1

2
 POLO
RALPH LAUREN

3
4
“I don’t design
clothes,
I design
dreams.”

Ralph Lauren

5
R Introduction .................................................................. 10

A Analysis ......................................................................... 27

6
L Logo ............................................................................... 91

P Polo ................................................................................. 95

H Hollywood ....................................................................... 101

L Lifestyle ........................................................................... 111

A America ........................................................................... 123

U Uniqueness ..................................................................... 130

7
R Reports ............................................................................ 141

E Exhibitions ...................................................................... 145

N New Idea .......................................................................... 151

8
9
 n May of 2017, having expe- However, over the last decade or so, the
rienced a series of years with idolized American Dream is — dead.
poor stock performance, de-
creasing revenues, and being It is perhaps the greatest social paradox,
forced to implement sweeping that what was once perceived as chic, being
cost-cutting measures which in- rich and dressing richly, is now perceived as
cluded closing over fifty stores and the ma- tasteless. And what was once perceived as
jor Polo Ralph Lauren store on Fifth Avenue, tasteless, wearing over-sized, loose fitting,
Ralph Lauren decided to let go of retail-vet- torn and casual clothes, is now seen as the
eran CEO Stefan Larsson together with 1200 pinnacle of fashion. It is this cultural evolu-
employee’s and bring on Patrice Louvet, an tion, that forms the basis for our re-branding
executive from P&G’s beauty division. How- strategy for Ralph Lauren. Ralph Lifschitz,
ever, while the CEO’s role in reducing costs, the founder and current Creative Director of
streamlining operations and re-evaluating the company, was born in the Bronx in New
the retail strategy will undoubtedly have a York. He built his entire brand around creat-
positive effect on the company’s bottom ing a fashion label that was linked with the
line, the only thing that will truly reignite, highest echelons of society in New England,
this once iconic brand, is a comprehensive only for, over the years, the children of the
overhaul of its positioning, target market, wealthy families of New England to start
and brand ethos. listening to Hip-Hop music, begin getting
influenced by rappers and aspire to dress
In studying the story of Ralph Lauren’s enig- like street kids from the Bronx and Brooklyn.
matic rise to fame, it is easy to identify that We don’t see this cultural reversal in style
the singular sociological theme that made choices as a detriment to Ralph Lauren, but
the brand stand out was its deep ties to the rather, as an opportunity to reconnect with
idealized sartorial vision of the American the origins of Ralph Lauren’s life and re-align
Dream — the country-side dwelling, yacht the brand with the cultural phenomenon
sailing, horse riding, polo playing dream of that is hip-hop music and comfortable style.
a life of success, style and leisure. Ralph Lau- When we look at historical instances of this
ren, specifically through its Polo brand, was very same culture aligning itself with the
able to capture this sentiment and thereby Ralph Lauren brand, musical groups like the
solidify itself as the pinnacle of aspiration- Lo Lifes, we are provided with positive evi-
al clothing for consumers from across seg- dence of the power of associating the brand
ments of society. As Journalist Andrew D. with this emerging and vibrant culture and
Leucke says, “He [Ralph Lauren] reinvented aesthetic.
his own life as the ultimate American dream,
amplified that dream and made it better, and
then sold it back to everyone from WASPs
(his initial inspiration) to late-'80s street kids
from Brooklyn.”

10
The world is marred by social violence, po-
lice brutality, cultural unrest and huge eco-
nomic and social disparity. That’s why, the
educated, liberal and conscious global cit-
izen of today, who aspires to live in a bet-
ter world- more wholesome and united, is
increasingly opting for fashion choices that
replace opulence with functionality,
glitz with simplicity.

Thus, by going back to the roots of Ralph

Lauren’s journey, we complete the narra-
tive of the brand, going full circle from New
York to the Coast of Maine and back to the
streets of New York, a reflection of the evo-
lution of humanity’s tastes, preferences and
individuality, seeking to bridge, if not oblit-
erate, the socio-economic disparities that
are illustrated through our fashion choices,
and create a brand that once again reflects
the energy and ambition of a young popu-
lation that strives for style within
a context of chaos.

Ralph Lauren,
Executive Chairman 11
COMPANY OVERVIEW
Ralph Lauren is a company specializing in the production of lifestyle products. Ralph Lau-
ren began fifty years ago with simply a collection of ties and now has grown into an entire
culture that has redefined American Style. The brand stands for providing quality prod-
ucts and inviting people to take part in their dreams. Ralph Lauren was the innovator of
lifestyle advertisements and the first fashion company to create stores to invite customers
to participate in that lifestyle and experiencing the American dream.

1967
Started with men's ties. At 28 years-old, Lauren worked for the tie manufacturer, Beau
Brummell. He persuaded the company's president to let him start his own line.

1968
Drawing on his interests in sports, Lauren named his first full line of menswear “Polo”.
He worked out of a single "drawer" from a showroom in the Empire State Building and
made deliveries to stores himself.

1969
The Manhattan department store Bloomingdale's sold Lauren's men line exclusively. It
was the first time that a designer had his own in-store shop.

1971
Ralph Lauren launched a line of tailored shirts for women, which introduced the Polo play-
er emblem, appearing on the shirt cuff.
Opening of Ralph Lauren's store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, was his first
freestanding store.

1972
The first full Women's collection was launched.

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1974
Ralph Lauren outfitted the male cast of The Great Gatsby in costumes chosen from his
Polo line - a 1920s-style series of men's suits and sweaters, except for the pink suit which
Lauren designed especially for Robert Redford’s Jay Gatsby.

1977
Diane Keaton and Woody Allen wore Lauren's clothes in the Oscar-winning film, Annie
Hall.

1977
Ralph Lauren Corporation introduced a signature cotton mesh Polo shirt in various colors.
Featuring the polo player logo on the chest, the shirt became emblematic of the preppy
look—one of Lauren's signature style.

