Founded in 1967 in New York, the Ralph Lauren Corporation is, besides Giorgio Armani and Hugo Boss, one of the most famous fashion companies on the market today.
In order to encompass men and women of all social classes, the Ralph Lauren Corporation created more than ten brand lines of different identities and quality during its long history.
In this guide (whose title isn’t a clickbait, by the way), you’ll learn all about their most popular ones.
Read: The ULTIMATE Giorgio Armani Line Guide on the Internet
#1 – Introduction
Before we begin, it’s important to mention to mention that … :
(1) … this guide only focuses on clothes made by the Ralph Lauren Corporation – watches, jewelry and home apparel won’t be covered.
(2) … this guide won’t cover short lived and less popular Ralph Lauren brand lines (Polo Country, Polo Western Wear, Polo University Club) because these were discontinued long ago – many of these labels are very old and were short-lived (the Polo Country line lasted for less than a year, if I remember correctly). It’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever get to see them – even on sites like eBay and Vestaire Collective.
(3) …I’m not affiliated with the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation. All opinions are my own.
By the way…here’s some coffee, courtesy of Ralph’s!
Read: The ULTIMATE Guide to Hugo Boss Lines on the Internet
#2 – High-end Ralph Lauren Labels
Ralph Lauren Purple Label (RLPL)
The Ralph Lauren Purple Label (RLPL) is the best and most expensive Ralph Lauren label line. Its products are renowned for their top-notch quality, excellent materials and sophisticated looks. Its consisted of two smaller ones:
(1) Ralph Lauren, founded in 1994, offers a selection of ready-to-wear and made-to- measure menswear – suits and blazers in British style, as well as jackets, coats, shirts, sportswear and footwear. Its logo (seen in the image below) is a purple rectangle with Ralph Lauren’s name written in cursive on top of it. It has nothing to do with its namesake.
(2) Ralph Lauren Collection line, founded in 1971, offers a a selection of womenswear of ready-to -wear and made-to-measure couture influenced skirts and dresses, as well as jackets, coats, shirts, suits, blazers, sportswear and footwear. Its logo (seen in the image below) is a smallish purple rectangle tag with Ralph Lauren’s name written in capital letters on top of it.
RLPL clothes are some of the best that money can buy – their construction and the quality of the fabrics they’re made is on a exceptionally high level. Most of them are made in the US, Europe (Italy and Spain) and Japan and their MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) is quite high – from $200 to $8000.
Things are much different on the Internet, however – most of the brand-new RLPL clothes can be had for half of their original MSRP – and sometimes for even less, if you’re lucky enough to score yourself a deal on eBay/Vestaire. If you’re EXTREMELY lucky (like I was), you’ll be to find a used piece in a thrift store or vintage store, like the blazer you see me wearing in the picture above.
What surprised me quite a bit is that RLPL clothes, despite their prestige, generally aren’t counterfeited!
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Ralph Lauren Black Label (RLBL)
Launched in 2005 and discontinued in 2015, Ralph Lauren Black Label (RLBL) was the second-most prestigious Ralph Lauren brand line which offered a ready-to-wear suits, blazers, jackets, coats, shirts, sportswear and footwear for both men and women.
RLBL clothing is of same quality as RLPL. The main difference between them is that RLBL clothes are somewhat slimmer and slightly cheaper.
How do I know this?
Because I own(ed) and sold a lot of RLBL clothing. One of my best-selling items were RLBL “Anthony” suits. In the picture above, you can see me wearing one.
From what I’ve seen, most RLBL clothes are made in Europe, the US and Japan. However, some are made in a variety of other countries such as China, the Philippines and Tunisia.
In order to not get confused (or if there’s malice involved, scammed), compare the logos from any products marketed as RLBL on sites such as eBay with the one shown in the picture above. Should they differ in any way whatsoever, they’re not from RLBL! In case you have any doubt, ask me your question on Instagram by leaving a comment BEFORE you buy them!
From what I know, there aren’t any RLBL fake clothes floating around.
Read: Where Are Ralph Lauren Clothes Made? In the US? Or Perhaps in China?
