EOC Discussion Questions: Chapter 3

1. Ralph Lauren is considered to be a designer because he has “taken functional military garments, such as cargo pants and duffle coats and traditional work clothes such as canvas barn jackets and blue jeans and turned them into luxury garments that sell for hundreds of dollars.” (Brand Story) He also “created menswear, women’s wear and accessories.” (Brand Story)
   
2. Ralph Lauren worked prior to working for himself at “Brooks Brothers in his late 1950s. In the mid-1960s he took a position with a Boston-based tie manufacturer, Rivetz.” (Brand Story) This experience was beneficial to his career because he “utilized self-promotion as a way to stand above his peers and get attention from clients. He became skilled at networking in the New York garment industry” (Brand Story) which led him to creating his own brand.
3. Ralph Lauren operates 9 divisions. Purple Label, Black Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, RXL, RRL, Big and Tall, Denim and Supply, Golf, Blue Label and Lauren. His target market were for women and men who could afford to pay the price of high fashion such as generation X, Y, and Z but then he created a line for a more affordable target group of people. It is also people who play sports, mainly in golf.
4. My favorite division of Ralph Lauren would be the Blue Label. It emulates my personal lifestyle because it isn’t very high-end and it is a bit casual and laid back rather than his other lines. It is cute and seems more like my type of style.
5. Ralph Lauren built on his original brand to create an empire and an almost unparalleled career in fashion by continuing to create more clothing lines for men and women. He has also expended to fragrance, accessories and kids. Someone else who is compared to him is Calvin Klein.