1978
The first Ralph Lauren fragrance, produced by Warner-Lauren Ltd were launched at
Bloomingdale’s Lauren for Women, and Polo the men's cologne. This was the first time
that a designer had introduced two fragrances – one for men and one for women – simul-
taneously.

1981
The company entered the European market, and went international with the opening of
the first freestanding store in New Bond Street in the West End of London, England.

1986
Lauren opened his first flagship in the Rhinelander Mansion, on Madison Avenue and
72nd Street in New York City.

1992
Polo Sport launched in 1992, a line of activewear for sports and fitness. In 2014, Ralph
Lauren debuted the PoloTech Shirt, which featured smart fabric technology that suppos-
edly “captures robust biometrics from the wearer”. The line was later discontinued in
2016
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1997
Ralph Lauren becomes a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange
(NYSE:RL).

1999
The 98-seat restaurant, RL, opened in a newly constructed building adjacent to the larg-
est Ralph Lauren store at the corner of Chicago and Michigan Avenues in New York City.

2000
The company launched its website and online shop as polo.com by RL Media (a coopera-
tion between Ralph Lauren and NBC).

2007
Ralph Lauren Corporation acquired the NBC share of RL Media and the website was re-
launched as ralphlauren.com

2010
Additional restaurants – Ralph's at 173 Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris store.

2015
The Polo Bar at Polo's store in New York was opened.

September 2015
New CEO (ex Old Navy, H&M) Stefan Larsson replaced the company's founder,
Ralph Lauren where he stays shortly as an Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer.

February 2017
Larsson had agreed to leave his position as CEO effective May 1, 2017

14
 April 2017
Ralph Lauren closes its flagship store Polo
Ralph Lauren on Fifth Avenue.
Focusing on revamping the e-commerce
and cutting jobs of $370 million shake-up.
The restructuring plan that Corporation an-
nounced in 2016 will bring cash expenses
of $185 million and similar amount of non-
cash charges. The changes are expected to
save $140 million a year. The company still
has seven other stores - along with its Polo
Bar restaurant - in New York City.
The shares have fallen 9.9 % this year
through closure of Fifth Avenue Polo store
and kept decreasing in the following days
after the closure.

May 2017
Ralph Lauren named Patrice Louvet Presi-
dent and Chief Executive Officer. Louvet
most recently served as Group President,
Global Beauty at Procter & Gamble (P&G).
He took over on July 17, 2017.

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Expansion by sub-brands
Lifestyle

RL American RL
Living
Restaurants Discontinued TV

Sportswear

POLO Ralph by
Ralph Lauren
Denim
&
Supply

Lauren Black
Ralph Label
Menswear Lauren Discontinued

POLO
RLX RRL
GOLF

POLO
Purple Sport Parfumes
Label Discontinued

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 The World of Ralph Lauren
Home

RL
Watches & Ralph’s RL Home
Jewelry Coffee Magazine RL Paint

Sportswear

POLO
Children
Denim
POLO &
Supply

CLUB
MONACO Womenswear

POLO POLO
CHAPS Sport RRL RLX
Discontinued GOLF

Lauren
POLO Parfumes PINK Ralph
Eyewear PONY Lauren

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SHOPS*

BUSINESS MODEL:
DOS 467
106 Ralph Lauren
282 Polo factory stores
79 Club Monaco

624 concession shops (store in stores)

427 Global Licensed stores

105 Ralph Lauren Licensed Stores
59 Club Monaco Licensed Stores
164 Total Licensed Stores
99 Licensed Concessions

FLAGSHIP stores:
2 Ralph Lauren New York City, both on
Madison Avenue (NY),
POLO Fifth Avenue CLOSED,
Polo Bar Open
1 Chicago RL + first restaurant (IL) ,
1 Manhasset (MA),
1 Greenwich (CT),
1 Beverly Hills, Los Angeles (CA)+ Cocktail
bar
2 London (UK) Ralph Lauren & POLO Ralph
Lauren
1 Ralph Lauren Moscow (RUS)
1 Ralph Lauren Tokyo (JAP)
1 Ralph Lauren Hong Kong (CHINA)
1 Ralph Lauren Paris + restaurant (FR)
1 Rome - POLO Ralph Lauren (IT)
1 Milano - Private Club ex flagship store (IT)

*from July 1st, 2017

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1968
POLO by Ralph Lauren

launched
Menswear line celebrating the preppy look

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 WEEKEND
SWASHBUCKLER

SUPERIOR COUNTRY CLUB

COMFORT PLAYS POLO

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 Gentleman in his prime
Spending weekends enjoying rich sports

Family membership
The since the day he was born
ultimate luxurious He was taught
cashmere to play polo before driving
100% cotton only a car

