Ralph Lauren on retail strategy
From Very Ralph. Ralph Lauren Documentary. Full Documentary. · · J b
“I don't think you can overstate the impact that he had on the way that designers retail their brand. He was the first designer to open up retail stores. He met with a lot of resistance from department stores because those people thought he would be in competition. He knew and he told them, 'Your business will grow because of my freestanding stores.' And he was absolutely right.”
On , Ralph Lauren, Executive Chairman & Chief Creative Officer at Ralph Lauren Corp, spoke about retail strategy during Very Ralph. Ralph Lauren Documentary. Full Documentary. on J b.
About Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren has continued to emphasize his brand's expansion of the American dream narrative, particularly through partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and communities such as Oak Bluffs. In August 2024, Lauren's company participated in the Martha's Vineyard African-American Film Festival, where a representative discussed the brand's collaboration with Morehouse and Spelman colleges, describing it as an effort to "write untold chapters within our brand history." Lauren himself, in a 2022 film about the collaboration, stated that "our portrait of American style and our vision of the American dream would be incomplete without black experiences like these." In other recent appearances, Lauren has reflected on his personal design philosophy and longevity in the industry. In a 2024 CBS Sunday Morning segment, he discussed a worn Kmart shirt he owns, saying he loves "the aging of it" and "the rips," and that it is "living proof of what I believe in." He has also spoken about trusting his instincts, noting in a 2018 interview that he advises young people to "pay attention to what you believe." Lauren has continued to discuss his charitable work, including fundraising for cancer care, and has stated that he dislikes being called a philanthropist, saying he sees his giving as "coming from the heart."