The History of Ralph Lauren
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- Опубликовано: 6 июн 2024
- In today's video, I react to another Jeremy Newson documentary "The Look." I focus specifically on the Ralph Lauren aspect in the video.
Iconic designer Ralph Lauren's first job in the fashion industry was in retail at Brooks Brothers before developing a line of neckties. The brand he established, Polo, is now one part of an international empire that includes fragrances, home furnishings, luxury clothing and dining based on a fantasy aesthetic of upper-crust life. Lauren, a funder of cancer research initiatives, has also used his personal fortune to amass a collection of rare and classic cars as well as a massive Colorado ranch.
Vogue On Ralph Lauren Book: amzn.to/3tQzTNL
My E-Book On Effective Ways To Learn About Fashion: www.thefashionarchivemag.com/...
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#ralphlauren
RL was genuinely one of the main reasons why sportswear attire became so big in the 80s and still a staple to this day. His brand also helped me familiarize with Americana style and how influential it has been to the modern trends.
Thats rite !!!
American dream cosplay.
💀💀💀
🤣
Amazing way to put it
@@oozboy ouch but you're not wrong
Aggreeeed
That first segment were Ralph talks about himself and his inspiration feels genuine. You can tell that he creates clothes that he wants to wear and that people would want to wear. He understands each aesthetic and vibe. From the western, to the nautical, to the preppy, he understands it.
What I love about these documentaries are the emphasis on the reality of it all. Often when people talk about fashion they hype it up to points of delusion, forgetting that at the end of the day these are clothes made by millionaire outsourcers. Don't get it twisted there are elements of art, culture, commentary, history and style, but it's also locked behind a pay wall or someone's Grailed
People can say whatever they like about Ralph Lauren. But, I personally see the brand as subtly but strongly firmly subversive. The brand takes the various aspects of Americana that have long been understood to exude a certain social, financial, and racial class, and says in the face of it “Wait, surely I have the right to this as well!” It doesn’t just invite us into a certain world, it posits that we are owed a presence in that world at our own leisure
I’m a first gen Pakistani American. A lot of the fabrics and designs behind the Western world’s clothing comes from my people. From linen to seersucker to madras, from jodhpurs boots to Gurkha trousers to khakis, my cultural fingerprints are all over the most ostensibly Western stuff. So, in my own wardrobe, I take particular care to collect and curate these South Asian and Middle Eastern design elements. It’s not just that my ancestors’ contributions grant me a point of access to Western classic clothing, but that indeed I have a right to a seat at the table in determining the significance and direction of clothing moving forward. Ralph Lauren is a brand I oddly resonate with, because I sense some similar vibes behind its approach towards Western sartorial iconography and ostensibly Western artifacts. That’s my two cents, anyway
with all due respect, madras and jodhpur are Indian terms, whereas Gurkha is a nepalese term. it's incorrect to term them as artifacts of just your ancestors. I know you used the term south asian later on and that you probably meant no malice when you said that they were from your people
@@Samson44444 hello friend. A couple things. First, I’m a muhajjir, and my ethnic ancestry is Indian, not from any part of what is now Pakistan. Just to clarify that point. Second, I appreciate your saying this aloud, but I’d like to make very clear that “my people” does not mean “exclusively Pakistani” or indeed “exclusively Indian”. Third, the larger point of my comment, as I would expect to be clear to most people, is that the “secret ingredient” of Ralph Lauren is its ability to use fabrics, designs, and artifacts to both evoke and challenge the traditional notion of Western clothing. I was bringing up my ancestry and cultural heritage to illustrate that point
I hope no one might find their way into thinking that I had an intention of somehow making any foolish assertions such as that Pakistanis invented Gurkha trousers, Jodhpur boots, or Madras fabric! But to those of us who have left the Subcontinent and are part of the larger diaspora, especially in the West, national boundaries tend to be less divisive, because frankly the white folk can’t tell the difference between us. We count on each other to have each other’s back here, at least among the newer generations who grew up here. There’s a transnational solidarity here that lets us feel more comfortable sharing in our mutual heritage and cultural connections than folks back in the Subcontinent itself. So I also made my comment in that context
Ralph Makes something for everyone of any demographic. In addition, he is respected with high regard by people of all races and income levels. I have him, maison margiela, and rei kawakubo as my three most influential designers.