23
VISION

MISSION

VALUES

24
 Clothing
the
American Dream

Creating comfortable,
casual and chic clothes
for the elite
of American society

Leisure
Sports
Comfort
Style
Upper Echelon
New England

25
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PESTEL
ANALYSIS
POLITICAL thus, organizations cannot ignore this import-
ant section of the market. Polo Ralph Lauren
Political aspects may determine the level of should develop designs that are appealing
operations of a company, and the market to Millennials, focusing more on their expe-
where it can establish its operations. With rience and engage more in new trends. De-
the acceptance of the concept of globaliza- veloping the right social media content in a
tion, many governments across the world collaboration with young influencers (You-
have allowed foreign investors to invest and Tubers), interacting more personally with
exploit opportunities in their economies. the customers and focusing more on their
This implies that the protective strategies emotions, entertainment and satisfaction.
that were applied in the past in Ralph Lauren
Corporation have been fading slowly over
the years. Polo Ralph Lauren can, therefore, SOCIAL
venture into various countries and establish
their operations but current political situa- Despite the world economic downturns in
tion in its origin, United States of America, recent years, there are markets, which have
may be problematic in the future for the core recorded positive growth. In developing
business worldwide. The so called “American economies, the number of people moving
dream” image has lost its value due to the from poverty to middle income earners has
criticism and actions of current political sys- increased in the last two decades. This im-
tem. The worldwide customers are not sym- plies that the purchasing power of such in-
pathizing and connecting with new America. dividuals is improving. Polo Ralph Lauren
should, therefore, take advantage of this
trend to invest in such economies. Example
ECONOMIC of such economies includes: China, Rus-
sia, Brazil, India, South Africa and Romania.
The changing social component of people
across the world is the other important as-
pect, which must be put into consideration T E C H N O L O G Y
by Polo Ralph Lauren in developing strate-
gies for the future operation. The world is Technology is one of the tools, which cannot
changing everyday and adopting contem- be overlooked when it comes to the devel-
porary fashion and designs, to attract the opment of marketing strategies irrespective
young customer (Millennials). More than 50 of which industry an organization is operat-
% of many countries population is the youth;28ing in. Through technology, companies have
been able to improve their productivity and tries of operations to avoid conflicts with the
quality of products delivered in the market. government and the community concerned.
In addition, technology has enabled compa- Bringing the production back to its origin and
nies to develop effective distribution strate- focusing more on “MADE IN USA” garments.
gies and marketing strategies. Through so-
cial media and online services, Polo Ralph
Lauren can reach out both existing and po- LEGAL
tential customers particularly the youth. Us-
ing new tech materials, such as smart fab- Legal perspective of the current state of Ralph
rics, Polo Ralph Lauren can open that door. Lauren Corporation is one of the major ob-
stacle and the reason why the brand is stuck.
Due to many concession shops and leases
E N V I R O N M E N TA L signed years ago, Ralph Lauren is unable
to step out of the retail game in the short
Environmental care has been the theme of period of time. With the depth of shop-
the world in recent times. This is after the re- ping malls in United States of America and
alization of the fact that man has been mak- worldwide, Ralph Lauren is faced to loses.
ing the world a worse place to live in over the In the future contracts, the tenant, Ralph
years. To assist in reducing the impact of en- Lauren Co. might want to include a clause
vironmental degradation, organizations and that allows the tenant to cancel the lease if
individuals are expected to operate within income projections haven't reached a cer-
the carbon emission limits accepted by the tain goal by the six-month or one-year anni-
international community. Polo Ralph Lauren versary of the lease. In most cases, getting
should be aware of the environmental chang- out of a lease early is a matter of negotiat-
es strategies required to assist in sustaining ing a settlement acceptable to both parties.
its operations in the future. This can, for ex-
ample, be realized through the application of
recycle and reuse strategy. In this case, Ralph
Lauren should seek to buy old clothes, which
may have been dumped to process them
again and make new ones. This will signifi-
cantly reduce pollution and contamination of
productive land and water bodies. It is very
important for the company to observe all
the environmental policies in different coun-29
 Threats of New Entries
5
Entry ease average // Emerging
forces countries // Suffering big profit
loss // Engaging Millennials //
framework Digital Media

Bargaining Power of Buyers

Preppy style
S - XL
Rare change of the price
High quality products
Big production of products, leftover
P o r t e r ’s Five collections,
garments ending up in outlets
Ralph Lauren operates in the fashion industry
that has few supplies. This implies that there
is high supply bargaining power. Secondly, Competitive Rivalry
the customers’ power is moderate bearing
in mind that Ralph Lauren has unique, quali- 10-50 brands
ty products compared to other competitors. Big industry and short
The organization is faced with moderate ri- trends
valry among existing competitors where Changeable costs
price war has been applied. New entrants are Increasing range of
generally not a threat because it requires a products
lot of capital to set up an operation with the Collaborations
same profile as Ralph Lauren.
Bargaining Power of Suppliers

High bargaining power

USA, UK, Asia covered
Exquisite products
and service
Good relationship
with customers
Bidding processes low
Threat of Substitutive Products

Lower price=lower quality

Possible market distribution change
with the emerging economies
Fast fashion
Trends vary from colorful to minimalistic
Lawsuits
Olympic Uniforms Made in China
30
31
TARGET PERSONA
JOHN HENRY, 40
John Henry grew up in upper West Manhat-
tan, but spent the more glorious days of his
childhood in coastal Maine, where his family
has a well-sized cottage to which he returns
every summer to this day, at the age of 40.
Graduated from Cornell University majoring
in Economics. He was devoted to his stud-
ies so he found himself employed at Morgan
Stanley investment firm. One of the great
things about working for Morgan Stanley that
he likes: The freedom to work from home
when necessary.
It was during sailing regattas on the shim-
mering bay in Maine, and tennis tournaments
on the club clay-courts, that John Henry be-
came—above all else—

a passionate
sportsman.
Mind you, he is no brute nor frat boy, and
even has an appetite for the bohemian, read-
ing avidly and recording personal medita-
tions.
He is attentive to
style, opting for a classic and
dependable look, fresh but
sturdy, with a slightly sport-
ing cut.

And so, quietly successful and casually de-

cisive, John Henry satisfies his family and
business obligations—with ever-greater re-
maining free-time— so he can carry on in his
leisurely yet vigorous way, doing just those
things that please him the most. 32
33
ARCHETYPE

RIDER
EXPLORER

ROLE MODEL

SAILOR

COWBOY

34
35
SET YOUR
MARK,
SET YOUR SAIL.

GOALS: Victory, Escape, Discovery

VALUE: Freedom, Pursuit

STRATEGY: Go faster, further, harder

FEAR: Inertia, Flat tires

TRAP: Delay

GIFT: Bravery, Daring, Risk

DESIRE: Speed, Expanse, Force, Abandon

STORY: Lionhearted from birth.

