The Golden Age

Integrity is in short supply thesedays. But for American fashionsfirst family, it remains the bedrock of aglobal empire. RALPH LAURENlooks back at the past 50 years,his legacy, and the future.

- Paul Goldberger

Ralph Lauren walked into the living room of his house in Montauk, slightly exhausted and sweaty. “I hope you don’t mind,” he said, “but could you wait just a few minutes for me to take a shower? I’ve been practicing baseball with my trainer.” He was preparing, he explained, for an event at Yankee Stadium in late September at which he was scheduled to throw out the first pitch, one of the many public commemorations of the 50th anniversary of his business. (The events began on September 7 with a blockbuster fashion show and black tie dinner at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.) At 78 he was a bit unsure of his pitching arm, and while he had no illusions that he would be confused with C.C. Sabathia, he wanted to be sure not to embarrass himself.

It was typical of Ralph Lauren, who approaches every task with a sincerity and forthrightness that set him apart from almost everyone else in the ruthlessly cynical, competitive world of fashion. He was thrilled at the notion of throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium—after all, he grew up in the Bronx, not far away—but he saw the invitation not just as an acknowledgment of his success but as a challenge to do the right thing. He could have gotten away with a quick toss, but that would suggest that he did not take the event seriously. And so he practiced.