Hmm, one of these things is not like the others..
It's interesting, I see people of all demographics wearing Ralph in the US. I see huge Polo and 3 logos all over the place in poorer neighborhoods, and the more understated logo in richer ones. Obviously a lot of brands have this kind of broad appeal but I feel like Ralph is one of, if not the most well known, and well respected brands out there still, to this day.
Edit: I couldn't tell that that was a Harsh and Cruel shirt at first, that shirt is sweet
When the hip hop generation embraced Ralph Lauren was when his clothing became relevant in urban areas. A plain polo had no clout until urban celebrities began to wear the clothing! Most thought it was "old white people clothes" until the music celebrities began wearing the duds. He began to produce the "big shirt" and the "big chino" pants and more clothing with graphics and color to cater to the urban buyer (the "Stadium" collections).
Tommy Hilfiger had the same experience but embraced it more by recruiting "hip hop" celebrities to wear his clothes in print ads and music videos.
As a kid, I grew up wanting my house to look like Ralph decorated it! As an adult, almost all of my furniture is antique or vintage because of how Ralph inspired my taste.
@@halfnorfolk5310 Tommy Hilfiger was well on their way to becoming just as big or even surpassing Polo but they didn't initially embrace the hip hop artists wearing their clothing . It was not until rumors started circulating that he did not want his clothes being associated with hip hop culture that he started using hip hop artists in ads to promote his clothing but by then it was too late.
@@jasonwolfe3252 Yes, you're correct on the rumors. Hilfiger caught hell when people called him racist because he was rumored to have said he didn't want black people wearing his clothing! I am not sure how true that is, though. Personally, the hip hop move was money motivated.
It is really sad that his brand has declined to the point of selling his clothing in Cosco's. I think the licensing has knocked the wind out of his brand. There is a fine line in making your clothing too available to the discounters because it gives a perception of "not that good anymore". I just recently saw some Hilfiger boat shoes at a Ross store...and they were synthetic leather😐. So sad!
The vintage pieces are great, though (in my humble opinion!).
@@halfnorfolk5310 yeah the quality has fallen way off. That goes for a lot of name brands. Ralph's stuff from the 90s was the best. I was in Japan a few years ago and some of the Rugbys, sweaters and even hats from that era are going for thousands over there. Similar to the original Air Jordan sneakers from the 90s selling for a fortune . Wish I would have saved all of that stuff.
@@halfnorfolk5310 shut up,Ralph been around before rap and after rap dies
This post is perfect Ayo. I honestly think RL is a genius for making things we didn’t know we wanted in the first place. I recall he always said, he doesn’t just make clothes, but he makes dreams. So succinct that he can put dreams in our hearts. That’s a genius to me.
Thank you for doing this on a big important American brand like Ralph Lauren. As an American fashion person is so annoying to hear European Fashion people always pissing on how American Fashion is all commercial. Of course American fashion is commercial because we all can't wear the Guccis and Balenciagas. Brands like Ralph Lauren make fashion Democratic and I don't see how that is a bad thing. Ralph has been doing this for 50 years and is still relevant in the industry.
Stylists vs Designer, so stylist doesn't actually invent a new shape, fabric, but stylists actually makes clothes that people want to wear. There are many "designers" who create new shapes but they are not wearable. I give props to stylists any day.
@cornelius washington I think you misunderstand, designers who are called "stylists" are actually real designers, their not the actual stylist who comes in and puts a look together. Ralph Lauren and other designers like him, Michael Kors for eg don't create a new shape ( like say YSL, Dior, Miyake, Lagerfeld etc ) but they can still have actual technical skills of cutting, sewing, draping. Objectively, Ralph Lauren clothes technically are equal in quality of material and construction as any "innovative designer". My opinion is, designers who make clothes that become mainstream are better. Like Westwood created the pouf skirt, Dior the new look, YSL the smoking jacket, Armani the soft suit for men, all are now staples in MS fashion. Comme de Garcon is very innovative - dress without armholes, skirts which prevent you from sitting down, who wears that ? Rick Owens, who beyond a minority wear that ? Museum pieces for fashion "experts" belongs in museums, not real life. I respect designers who create for real life more.