CORE WORK ATTITUDE: Passion, Fearlessness, Focus

36
37
SEMIOTIC
MAPPING

PREPPY

BOOK
WORM

NOT HOOD POPE

- GEEK

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POPE OF THE HOOD

GANGSTA

NOT PREPPY
- HIPSTER

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BENCHMARK
Based on
POLO t-shirt

BRAND PRICE GEO REACH

POLO
Ralph $85 US, UK, Asia, Italy, France

Lauren
Africa, Asia, Europe, North
Lacoste $110 and South America,
Oceania

US, UK, Europe, Oceania,

Z Zegna $445
Asia , Australia

Massimo US, Canada, South

$47 America, Europe, Africa,
Dutti Asia

Armani $60 US, EU, Asia

Exchange

Michael Kors $98 US, EU, UK, Canada

US, EU, Asia, emerging

DKNY $82
markets

UK, Europe, Americas,

Paul Smith $135 Middle East and Africa,
Asia

40
DOS QUALITY KPI
Polo Tech
t-shirt 2014 & Interactive
282 Polo GOOD
fitting rooms in Flagship store
in New York

New digital media strategy

including new testimonials
170 HIGH
and engaging followers on
Instagram

Luxury fabrics
550 VERY HIGH
Made to measure

761 AVERAGE Personal tailoring

Hybrid smartwatch
270 GOOD
connected with smartphones

Smartwatch connected with

253 GOOD
smartphones

Urban Zen Environmental

300 GOOD
Organization

300 HIGH Paul Smith Mobile Game app

41
COMPETITORS

Lacoste is a French clothing company,

founded in 1933 by tennis player René La-
coste and André Gillier.
It sells clothing, footwear, perfume, leath-
er goods, watches, eyewear,
and most famously

polo shirts.
In recent years Lacoste has introduced a
home line of sheets and towels.

The company is recognized by its green

crocodile logo. René Lacoste, the compa-
ny's founder, was nicknamed "the Croco-
dile" by fans because of his tenacity on
the tennis court.
In November 2012 Lacoste was bought
outright by Swiss family-held group Maus
Frères.

42
43
 楊宗緯 穿著 Z Zegna 出席第⼗十⼆二屆全球…
sites.google.com
Leading Star Entertainment

Visit

Related images:

Images may be subject to copyright.

Z Zegna
is a modern, urban and fashion forward
collection created to meet the needs of a
new and younger consumer interested in an
innovative combination of quality and style.

It belongs to Ermenegildo Zegna, an

Italian luxury fashion house that makes men’s
clothing and accessories.

Founded in 1910 when Ermenegildo bought

his father’s textile looms, it is now managed
by the fourth generation of the Zegna family
and remains in family ownership.
As well as producing men’s suits for its own
labels, it also manufactures suits for Gucci,
Yves Saint Laurent, Dunhill and Tom Ford.

As one of the biggest global producers of

fine fabrics (2.3 million metres per year), Ze-
gna has been active in promoting
improvements in wool production around
the world. Zegna is the largest menswear
brand in the world by revenue.

44
45
 Worldvectorlogo
Massimo Dutti logo vector

Visit

Related images:

Images may be subject to copy

Massimo Dutti is a Spanish manufacturing

company, part of the Inditex group. When
founded in 1985, it was designed as mens-
wear with womenswear added in1992.

Massimo Dutti epitomizes elegant and uni-

versal style that connects with the inde-
pendent, cosmopolitan man and women
of today. Its collections span from the most
sophisticated of looks to more casual styles.
Massimo Dutti always ensures it uses high
quality fabrics that are also practical and
comfortable.

46
47
A|X Armani Exchange was launched in 1991
in the U.S. It retails fashion and lifestyle
products and is known for its occasionally
provocative ad campaigns.

Inspired by
street-chic culture
and dance music,
it is targeted as the more accessible Armani
brand.
Armani Exchange products are available ex-
clusively in 270 stores in 31 countries and
on the brand's website. The first A|X store
opened in September 1991 in the SoHo
district of Manhattan and is considered the
flagship.

48
49
Michael Kors is an American luxury fashion
company that was established in 1981 by
designer Michael Kors.
The company is known for apparel, footwear,
watches, handbags and other accessories.

Now owned by the international giant of

luxury LVMH, Michael Kors debuted in 1981
with a collection of luxury women's sports-
wear. The famous brand of New York col-
lects early great success on the catwalks of
Europe. Moreover, most of the leather ac-
cessories are made in​​ Italy, according to the
techniques of old manufacturing tradition.

50
51
DKNY
DKNY is a New York-based fashion house The brand offers
specializing in fashion goods for men and
women, founded in 1984 by Donna Karan.
eclectic, fun, wearable
In July 1991 she launched her first menswear fashion with the energy &
collection. The "New York" part on the label
is there to set "the pace, the attitude" of the spirit of New York.
fashion house's offering.

52
53
 ads via Carbon

Paul Smith is Britain’s foremost designer.

He is renowned for his creative aesthetic, Quirky but
which combinesD Otradition
W N L O A D Sand
VG modernity.
Reaffirming the values that Paul set down in not
1970, ‘classic with a twist’ remains the guid-
ing principle
downloading Paul Smith of the logo
vector company.
you agree with our terms of use. frivolous,
Paul’s saying, that 'you can find inspiration eccentric
in everything’, means that references are
eclectic, coming from high art and everyday but not
life.
silly.
Each Paul Smith design is underpinned by a
dry British sense of humour: quirky but not
frivolous, eccentric but not silly.

