Ralph Lauren is an American fashion designer known for his popular Polo line and other lines of clothing, accessories and home decor. Founded in 1967 and initially offering a line of men’s ties, the company grew quickly in a short time and had its own boutique within department store Bloomingdale’s by 1969, and its own stand-alone store in Beverly Hills by 1971. Polo’s first womenswear line was launched that same year. The brand became a staple of the preppy style popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The Ralph Lauren brand has expanded from Polo to include Purple Label, Black Label, Blue Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Polo Denim, Polo Golf, Ralph by Ralph Lauren, Rugby Ralph Lauren and the women’s lines Collection, Black Label, Blue Label, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Golf , and Lauren Jeans Co. Spanning the range from casual sportswear to formal wear, the company’s clothing and fragrances reflect a classic American style, and often impart a rugged, outdoorsy image. Many garments and fragrances incorporate a logo with a pony, with or without a polo player astride.
Ralph Lauren Polo partnered with L’oreal to introduce fragrances, beginning with iconic men’s scent Polo and classic women’s fragrance Lauren in 1978. The next two scents in the line, Chaps for Men and Tuxedo for Women, both introduced in 1979, also became beloved classics.