far cry from the fashion capital of New York. He never went to fashion school, never graduated from college, and never lived the life of class and luxury. So how did this boy who shared a small bedroom with his two older brothers go on to become not only a billionaire, but also an ambassador for a world he never knew? The answer is that he worked hard for it.

Billionaire from the Bronx: How Ralph Lauren Achieved Success

“There is a way of living that has a certain grace and beauty,” says Lauren. “It is not a constant race for what is next, rather, an appreciation of that which has come before.”

Ralph Lauren Quotes

Ralph Lauren Quotes

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