54
Classics with a twist

55
STRATEGIC
GROUPS

PRICE
Z ZEGNA PRICY
PREMIUM

Paul
Smith
PREMIUM

Michael LACOSTE
Kors
MID
RANGE
ULTRA
LOW

Massimo Armani DKNY

Dutti Exchange

PRIMARY BENEFIT

56
POSITIONING
MAP

HIGH
QUALITY

Z ZEGNA

Paul
Smith

DKNY

LACOSTE HIGH
PRICE

Michael
Kors
Armani
Exchange

Massimo
Dutti

57
S W
World renowned Selling products higher
than competitors

Variety of products Losing the scarcity of

desired, iconic product

High brand equity High cost of operations

Widespread retail chain

O T
New target persona and Millenials difficulty to break
market closer to Millennials away from the old image of
the brand
Emerging
markets and developed High bargaining power of
e-commerce textile suppliers in emerg-
ing countries
Transparency of the brand
-domestic production -

MADE IN USA High cost of production

Connecting emotionally Big corporations lack their

with customers sense for emotions

58
S
W
O
T
59
ADVERTISING

There is nothing that epitomizes the American

way of life better than Ralph Lauren. Since its
birth in 1967, the brand has provided us, year
after year, with iconic images through their
campaigns of what it would be like to live the

American Dream.
Ralph Lauren advertising programs are creat-
ed and executed through the company’s in-
house creative and advertising organization.
In this way, the company ensures consistency
of presentation across channels
and countries.

The company’s primary advertising medium

is print. Its advertisements appear regularly
in fashion, lifestyle, and general interest mag-
azines. In addition, the company markets its
brands through television, direct-to-consum-
er marketing, and special events. Marketing
efforts are increasingly focused on digital and
social media, focusing a lot more on Insta-
gram in 2017.

Ralph Lauren boosts its brand exposure by

participating in prestigious fashion shows like
New York Fashion Week and Milan Fashion
week, hosting events in Private Clients Club.
The company is currently the official outfitter
for all on-court officials at both the Wimble-
don and US Open tennis tournaments. It’s
also the official parade outfitter for the US
Olympic and Paralympic Teams.

One of the recent advertsing campaigns

were made by photographers,
Steven Meisel and Bruce Weber.

60
61
s for this picture: Arnaldo Anaya Lucca (Photographer), Johnny Caruso

62
63
Postcards from
Paradise
by Bruce Weber

64
65
Ralph Lauren sketches
for USA Olympic team
in London 2012

66
67
Cindy Crawford

Claudia Schiffer

Nacho Figueras

Naomi Kempbell

Tyson Beckford

Ubah Hassan

Gisele Bundchen

Penelope Cruz

Justin Thomas

Jessica Springsten

Lucky Blue Smith

Kendell Jenner

Bella Hadid

Jame Norley

Jessica Chastain

....

68
 TESTIMONIALS
brand ambassadors
models

Nacho Figueras

69
 Tyson Beckford
70
 Naomi Kempbell
71
‘Glamour is an attitude—it’s the expression of a
certain kind of confidence. A glamorous woman
is always elegant, but she also possesses an air of
mystery and excitement. She’s dramatic—

almost untouchable.’

Ralph Lauren

72
73
RL
MAGAZINE

print & online

RL MAG focuses on cars and
Ralph Lauren’s experience with the sections
of culture, sport, style and travel.

74
75
MARKETING
ACTIVITIES
SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook

Ralph Lauren 8.8M followers

On social media channels, team Ralph

Lauren is very active on Facebook, Twit-
ter and Instagram. Facebook posts are
being managed by the brand’s page
and updated every day
especially in the week following the AW
2017 Fashion Show. Posts have “paid”
brand content mark.

Instagram

POLO Ralph Lauren 2M followers

Ralph Lauren 6.6 M followers
Ralph Lauren Home 149K followers

From the latest AW 2017 Fashion Show,

which took place in Ralph Lauren’s ga-
rage in Bedford, NY
@RalphLauren Instagram has been cre-
ating the suspense for 24 hours of ex-
clusive behind-the-scenes content as
the count down to the Fall 2017 Fash-
ion Show started and only on Instagram
Stories. In the following days, Instagram
posts vary from ten to twenty posts per
day showing the iconic pieces of the
new collection, mood of the event and
special guests with the founder,
Ralph Lauren.

76
Twitter Pinterest

Ralph Lauren 2.19M followers Ralph Lauren 129K followers

Joined Twitter in 2009 and so far has The account gives a nice perspectie
4.000 tweets. Common tweets are re- of the brand’s aesthetic with its 41
posted from Instagram describing the mood boards covering all the lines
latest activities of the brand. and inspiration for creator’s designs.

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CRM // Online

The Customer Relationship Management is

responsible for creating and
spearheading Ralph Lauren direct to con-
sumer CRM strategy.
By acquiring a strong understanding of
the three channels’ customers and of their
needs, the CRM designing strategies to im-
prove customer retention, drive customer
acquisition and ultimately sales growth.
After creating an online account on the
company’s web site - ralphlauren.com - an
immidiate welcome email is received with
the token of ten procent on next purchase.
Invitation to join other social media chan-
nels comes in the next three days and after-
wards a reminder of the new collection and
a possible token.
When online, the customer can always have
the server’s assistance and a 24 hour cus-
tomer service call is available.
Ralph Lauren also offers gift cerfticates and
personalized items, with exclusive packag-
ing and return service included.

CRM // Offline

As an integral part of the CRM activity

Team Polo Ralph Lauren sends emails to
clients who have recently made a purchase
to thank them for their visit to the store.
Key clients are often invited to the Polo
Ralph Lauren Private Club in Milan, Italy for
special events and collection presentations.

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If you cannot view this email, please click here to view an online version.

