1967
The tie comes first
Lauren’s early neckwear established a point of view before the wider wardrobe existed. Menswear and, later, women’s collections expanded that idea.
The House & Its Designers
Ralph Lauren
New York · 1967
An imagined American wardrobe, built one category at a time.
Ralph Lauren began with ties and developed a complete world of clothing, objects and interiors. Its bags draw on the same references: equestrian equipment, travel, tailored dress and lived-in leather.
11 photographs · Reviewed August 2026
Explore the history ↓
01 / The house
The story behind the name.
The house
A coherent world
Sportswear, formal clothes and home collections share recurring colours, textures and cultural references. The brand’s identity comes from how those elements are assembled.
The leather goods
Equestrian details
Buckles, straps and structured handles link many bags to riding and travel. The Ricky and RL50 express those references through different proportions and constructions.
02 / The designers
The people who shaped the house.
Selected creative chapters; dates distinguish appointments from runway debuts.
Founder
Ralph Lauren
Developed a complete design world from a consistent view of American style.
On the runway
Selected looks and details, matched to the house and season.
Ralph Lauren · Spring 2024 Ready To Wear
Ralph Lauren · Fall 2024 Ready To Wear
03 / The bags
A vocabulary in leather and form.
A selection of the house’s designs. Resale photographs illustrate individual examples; size, finish and condition vary.
01
Ricky
A substantial leather top-handle bag with equestrian-inspired strap and buckle details.
02
Soft Ricky
A more supple interpretation of the Ricky’s belted construction.
More designs to know
- Polo ID
- A curved leather-bag family with sculptural metal hardware.
- RL 888
- A structured flap-bag family with a prominent RL clasp.
- RL40
- A roomy, structured top-handle bag with restrained hardware.
- Polo Mini
- A compact format from Polo Ralph Lauren’s leather-goods collection.
- Sloane
- A pared-back leather shoulder-bag style.