From a very young age, Ralph Lauren started working after school to earn money to buy stylish, expensive suits with an early preference for quality over quantity. His attire soon gave him a trendy reputation among his peers. Lauren graduated in 1957 from high school. In his high school yearbook, he stated under his picture that he wanted to be a millionaire.

According to a New York magazine, Lauren is one of the fashion industry's biggest ‘hitters’. They refer to him as “The first image-maker”. Lauren actually studied business science and served in the army before breaking into fashion.

Lauren founded his business with no formal design training in 1967 after he opened a tie shop. He followed ties with menswear and introduced his women's label in 1971.

The chic, preppy look of his designer collections is now complemented by the whole gamut of sportswear, casual wear and home furnishings. Of course he also has his own fragrance.