RLWELCOME31505726

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Interview with
Daniele Bruscino
Senior Sales Assistant at
POLO Ralph Lauren
Rome, Italy

The interview was conducted at the Polo M&M: Do you think that it’s a problem
Ralph Lauren Store in Rome. We were strict- that an American brand manufactures
ly asked to put away our phones, videogra- most of its merchandise outside of the
phy and photography of any sort would not USA?
be entertained. Questions would only be
answered off the record. However, we man- Daniele: Yes, but today everything is like
aged to gain insight on the everyday man- this. If you see the iPhone, the product is
agement of Polo Ralph Lauren. American but it is assembled in China. That’s
the problem that people don’t understand,
This interview is confidential and for educa- that’s the point.The production is in China
tional purposes only. because of course it is less expensive. But
for example, Chinese people have a physi-
cal structure that is optimal for tailoring. The
M&M: What is your first reaction as a cashmere from Ralph Lauren is from Loro Pi-
sales assistant when you see a client at ana, an Italian company. So I think this is our
the store? success and an amazing reality.

Daniele: When we see customers touching M&M: Are you happy to be working as an
the product or showing interest, we suggest integral member of Ralph Lauren?
to the customers to open the product and
see the size. We encourage them to try. Daniele: I am happy to work here because
our colleagues are young. And despite the
M&M: Is this a new style that Ralph Lau- brand being fifty years old it still feels young.
ren has introduced? I think it’s timeless, because everything you
see [directing us to a tweed jacket] for exam-
Daniele: This is a different collection. It is ple, Ralph Lauren made many years ago but
more college and for a younger customer. now it’s still convenient. With small differ-
Then we have a collection inspired by the ences, the jacket is relevant. So, this makes
movie “The Great Escape” by Steve Mc- it absolutely timeless. This is the secret of
Queen [while we were led to the next sec- our success.
tion in the store. Danielle proudly presented
a rugged denim jacket].

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M&M: What kind of customer follow up “I am happy to work here
do you practice?
because our colleagues are
Daniele: We ensure our customers leave young. And despite the
their names and emails id’s. We send them
emails to thank them for their purchase. We brand being fifty years old it
used to check the chronology of the cus- still feels young.
tomers. If the customer makes a purchase
in New York, we thank them for their visit to I think it’s
the store in New York. We have many clients
who sometimes ask about the Purple Label. timeless...”
Here in Italy we invite our top clients to our
Private Club in Milan to view the products.
The club is amazing. There is a private col- M&M: Is it okay if we have your business
lection with the models and there is a restau- card?
rant too. We also organize birthday parties
for our top clients. Last year, a Brazilian high Danielle was extremely helpful and
spender celebrated his birthday with Alex supportive of our initiative.
Britti, an Italian singer. And this is actually a
great way to sell the collection.

M&M: We have heard that the Polo Ralph

Lauren store on Fifth Avenue in New York
is closed. Is it true?

Daniele: Well, I think it’s closed. Maybe it’s

too expensive, I don’t know. Truly, I don’t
know. But, I saw that Ralph Lauren used
to close stores and reopen in different lo-
cations. Maybe it’s a strategy. Maybe they
want to try this new concept. Maybe they
will reopen on the same street.

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 Ralph Lauren
Private Club
Milan, Italy
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CSR
Co-Founded the Nina Hyde Center for
1989 Breast Cancer Research at Georgetown Uni-
versity Hospital in Washington D.C. in mem-
ory of the late Post fashion correspondent.

Ralph Lauren acts as chairman and creates

1994 the name and symbol for Fashion Targets
Breast Cancer, a charitable initiative of the
CFDA that marshals the goodwill and ser-
vices of the fashion industry to raise public
awareness and funds for breast
cancer internationally.

Ralph Lauren Corporation launches its Vol-

2000 unteer Program, which energizes employees
and creates meaningful connections with
the communities in which they work.

On Friday, September 15th Ralph Lauren

2000 Corporation launches the Pink Pony Cam-
paign, a national initiative to reduce dispar-
ities in cancer care by raising awareness as
well as enhancing prevention, screening,
and treatment in poor and
underserved communities.

The Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation estab-

2001 lishes the American Heroes Fund following
September 11th to allow Polo’s 10,000 em-
ployees worldwide, as well as their custom-
ers, the opportunity to participate in
the relief effort.

Ralph Lauren supports to establish the Ralph

2003 Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Preven-
tion in Harlem. The Center is a collaboration
between Ralph Lauren, Memorial Sloan-Ket-
tering, and North General Hospital
in Harlem, New York City.

84
 The Polo Fashion School is established, in
2004 which Company executives work with in-
ner-city youth to offer insights into
the fashion business.

Established in 2006, the Polo Jeans G.I.V.E.

2006 (Get Involved Volunteer Exceed) campaign
was created to inspire and encourage com-
munity service through volunteerism by
supporting the efforts of dedicated
volunteers and their causes.

2008 The Star-Spangled Banner, the original 1813

flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write
the National Anthem, was preserved by a
$10 million contribution to Save America’s
Treasures from Polo Ralph Lauren in 1998.
The flag was then unveiled on Wednesday,
November 19, 2008 in a new gallery at the
Smithsonian National Museum of American
History, in Washington D.C.

2013 Ralph Lauren Corporation announced in

July of 2013 its commitment to restore the
elite L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, one of
the most influential art schools in France.

Ralph Lauren Corporation partners with the

2014 Royal Marsden, the largest and most com-
prehensive cancer center in Europe, to de-
velop a world-class breast cancer
research facility.

Ralph Lauren Corporation opens the Roy-

2016 al Marsden Ralph Lauren Center for Breast
Cancer Research in London.

In support of the communities, employess

2017 and their families affected by Hurricane
Irma, the Polo Ralph Lauren Donation has
made a donation to the American Red
Cross to help support relief efforts.

85
AWARDS

1970 A jury of men's fashion editors 1987// At the CFDA Awards, Ralph Lauren
select Lauren to receive the Coty Award for is awarded 1986 "Retailer of the Year" for
the highest creativity of the year in men's transforming the cinematic feel of his cloth-
fashion design. ing into a physical environment.

