The HBO documentary about the iconic designer, Ralph Lauren, premieres November 12th. The documentary will explore the life and work of the now 80 year-old fashion powerhouse. The film follows the modest upbringing of a young Ralph Lifshitz growing up in the Bronx from his journey as a tie salesman to a world famous designer. His line of ties featuring his namesake label led to a menswear line and then a womenswear line, eventually becoming the lifestyle brand we know today. The world that Ralph Lauren represents is a 50 year tradition of the American dream. Ralph Lauren is not only tweed jackets, silky ascots, and the infamous Polo symbol, but a world that transcended fashion itself. Kanye West says it best, that the Polo shirt was his magician’s cloak. “It said that I could travel from the south side of Chicago to the beaches of Montauk.”
Ralph achieved the American Dream for himself and found a way to make his empire a way for others to achieve it, as well. The film is directed by Susan Lacy, known for her docs on Steven Spielberg and Jane Fonda, and creating American Masters. The Emmy and Peobody award-winner chose to honor Lauren for his 50th year in business, and how that makes him the national symbol of American designers. Lacy interviewed almost 40 individuals, from Anna Wintour to competitor Calvin Klein, to create a true profile of the beloved designer. The film will visit his revolutionary ad campaigns with Bruce Weber, his 50th anniversary runway show in 2018, and even rare scenes of his home life with his wife and kids from the archives. Fashion-lovers can’t miss out on the opportunity to go behind the scenes of the making of the very Ralph, Ralph Lauren. Find out what it means to be Very Ralph on HBO.
By Sonja Grunfeld
Photo Courtesy HBO