I’ve listened to a lot of fashion experts on the tv and in magazines etc but you are far away the MOST intelligent commentator I’ve ever heard! You always have something new and insightful to say and do so very eloquently! Keep it up!
Ralph the goat, I’ve worn his basics exclusively for the past 7 years and they’re made incredibly well.
I really love his designs! I'm seeing things im wanting to wear. I think what sets him apart from others is he can create clothes anyone can wear.
Here in the States there was a documentary last year on HBO(a cable channel) about the life of Ralph Lauren. It was good.
I saw that! His brother was a pip!
I loved this! I totally agree he has been overlooked and underrated. I would love to watch you make a video about his work! Congrats on the magazine!!! 💕
I remember when he had Tyson Beckford as his muse.
Tyson Beckford made me want to live in the gym! That guy was the perfect Polo model! So glad he didn't become a Hilfiger model! He was better suited for Polo and Ralph knew it!
Thank you for this! And, yes, please do a video with a more in-depth analysis of his work. I’ve been a collector since I was in high school in the ‘90s and have always seen the merit of his designs for men, women, and for the home. I highly recommend Colin McDowell’s book on Ralph Lauren (he was interviewed towards the end of this piece) as well as a newish book about his work called “Ralph Lauren: In His Own Fashion” by Alan Flusser, which has excellent analysis, and an overview of his design process, his most significant collections, his housewares, his stores and his private residences and car collections. Thanks again!
I’m so excited for your magazine!!
Polo logos and Ralph was respected from your middle-schooler classmates to your grandparents
Ralph Lauren was my first introduction to "higher class" lifestyle and living. It's interesting to hear your take on his work and i'll look forward to your digital magazine.
higher class ? 💀
@@Harryposhp9690 well I grew up in a low income neighbourhood so even nike seemed far too expensive for me.
@@persecell oh ok. thank y for sharing. I wouldn’t say I was raised in a rich family or neighborhood. even tho I find Ralph Lauren tacky same as Tommy Hilfiger😑 no offense to people who love to wear RL.
@@Harryposhp9690 he introduce the lower class yachting, golf, polo (the sport), cowboy (lifestyle) camping, hunting and many other things in the way of fashion to the lower and middle class. In the same way BET and MTV introduced music WITH lifestyle to the masses.
Keep in mind, he grew up Poor and started in the trenches and is now a billionaire. He’s in his own league like Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson, Tiger Woods and many others.
They and especially HE are the American dream.
@@Harryposhp9690 there's good and bad in their collections imo, hard to make a blanket statement. But there's no arguing against the idea that Ralph made fashion much more accessible to marginalized groups
So good man. 😌 I throughly enjoyed this. These videos are so informative
omg congrats on your new gig with BOF! thoroughly enjoyed the video as always.
Ralph Lauren is my favorite. I love his ads. It is like I could step right in and have some fun.
this is very interesting from the perspective of analyzing white privilege. Lauren, having come from a russian jewish immigrant family who changed their name to Lauren, was fascinated with american whiteness and its aesthetic. The facility for white jews to enter a pre-existing colonial history like walking seamlessly onto a premade colonial set says something about whiteness and its development through the 90s in the west. idk just thoughts.
Thank you, I was looking for this comment, and it's one of the first things that came to mind since watching a documentary about Ralph Lauren. Another person who comes to mind who also fits this experience is Slim Aarons, who hid his Jewish heritage, and created a story of implied WASP-ish heritage by saying he was an orphan from New Hampshire who had no family.
@@ssoomee I knew all about Ralph (& Donna & Calvin) but not Slim!