1973// Ralph Lauren wins his second Coty 1988// Pratt Institute awards Ralph Lauren
Award for menswear. It is the first time a with an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts.
menswear designer has been a two-time
Coty winner. 1989// Ralph Lauren receives The American
Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate
1974// Ralph Lauren wins his first Coty "Win- Award in 1989 for fashion and design. The
nie" Award for womenswear. Awards are presented annually by the Acad-
emy of Achievement to approximately 25
1975// Ralph Lauren wins the American recipients, chosen for their exceptional ac-
Fashion Award. (Council of Fashion Design- complishments in the sciences, professions,
ers of America) business, industry, arts, literature, sports, en-
tertainment, and public service.
1976// Ralph Lauren enters the Coty Hall of
Fame for Menswear, and also wins his sec- 1992// Ralph Lauren receives the first-ev-
ond Coty Award for Womenswear, the first er CFDA Lifetime Achievement award—an
time a designer has won awards for both honor created specifically for him and pre-
menswear and womenswear in sented with heartfelt recognition
the same year. by Audrey Hepburn.

1977// Ralph Lauren receives the Coty Hall 1995// Ralph Lauren receives the CFDA
of Fame award for womenswear. award for Womenswear Designer of the Year.

1979// Ralph Lauren receives his first special 1996//Ralph Lauren is honored with the Nina
citation at the 1979 Coty Awards for his di- Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research's
rect influence in establishing American fash- first Humanitarian Award, which is presented
ion on a worldwide basis. to Lauren by Princess Diana.

1981//At the first Council of Fashion De- 1996// Receives an Honorary Doctorate of
signers of America award ceremony, Ralph Humane Letters from Brandeis University for
Lauren wins his first CFDA Fashion Award. his commitment to arts and education, and
for his prominent role in the fight against
1985// Ralph Lauren receives the Menswear breast cancer.
Association of America’s Designer Achieve-
ment Award. 1996// Ralph Lauren receives the CFDA
award for Menswear Designer
of the Year.

86
1997// Ralph Lauren wins CFDA's Award for 2012// Ralph Lauren tops the list for the
Humanitarian Leadership in recognition of global apparel industry category for the first
his commitment to fighting breast cancer. time in Fortune magazine's "World's Most
Admired Companies 2012.”
2000// In celebration of his contribution to
American style, Ralph Lauren is among the 2014// The Company's "The Dog Walk Cam-
first designers inducted into the Fashion paign" won the Clio Image Award in the cat-
Walk of Fame in the center of New York egory for Partnerships and & Sponsorships,
City's Fashion District.(Garment District, while the Omotesando RRL Store in Tokyo,
Manhattan) Japan wins for the category of
Architectural Design.
2003// Ralph Lauren Corporation receives a
Restore America Heroes award from The Na- 2014// The Smithsonian presented Ralph
tional Trust for Historic Preservation. Lauren with the James Smithson Bicenten-
nial Medal. The medal recognizes Lauren's
2007// Ralph Lauren wins the American lifetime contributions to American entre-
Fashion Legend Award, presented by Oprah preneurship, artistry, and creativity as well
Winfrey on June 4 at the CFDA Awards, held as acknowledging the critical leadership
at the New York Public Library. role Lauren played in helping preserve
the Star-Spangled Banner as part of "Save
2009// Ralph Lauren wins the CFDA's newly America's Treasures" initiative established
created "Popular Vote Award". The award, by Hillary Clinton when she served
which is given to the designer who receives as First Lady.
the most votes cast online by the public.
2016// Ralph Lauren and Leonardo DiCaprio
2010// Mayor Michael Bloomberg presents were honored at the 50th Anniversary River-
Ralph Lauren with a key to the city keeper Fishermen’s Ball at Chelsea Piers in
of New York. New York City.

2010// In a private ceremony at the Élysée

Palace, Ralph Lauren receives the presti- 2016 Ralph Lauren received Women's
gious Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur from Wear Daily’s first John B. Fairchild Honor.
Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the Republic of
France, in recognition of his contributions as
a designer, business leader, and philanthro-
pist.

87
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The iconic Polo Ralph Lauren logo depicts a
polo horseman. It started appearing in New
York City newspapers in early 1974. The
logo gives a very clear perception of the
rich, proud American look and tradition.
The emblem is a prime example of

an expressive logo that evokes

feelings of pride,
elitism and the spirit
to enjoy

the
lifestyle-oriented
as the

“good life”

POLO
RALPH LAUREN
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ICONIC PRODUCT
POLO t-shirt

t is a staple in the wardrobe of the sign of easy elegance,

men and women alike, classic
and yet casual, clean and crisp symbol of the life of leisure
and cool whether you wear the and of vigour.
collar up or down. The white
polo shirt from Ralph Lauren is an icon of
a garment, it is a fact of fashion. Game for
any occasion and practically a dress code
of its own, there was never a bad time to
throw one on. The logo horseman with his
raised mallet has been an ambassador of
simple, sporty style

since he was first stitched in 1971.

He is the sign of easy elegance, symbol of

the life of leisure and of vigour. He is the
gentleman sportsman, the rider, the jockey
on the collared shirt, the shirt that has be-
come an aesthetic in and of itself,

the shirt called the polo.

96
The white shirt
with the rider

97
PERSONALIZATION

Ralph Lauren offers personalization of the

iconic polo shirts with the choice of

POLO PONY, POLO BEAR, DOG, CREST,

FLAG, OR MONOGRAM.

