How Ralph Lauren Ended Up Needing A ‘Way Forward’ Plan

A half century ago, Ralph Lauren began to build his fashion house based squarely on his own high standards of quality and style, and, arguably, on his unique interpretation of an American ethos: a British preppy-ness with a cowboy flair—upscale yet accessible, appealing to everyone from country club golfers to celebrities on the red carpet and hip hop stars like Kanye West. This style carried Lauren and his company far. In 2007, revenues were $4.2 billion, ballooning to $7.5 billion in 2014 and holding steady. As of the first quarter of last year the company ran 466 freestanding stores globally, totaling some 3.6 million square-feet, plus 536 concession-based shop-within-shops and 10 e-commerce sites. In a nod to the brand’s ability to interpret “Englishness,” none other than Wimbledon itself tapped Ralph Lauren to be its official outfitter in 2006. Read more Retail Dive.