@@foxycinnamon7307 I was watching a documentary about him, and apparently his own family didn't know he was Jewish (his kids and wife) until various extended family were coming out of the woodwork after his death. Honestly, I think what gets me about Slim Aarons is that there is no way in hell that the people he photographed, like CZ Guest and Edward VII and Wallis Simpson (the last two known Nazi sympathizers), would ever let someone like him anywhere near them. While his story was incredibly sad (mother committed suicide, then their father left, then his brother committed suicide as well) I can see how transforming yourself would be a method of self-preservation, but I can't imagine hiding and denying your heritage like he did, for what? For access to whiteness?
“American whiteness” that sounds already over the top and ridiculous 😩 thank you for your thoughts
@@foxycinnamon7307 spill the tea what about Calvin Klein 👀🙏🏼 im curious
OMG congrats for the BOF, also can't wait for your magazine😁 greetings from Croatia.
this really made me appreciate ralph in a whole other light // he honestly has a lot of similar ideas to my design practice in some light alsooooo MAGAZINE SZN let's go!!!! I'm ready
Excellent vid. My history and basis for fashion in many ways goes back to Ralph. Legend.
I really appreciated your deep appreciation and understanding of Ralph Lauren. I listened to this shortly after the Chanel/Lagerfeld video. So interesting together! I hadn’t thought before how incredibly similar Lauren and Lagerfeld are/were. Both remarkable stylists and synthesizers. But one a optimist and a dreamer, and the other one the most cynical people in fashion (imo).
Thank you for such much great content!
Hey I love your videos keep on with the great work
There was a time in the '80s where if you wore a RL Polo then it was a total sign of life's success for a man. The first big lifestyle brand. Realize in the past, there was no Internet and so both designers and music had an enormous influence on both people and society.
Vogue On Ralph Lauren Book: amzn.to/3tQzTNL
I've always loved Nautica but also love Ralph Lauren. He's got a very unique style. I love the added stitched patches on his polos with whatever collection it is. I love the wooden buttons on some of his sweaters and polos also. At my mall in florence kentucky his section has never been moved in Macys. It has always been in the same spot since I started supporting his brand in 1995.
I really enjoyed this video thank you!! Actually, I wasn't knowledgeable at all about Ralph Lauren so it was quite interesting. Congratulation for your position at BoF!!!!!! U totally deserve it!! Also I didn't know about your magazine but will def get myself a digital copy. Thanks again :)
During the 1990s, he experimented with other cultures beyond American and Britain that turned out great. In the fall of '93 he did a Russian-inspired collection. For Spring '94 he did rural China (including the triangular rice hats and platform sandals). For Fall '94 he did Camelot (yes, Camelot, as in King Arthur and Guinevere). And for Spring '97 he did an African collection inspired by the Maasai tribe. RL became more versatile with his inspiration in the '90s.
Ralph Lauren was so strong, i remember going through bottles along the years over my grandmother's boudoir, over and over different bottles of parfumes, green, blue bottles, scarfs, a little bit of everything. She was born in 1930, and when i was 12,remember vividly that my grandparents were traveling a lot to USA from Costa Rica, they were not rich but they love to see the world probably they have fallen into his marketing aesthetic and type of "american dream" on his products. While me i just came by to his brand , casually, suddenly 2021, i go through my clothes and there is two vintage blazers. Vintage pieces from thrift stores that i have bought here and there just because of the type of design and quality. Do not wear often but i know that they are perfect for streetstyle look and casually uplifted with a bold timeless shape. The coincidences in life are so many, i am not a fan of the brand and i am no a regular consumer, however i like what i like. Now been hooked over three years now up on his Intense perfume. That i mix with ylang ylang sweet oil! Delicious! The appeal of a brand aswell as for their products is so important. The mystery of the aesthetic is so important.
Love these videos!
Nice video thank you very much! I would appreciate it if you could talk about the content of your magazine in more detail, so that the viewers can make a more balanced decision. Congrats on the upcoming Magazine release!
I have been posting a lot of info about the content via the Instagram page instagram.com/thefashionarchivemag. Regardless there will be a detailed description on the website when it releases ❤️
Bro I want to see more of Ralph Lauren. I’m a big hater on the aesthetic and positioning tbh I would never wear it. But ralph still a genius
in this shirt and with this haircut you give me McQueen vibe, love it
Always happy to see that thumbnail in my sub box
I just stumbled across your channel and love your content so much :))
Subscribe to Hasanbi on twitch
Just about to start working in Ralph Lauren, thanks for this!