98
Make it personal

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HOLLYWOOD

MOVIES
Inspiration for Ralph Lauren

1963 The Great Escape - American

World War II epic film based on an escape
by British Commonwealth prisoners of war
from a German POW camp during World
War II, starring Steve McQueen, James
Garner, and Richard Attenborough, filmed
in Panavision. Inspired by the movie, Ralph
Lauren designed worn, rugged denim and
jackets for POLO Ralph Lauren
and named it “The Great Escape”.

1968 True Grit

(source: Oprah Winfrey interview in 2014)

Participation

1974 Ralph Lauren outfitted the male

cast of The Great Gatsby in costumes cho-
sen from his Polo line - a 1920s-style series
of men's suits and sweaters,
except for the pink suit which Lauren de-
signed especially for Robert Redford’s Jay
Gatsby

1977 Diane Keaton and Woody Allen

wore Lauren's clothes in the Oscar-winning
film, Annie Hall.

102
 Robert Redford
by Ralph Lauren in
The Great Gatsby

103
“I was very influenced by movies;
I was very influenced by a world
that had a sense of dream.”

Ralph Lauren

104
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worn, rugged denim
and jackets

106
107
“When I’d go to the movies it was as if
the window opened up to a world I had
never dreamed of and I walked right in.
If it was a western, I wasn’t just
watching John Wayne on the screen - I
was the cowboy, I was the man on the
horse. And when I went to a baseball
game, I was the one hitting homeruns.
And so, my designs came out of things
that people really do
and dream about and think about.”

Ralph Lauren

108
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Living the
dream
Ralph Lauren with his familly
wife Ricky, daughter Dylan and
sons Andrew and David

112
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 “ She was very European. Her parents
were from Vienna.
Ricky was an only child and very shel-
tered. She had never had an ice-cream
soda until I met her. She had a little
accent and was unlike any American
girl I’d seen. She was nineteen,
working after school in a doctor’s
office and on alternate days teaching
dance. I met her in the doctor’s office
and asked her for a date.”

Ralph Lauren

115
LIFESTYLE

"When [my wife] Ricky and I were first

married," said Mr. Lauren, "we were on the
hunt for things to furnish our apartment
with. Often, we were disappointed by what
we found—not only the quality, but also the
variety. I was looking to create
a total world."

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New York, NY

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Mount Desert Island, ME

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Marta’s Vineyard, MA

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FASHION SHOWS

POLO Ralph Lauren 2015

o announce the new Polo for

Women Spring ’15 collection,
Ralph Lauren turned to MPC
Creative New York to create a
cinematic 4D experience, this
time launching a new breed of
fashion show. On the evening of Septem-
ber 8th during New York Fashion Week, a
revolutionary runway event was revealed
to hundreds of spectators: a water-screen
projection that towered above Manhattan’s
Central Park fusing fashion, art and technol-
ogy.

Building on the highly successful storefront

4D projection mapping show in 2010, the
film marks MPC’s second collaboration with
Ralph Lauren.

“I really wanted to do something big for the

new Polo Women’s brand – something set
in the city — that felt modern. We returned
to Central Park, a place I love, and captured
the spirit of Polo with a truly innovative mix
of fashion and technology,” said Ralph Lau-
ren.

Together with the Ralph Lauren creative

team, MPC Creative transformed Mr. Lau-
ren’s clear vision of a hyperreal cinematic
journey through New York City into a 10-min-
ute short film that blends stunning CG with
live-action runway performance

130
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AW 2017
Location: Ralph’s garage
Bedford, NY

Inspiration: cars

132
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ANNUAL REPORTS

In 2014, Ralph Lauren Corporation

has made the Forbes “World’s Most Valu-
able Brands” list at the 84th spot with the
market cap of $14.67 billion and sales of
$7.23 billion with a profit of $750.2 million.

As of October 2016,
Forbes estimates Ralph Lauren’s wealth at
$5.3 billion, which makes Ralph Lauren the
233rd richest person in the world.

BREAKING NEWS:
In August 2017,
revenue was down 13 percent compared
to the same period a year earlier.

FACT:
Ralph Lauren Corporation had to let go
1200 employees in 2016.

142
 Income Statement

IN MILLIONS OF $ First quarter 2017 2016 2015

Total Revenue 6,652.80 7,405.00 7,620.00
Cost of Revenue, Total 3,001.70 3,218.00 3,242.00
Gross Profit 3,651.10 4,187.00 4,378.00
Labor & Related Expense 63.60 97.00 81.00
Depreciation 283.40 286.00 269.00
Amortization of Intangibles 24.10 24.00 25.00
Depreciation / Amortization 307.50 310.00 294.00
Restructuring Charge 318.60 143.00 10.00
Impairment Assets Held for 253.80 49.00 7.00
use
Unusual Expense 572.40 192.00 17.00
Total Operating Expense 6,747.00 6,823.00 6,585.00
Operating Income -94.80 582.00 1,035.00
Net Income Before Taxes -105.00 552.00 987.00
Provision for Income Taxes -5.60 156.00 285.00
Net Income After Taxes -99.30 396.00 702.00
Net Income -99.30 396.00 702.00
Basic Weighted Average 82.70 85.20 87.20
Share
Gross Dividends - Common 164.00 168.00 161.00
Stock
Rental Expense - 460.50 472.00 466.00
Supplemental
Advertising Expense 219.90 280.00 275.00
Equity in Affiliates - -5.00 -11.00 -11.00
Supplemental
Audit Fees — 4.12 3.74
Audit Related Fees — 0.94 0.68
Tax Fees — 2.29 2.71
Gross Margin 54.88 56.54 57.45
Operating Margin -1.42 7.86 13.58
Pretax Margin -1.58 7.45 12.95
Net Profit Margin -1.49 5.35 9.21
Normalized EBIT 477.60 774.00 1052.00
Normalized EBITDA 785.10 1,084.00 1346.00

143
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 Ralph Lauren’s
car exhibition in
Paris 2010
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NEW IDEA

152
The American dream has become a

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