Ralph Lauren Polos

I don't design clothes..I design dreams~ Ralph Lauren

Polo Ralph Lauren is the up market casual clothing brand of well-known US designer Ralph Lauren. Based in New York City, Lauren is well established name, synonymous with smart, conservative wear and is particularly known for its classic polo shirts, which are ideal for the high-end businessman or businesswoman out for a weekend round of golf or a round of drinks at the yacht club.

At least that's the image the brand likes to associate itself with. It's a marketing approach that appeals not only to the well-to-do but to the aspirational.

However, Ralph Lauren designs more than just classic polos with nifty polo player emblems on the pocket - the company also produces a wide range of men's, women's and children's clothing, including semi-formal wear, as well as scents, accessories and home wares.

The Polo clothing empire began in 1967, from small beginnings that escalated. Ralph Lauren started designing a line of men's ties - very successfully and by the close of the decade had his own boutique shop within the famous Bloomingdale's department store, selling a more extensive range of men's clothes. Success followed success and in 1970 Lauren won the COTY award for best menswear line.

Soon after he designed a further line, this time women's suits designed along the same classic lines as men's tailored suits. At the time it was an original move and again, proved very successful.

It was also around this time that the designer began to incorporate the trademark polo emblem on the outside of his clothes - again, another forward move, as designer outer labels were to become a big trend in the decades that followed.

The first independent Ralph Lauren store appeared in Beverly Hills in 1971 and within ten years a another store was opened, this time in Bond street in London - a global empire was beginning to emerge.

There are now 35 stores across the USA, with a large HQ store in Madison Avenue New York City. Globally, Ralph Lauren enjoys over 160 outlets and factories world wide.

The sports line was introduced in 1993 and it has become an important component of the Ralph Lauren brand - PRL is the 'official outfitter' of Wimbledon' as well as the US Golf Association.

On a more personal note, Ralph Lauren has one of the most significant collection of 20th century automobiles in the world, some of which can be viewed here. Not difficult to achieve when you have an estimated fortune of $11.9 billion dollar. The former tie designer did well.