After graduating from business school at the City College of New York, Ralph Lauren worked as a glove salesman, soon borrowing $5,000 to begin Polo Fashion, a collection of wide-cut ties. As they became popular, Lauren expanded his collection to include his now-famous Polo shirt and a wider selection of sports clothes, womenswear, and formal wear, all with a preppy, clean-cut aesthetic straight out of The Great Gatsby. The company, now estimated to be worth $1 billion, has expanded to include, among others, the Purple and Black Labels, the sportier Polo brand, the women.s collection Lauren, and the high-end Ralph Lauren Collection.
