Genuine Authentic

A fascinating and comprehensive look into the life of American fashion designer Ralph Lauren, now with an afterword.

“Deep-dish...sharp-clawed...honestly admiring.”—New York Times

There are at least two Ralph Laurens.

To the public he's a gentle, modest, yet secure and purposeful man. Inside the walls of Polo Ralph Lauren, though, he was long seen by some as a narcissist, an insecure ditherer, and, at times, a rampaging tyrant.

Michael Gross, author of the bestsellers Model and 740 Park, lays bare the truths of this fashion emperor's rise, and reveals not only the secrets of his meteoric success in marketing our shared fantasies, but also a widely unknown side that's behind the designer’s chic façade.
An Unauthorized Biography: Go behind the chic façade to meet the two Ralph Laurens—the modest public figure and the man seen by insiders as a rampaging tyrant.Rags to Riches Story: Discover how Ralph Lifshitz, a kid from the Bronx, reinvented himself and built a global fashion empire on the American dream.The Business of Aspiration: Uncover the secrets to his meteoric success, a masterclass in lifestyle marketing that sold not just clothes, but a carefully constructed fantasy.The Man and the Brand: This sharp-clawed portrait lays bare the truths of his rise and the complex reality behind the world of Polo Ralph Lauren.