Great that you'd be releasing a digital version of your magazine. 80 pounds is too much for me but I'll definitely get the pdf for 5 pounds. I actually prefer reading stuff electronically haha
before i watch this I'm going to comment that polo is prolly what got me into fashion more seriously . being from NYC in the era i grew up it was huge , not as big when ppl would go raid and steal from macy's for polo in groups of 50+ , but still to this day all my drawls are polo . i don't wear anything else from polo but i am open to it . sort of a high end for basic essentials available for the masses in my eyes .
Interesting!
Will check out your other videos
I like the fact that he was a working class guy appropriating aristocratic style. Nowadays it seems like the opposite is happened a lot - appropriating working class aesthetic. I think a lot of young artists and designers today can identify with Ralph - the desire to belong to the upper crust of society / imposter syndrome yet being terrified of being found out.
Ralph Lauren is in deed a genius.
He was the first designer to sell you an image of a LIFESTYLE, with his brand.
He was also the first designer to have multiple
Labels and multiple price points, and never lost his appeal, or his customers.
He’s created a niche where both urban street wear enthusiasts, and upper crust, Nantucket aristocrats, who are very different in style, simultaneously wear his brand.
Outstanding.
As a fashion designer, I think is our responsibility (as a designer) to help the consumer express themselves in our designs. That is why I think there's many different aesthetic and styles within fashion. If you don't like the a designer aesthetic or look, you may find something you like from another designer collection... Also, fashion design shouldn't be exclusively to the rich or celebrity. I think it should be accessible to majority... Those are my 2 cents 😬
Presently ,
Ralph Lauren is one of the few fashion houses that maintained integrity in fashion
Eternal looks good that everyone can wear
( that is if you can afford to buy )
Superb workmanship, classic , elegant and very much modern.
Ralph Lauren started back on when what you wore symbolized your social status - tough crowd , competing with the French Couture houses
Self adornment was always present in human society , right from antiquity.
What’s wrong in fashion today , no integrity, sophistication, elegance .
Would be nice to go back to the time when your clothing matched your needs but with today’s positive social values , today’s rights and freedoms.
Now Ralph Lauren is a HUGE expensive brand and Ralph Lauren soon to retire and rightfully so - interesting to know what’s next for the future of Ralph Lauren, I hope it’s not the same as the atrocious Calvin Klein name , that once upon a time was very respected .
appreciate your work
Great video!
Honestly Just what he said on presentation and what we wear being an expression of who we are got me thats 100% rite i think !!
Ralph Lauren stays with his own signature years after years without so much following trends. That's make his clothes are timeless.
I love this channel
Great video, have you thought about doing a video on Halston, following the Netflix series, I feel like there are some interesting parallels and contrasts between him and RL.
This is a masterclass - I’m sure Gap tried this approach
Yo congratulations on your writing position at BOF!!! Thats super exciting
Thanks so much ❤️
mans just casually announces he's working for BOF lol. Congrats man
I LIKE YOUR SHIRT where did you get it?
What is the title of your magazine again?
answering the big questions over here
Ralph Lauren was good but not a genius. Genius is a stretch media uses to push advertising. The clothing makers that bring their ideas to life are the geniuses
Making money every decade takes genius, marketing genius.
@@foxycinnamon7307 Again! Not him.
@@seangonzalez9025 He's not for me, but he's got the $$$, I don't. Who's the smart one?
A marketing genius, not a creative one.
Facts
timing and luck matter not just in fashion but in life!
I feel like most fashion nowadays handles inspiration the way he did back then.
damn I needed to hear this
Dude, I'm gonna get your accent!
Seriously, I think Ralphie is great at taking "archived and vintage" fashion, reinterpreting them, and putting his "brand" on them.
The man pays people to scour the world over looking for vintage and antique items to recreate, brand, and sell!
I do think that Ralph has a good eye for design but so do the legion of designers he pays do too! The timing was bringing back old classics from a by gone era (the 1920's-1950's) when people were tired of the synthetic 1970's. The 1980's was ready to embrace organic fabrics and classic fitting clothes.
