Legends: Ralph Lauren

Even at the age of 12 he was the only kid on the block wearing a sporty blue college blazer. Yes, there was already an indication that there was something special about Ralph Lauren. And as a 23-year-old tie salesman in New York City, he already looked the part of a millionaire with his fitted suits and Morgan sports car, although he was a long way from being rich and famous. Every penny he made went into clothes and cars, the two indulgences he still fancies today. His legendary auto collection, once estimated at about $100 million, includes everything from a 1929 Bentley (below center) and a 1937 Alfa Romeo (below right), to a 1938 Bugatti and a 1962 Ferrari (below left). No car is too extravagant, no price tag too high for the man who built an empire through a simple tie design, a clear direction and a $50,000 loan. Lauren founded Polo Fashions in 1968, choosing the name because of the power and pomp it represented. Born Ralph Lifshitz, Lauren has come a long way from sharing a bedroom with his two brothers in their modest home near the Bronx, N.Y. It wasn’t until his big break in the late 1960s that he would begin earning the money to fuel his passion for fancy cars. Today, Lauren’s collection has grown to the point where at any one time there are several cars undergoing restoration. Quiet and reclusive, Lauren shares his collection only with close friends, family and those in exclusive car-collecting circles. Perhaps the only things Lauren enjoys more than his vintage cars is his family and his privacy. He’s a father and a husband. Although he’ll always be known for his trend-setting style, Lauren’s taste in automobiles is less well known, but of no less significance.