Date: born 1939

Biography: Over the past 45 years, Ralph Lauren has built one of the world’s most successful fashion and lifestyle brands, cultivating the iconography of America into a global lifestyle corporation. Whether taking inspiration from the rusticity of the New England coast, the natural beauty of the Southwest, or the glamour of Hollywood, his collections for men and women, their children and homes embody an expression of timeless style recognized and celebrated around the world. Born in New York in 1939, Lauren grew up in the Bronx. He didn’t know he was going to become a designer, but he knew he had something to say, a passion for living that he was able to express through clothes. In 1967, out of a single drawer in the Empire State building, Ralph started a unique collection of wide ties that transformed the way men dressed. A full line of menswear soon followed, combining the feel of custom-tailored European suiting with an American sportswear sensibility. By 1972, he had won his first Coty award and launched a full line of womenswear, inspired by his men's collections. Over the next few decades, the company expanded to include fragrances, clothes for children, and bedding, furniture and accessories for the home. His women's Collection walked the runway and his men's Purple Label took sartorial dressing to a new level of luxury. Consistent throughout the company's growth was Ralph's commitment to quality, a respect for heritage and a love of the American dream. Today, Ralph Lauren is one of the world’s most innovative design and business leaders and a true cultural icon. He is still the only designer to receive the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s four highest honors— Women swear Designer of the Year, Menswear Designer of the Year, Retailer of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award—as well as the CFDA’s Humanitarian Leadership Award. In June 2007, the CFDA awarded him the first-ever American Fashion Legend Award. In 2015, the New York Times reported that Ralph Lauren was stepping down as CEO but intended to remain active as executive chairman and chief creative officer.