Many people love his clothes because they are timeless. I have Ralph Lauren clothes bought in the 1980's that I can still wear without feeling "dated".
In short, Ralph's creativity, in my opinion, is his ability to reinterpret or recreate classics. Not so much starting from scratch, but using a "painted canvas" and splashing his own "paint" on someone else's idea!
Thanks for doing this video! It was great!!
I grew up watching my mom (and later I joined) doing embroidery for Ralph Lauren purple label and collection and he indeed sends people across the world hunting for vintage. We would get these antique pieces shipped over, some from museums on loan even, almost falling apart but we had to recreate it certain aspects of it that he'd fixated on. The colours had to be exact, very perticular. We had even devloped techniques to age morden materials (glass beads, sequins, threads) to look like it's been antiquing or tarnishing for years. Felt like we were creating art for the runway shows that then it got watered down for production. Sadly now due to costing and budgeting hand embroidery is almost eliminated form the collections.
thanks
His Polo logo is loved by corporate types who have no style of their own, and, like everything else in their lives, they buy that style. He is the safest designer in the world, and that logo broadcasts that you have enough money to overpay for that shirt. It is a corporate uniform, especially for young men working in finance. The goal is to be as far away from innovation and the edge as possible. Tommy Hilfiger is just the next iteration of this look, which weirdly got adopted by a generation of young Hip Hopers. They also want to buy into the receding American dream.
Okay Haircut! No bucket hat for meeee! I always liked RL's big men's shirts I found in thrift stores 'cause no way was I gonna pay retail for a tiny man on a horse. Also, HATED when the logo got huge because WHY? Was always on the fence: appreciation or appropriation? Hmmm. That faux Navajo was...made in Scotland. Of course.
Ralph Lauren was more a Businessman than a Fashion Designer
You cut the hair 🔥
Very very good
I love POLO in my opinion he makes the best clothing.
ID on the shirt? :)
It’s Harsh & Cruel
that was some good shit
Ralph a genius
While I believe RL to be a brilliant salesman and businessman I don’t think he deserves credit as a designer despite his great quality products. They’re banal and can’t be calculated with the cult of great designers. IMO.
I’ll take fluke for 400. I don’t think making “mall clothes” makes you a genius, for that you must be an innovator, original, an Iris Van Herpen, Dior, YSL, Chanel…a rebel of sorts.
But who was doing Ralph Lauren, before Ralph Lauren?
@@Gilamath. POLO SHIRTS ARE USUALLY SHORT SLEEVED; they were used by polo players originally in India in 1859 and in Great Britain during the 1920s🤣
Agreed
Charles James then Halston, Perry Ellis were the first greats from America.
So this all American designer has a Russian roots 🤔 I had no idea, but how fitting, really
Do not all (white) American people have foreign roots?
@@digitalis_ well, yes, but I meant in this case he has Russian roots.
@@HaHaHaLMFAOtv And Jewish to boot -- ironic that many of the country clubs in the US today (exclusive, WASPy ones) still bar Jews, so he was designing for a class that money couldn't buy his way into.
☆
Not a fluke
i like ya cut g
he is a stylist
It's always relating to a certain tribe.
Some about dat white man, 🤔 am black, he just reaches all races wit his style it universal, am a Ralph Lauren guy I wont lie 😃😃
Is ur space key okay?? I hear da abuse thru da phone
🤣🤣 me and the space key have our ups and downs
@@FashionRoadman I’d respond wit a gif if I could🤣🤣☠️
blacks were the real cowboy
How is it not cultural appropriation from Native Americans culture? 🤔
Comment section here is sooooo weird.
He IS No creative Genius like many fashion designers, he just took old American and British looking Tailored clothing to to a level only he is in of American style.
Kkkkkkk
Kkkkk
Neither. Just a merchant of stuff.
everything she was doing was cool, it ain't ralph tho.
Stole from Brooks Brothers and was sued for that, stole from the original polo association and was sued for that. A copycat and a fraud. A pretend wasp.
FLUKE