Ralph Lauren seems to be everywhere lately. Gracing the cover of Fortune, Town & Country, talking about the legacy of his fashion empire and the big idea behind his success.
The driving idea behind the clothing? Nothing less than The American family: spending weekends at the beach house, outdoors in all seasons, sailing and riding horses and playing football, barbecues on the beach, wearing wellies in the rain, mudrooms and picnics, freshly scrubbed smiling faces.
He's a family man (still happily married to his first love, Ricky) whose idea of a good time isn't socializing in NYC, but spending time with his family at their ranch in Colorado. His heroes are men like Babe Ruth, Micky Mantle, Cary Grant, women like Isak Dinesen, Katherine Hepburn. When he won the Fashion Designer of the Year Award, rather than throw some industry bash, he and his brother loaded their wives and kids into the limos and drove a few blocks to an ice cream parlor, where they sat -- in their tuxedoes and ballgowns -- and ate hot fudge sundaes.
He's an idealist. He wants his clothing to be aspirational. It may be a bit provincial, but I'd say that's a worthy big idea.
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