Net Worth Ranker
What Is Ralph Lauren’s Net Worth?
As of 2025, Ralph Lauren, the iconic American fashion designer and businessman, boasts a net worth of $8 billion. This substantial fortune is primarily attributed to his role as the founder and primary owner of Ralph Lauren Corporation. The corporation, a publicly-traded entity on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “RL,” generates annual revenues exceeding $6 billion through its diverse portfolio of brands.
Ralph Lauren’s significant stake in his namesake company plays a crucial role in his wealth. He directly owns 33% of the company’s outstanding shares, making him the largest shareholder. Over the years, he has augmented his fortune through strategic share sales, consistent dividend payouts, and standard compensation packages. While he stepped down from his position as CEO in 2015, Ralph Lauren remains deeply involved in the company as Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer.
Ralph Lauren: Building an Empire
Ralph Lauren’s journey to becoming a fashion icon began in the late 1960s. He dropped out of Baruch College, where he was studying Business, and started designing and selling ties. His initial venture involved selling ties to local clothing retailers, which led to an opportunity with Neiman Marcus. Following this, he founded his own store in Manhattan in 1967. Subsequently, he expanded his presence by opening a second store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
Four years later, he ventured into menswear. Demand for women’s lines resulted in the launch of Ralph Lauren, and now, Ralph Lauren is a brand found globally with boutiques in the United States. In 2010, he was awarded Chevalier de la Legion d’honneur by Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris. His clothing has appeared in films such as “The Great Gatsby” and “Annie Hall.” He has built a solid reputation as a car enthusiast, philanthropist, and real estate investor.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born Ralph Lifshitz on October 14, 1939, in The Bronx, New York City, Ralph Lauren is the son of Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Pinsk, Belarus, Frieda (née Cutler) and Frank Lifshitz. He has two older brothers and one older sister. He attended the Manhattan Talmudical Academy before moving to DeWitt Clinton High School, where he graduated in 1957. He enrolled at Baruch College at the City University of New York (CUNY) but left after two years. He changed his name to Lauren because his birth name had obscene connotations in English.
After leaving school, Lauren joined the United States Army from 1962 to 1964. Afterwards, he became a sales assistant at Brooks Brothers and a tie salesman. While working for tie manufacturer Beau Brummell, he created his tie line. In 1968, Lauren launched his full menswear line called ‘Polo’. In 1969, Bloomingdale’s sold his line exclusively. In 1971, he opened a store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California. This store was the first freestanding store by an American designer. In 1972, he launched his signature cotton mesh Polo shirt (with the Polo player logo on the chest) in 17 colors.
In 1978, Lauren began selling fragrances and launched the first Ralph Lauren fragrances at Bloomingdale’s. The first fragrances were the women’s perfume “Lauren” and the men’s cologne “Polo.” In 1981, Lauren opened his first European freestanding store in the West End of London, England. He added more than ten additional lines and acquired brands, such as the Ralph Lauren Purple Label (1995) and Lauren Ralph Lauren (1996), as well as a paint line (1995). In 1994, Ralph Lauren sold a 28% stake in his company to Goldman Sachs for $135 million. The company went public in 1997, and raised $767 million through the IPO. The company went online in 2000 and was relaunched as ralphlauren.com in 2007.
The company also has several mid-range and affordable lines, such as Chaps, which is sold mainly at Kohl’s and Belk stores, and American Living, which was a brand exclusively created for the retailer JCPenney. In addition to home goods and clothing, the company has also branched into the restaurant sector with Ralph Lauren Restaurants. The company’s first restaurant, RL Restaurant Chicago, opened in 1999. Other restaurants include Ralph’s, which opened in 2010 in Paris; Ralph’s Coffee opened in 2014 in New York City; and The Polo Bar, which opened in 2015 in New York City. Stefan Larsson took over as CEO in November of that year after Lauren announced he was stepping down as CEO of the company in September 2015. Lauren remained with the company as Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer. In 2018, the Ralph Lauren brand celebrated its 50th anniversary with a fashion show in Central Park, New York City.
Personal Life, Philanthropy, and Hobbies
Lauren married Ricky Ann Low-Beer in New York City on December 20, 1964. They have three children: Andrew Lauren, a film producer and actor; David Lauren, an executive at the Ralph Lauren Corporation; and Dylan Lauren, the owner of Dylan’s Candy Bar. Lauren’s son, David, married Lauren Bush, the granddaughter of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, in 2011.
Lauren is a noted philanthropist. In 1989, he co-founded the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington D.C., established the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem in 2003, and helped open the Royal Marsden Ralph Lauren Center for Breast Cancer Research in 2016.
Ralph Lauren is a noted automobile enthusiast. His car collection includes around 100 cars and is worth an estimated $350 million. Some important vehicles in his collection include a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, multiple 1996 McLaren F1s, a Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, a 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Mille Miglia, and a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing. His collection has been on displayed and featured at shows, such as in 2005 at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. In 2017, his collection was featured at New York Fashion Week.
Real Estate Holdings
Lauren’s real estate portfolio includes several properties around the world. He owns a 17,000-acre cattle ranch outside of Telluride, Colorado, and a 17,000-square-foot manor in Bedford, New York. The specific purchase prices and current market values of these properties are not publicly available. These holdings contribute to his overall net worth, adding to the value derived from his fashion empire and other investments.
