When you think of Ralph Lauren you think of some fabulous gowns and suits made by the brand for celebrities. You might also end up thinking about the sitcom Friends because the brand was certainly a cultural phenomenon for a very long time.
With a signature polo horse as a logo for the brand, Ralph Lauren was founded back in 1967. The target audience of this brand is upper-class consumers like athletes, businessmen, and we all know celebrities for sure because no award show is complete without someone wearing Ralph Lauren.
Ralph Lauren has been a serious game changer and influence in the fashion industry for more than five decades now. Initially, the brand used to target consumers that sought aspirational lifestyles like athletes, businessmen, and more. As time passed, the brand diversified its portfolio as it offered different styles and lines of clothing and homewares as well.
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Is Ralph Lauren A Designer Luxury Brand?
The definition of luxury for the brand has varied a lot over the years from a public point of view. The brand has introduced many sub-labels over the years and that didn’t really help with the luxury image. Initially, the brand started off as a luxury one but now the image is kind of diluted.
The Collection lines and Ralph Lauren Purple Label is considered a luxury. Although the other lines offered by the brand do not fall under the luxury label. The brand has expanded its horizons not only in style and creating a statement but also from an accessibility point of view.
Ralph Lauren has ventured into discounted retail and mid-tier channels making the brand grow over time. This made the brand create a balance between the luxurious offerings and the affordable channels of the brand. This definitely has benefited the company with loads of profits financially.
This made the brand more accessible to a whole lot of the population and made the line more appealing. But that also created confusion for a lot of consumers. The lines were not really differentiated beyond the price points.
This means that the consumer can purchase the same article from a different line at a different cost. This resulted in lower sales for the brand and just way too much inventory.
By 2016, Ralph Lauren experienced a lot more growth in the inventory over three years than the actual sales. The store owners and the retailers were not able to sell this massive inventory.
This made the brand sell the stock at discounted rates and more items were being sold at the factory outlets. This definitely increased Ralph Lauren’s sales but kind of decreased the luxury status it was crowned with.
Is Ralph Lauren A Designer?
The brand name is after the famous American designer Ralph Reuben Lifshitz. The designer developed the brand to be a statement of the American lifestyle that resulted in the world’s most successful and biggest fashion empires.
Does Ralph Lauren Have Labels?
People generally think of Ralph Lauren as a whole brand in existence but that is not the case. There are many sub-labels of the brand that have different quality, target market, and pricey.
Some of the labels are considered luxurious but some are considered likewise. The Purple Label here is the most luxurious one as it sells and displays the most premium collection.
The clothing pieces you see here are often made in small numbers to sometimes make it limited edition and the prices are quite extravagant.
In 1994 the luxurious Purple Label was launched. The label provides premium men’s wear and also offers premium tailored styles along with meticulous construction. The tailoring style is inspired by London’s Savile Row tailoring.
Some of the clothes made under the label are also made in Italy by fine suitmakers and expert tailors.
The label also features premium women’s apparel that is also crafted like art in Italy.
Is Ralph Lauren Good Quality?
The Ralph Lauren brand is popularly known for its style and classy vibes that everyone feels while shopping here or not.
Although there are labels under the brand that offer quality clothing options to many, people still come in with high expectations due to the brand’s name.
The different labels under the brand are not just different because of the price points but also due to the quality. You can find a wonderful dress under Ralph Lauren’s name but you might want to check the quality here too.
Under Ralph Lauren’s Polo collection and Purple Label, you can find premium clothing that would work for years for you.
You might also find the same dress in an affordable line and the quality would be miles apart from the premium one.
The quality of affordable lines is not horrible but is not something that one would expect from a brand that is highly spoken of everywhere they go.
Ralph Lauren is definitely a force to be reckoned with for many fashionistas, celebs, and people of high stature. Most of the people out there invest in this brand due to its popularity and popular people endorsing it.
You won’t find a single prestigious award show that won’t have someone wearing Ralph Lauren and then not flaunting it. So that is how you know how popular a fashion brand is.
In summation, we all have been there when we thought of buying a Ralph Lauren ball gown or a hot fire men’s wear. But there are affordable options too out there by the brand that can make your wish come true.
So instead of sleeping on the brand or saving up for it because it is too expensive, you can now shop from the affordable lines just like anything.