Ralph Ralph Lauren (RRL)
Launched in 1993 and named after Ralph Lauren’s and his wife Ricky’s ranch, the Ralph Ralph Lauren (RRL) brand line offers a range of men’s and women’s clothing inspired by workwear and military gear from the late 19th and first half of the 20th century – such as tassel-ridden suede jackets, officer chinos, trench coats, selvage denim jackets and pretty much everything in between.
If you prefer more refined styles, then the RRL line won’t be for you. But, if you’re a vintage and/or a selvage denim lover, you’ll LOVE this line!
Clothes coming from the RRL label have a logo (seen in the picture above) whose background color is, in MOST cases, black with RRL written in white letters. Their prices are from $150 to $2500. The jacket in the picture below is probably going to be my next purchase.
Despite being made mostly in Asia (India, China, Turkey), the quality of the RRL clothes is quite high. That especially goes to their denim jackets and jeans, most of which are made in the US (LA, to be more exact) from Japanese denim – which is considered to be the best in the world.
From what I know, RRL clothes aren’t counterfeited. Let’s hope it stays this way!
Read: Where is Armani Made? Is it in Italy?
#3 – Middle-end Ralph Lauren Labels
Polo Ralph Lauren (Polo) and Ralph Lauren
The Polo Ralph Lauren brand line (also known as Blue Label or, more commonly, Polo) was launched in 1967 and is the oldest and most popular Ralph Lauren line, in no small part thanks to its polo shirts – there’s hardly anyone who didn’t own at least one. Besides them, it also offers a wide selection of clothes (suits, blazers, jackets, t-shirts etc.) for men and women who like preppy outfits – like the one you see in the picture below.
The quality of Polo clothes is, in the vast majority of cases, quite good (clothes made in Italy and Slovakia by reputable brands like Corneliani are especially so). This line has three logo variants.
The first variant of the Polo logo, seen in the picture above, is found on older products from this line. It contains the word “Polo” inside a stylized rectangle in white letters on a dark navy background.
The second variant of the Polo logo, seen in the picture below, is found on more recent products coming from this line (I don’t know in what year the Polo label received a make-over). Compared to its predecessor, it’s of simpler design is simpler and has gold letters on a light navy-blue background.
And finally, the third variant of the Polo logo, seen in the picture below, can only be found on denim products from this line. This variant is usually of a white or light brown background color, with dark blue letters.
Clothes coming from the Ralph Lauren brand line are, design-wise, identical to their Polo Ralph Lauren counterparts (preppy, that is). From what I’ve heard, the only difference between them is that products from this brand line are of lower quality since they’re intended for sale in Ralph Lauren outlets but haven’t been able to corroborate this. This line has two logo variants – old and new.
The old(er) Ralph Lauren logo variant contains the words “Ralph Lauren” and a jockey (both being of white color) on a dark blue background. In the picture below, you can seen how it looks like.
The newer variant (seen below) contains just the words “Ralph Lauren” in white letters on a dark blue background.
Despite their differences, both Polo and Ralph Lauren clothes are very popular, which makes them a target for counterfeiters. Therefore, be careful when you’re buying them online – buy at least a couple of them from an AD (Authorized Dealer) and/or a thrift store first in order to learn how to recognize genuine ones.
The MSRP from the Polo and Ralph Lauren lines is between $50 to 2000$.
Read: How to Recognize a Genuine Ralph Lauren Polo Shirt
RLX, Pink Pony
Launched in 1998, RLX is Ralph Lauren’s sports/performance brand line of clothing intended for men and women who like to stay classy while playing sports. It offers a range of moisture-wicking polo shirts, vests, pullovers, jackets (like the one in the picture below), tailored tech pants and shorts made from recycled man-made materials such as polyester for both men and women. If you want to make some Swedish brat Greta Thunberg proud of you, this is reason enough to buy clothes from this label!
Owing to its success, RLX has absorbed a lot of smaller Ralph Lauren brand lines over the years like:
(1) RLX Golf (a line which was aimed at golfers, built with performance in mind);
(2) Polo Golf (a line aimed at golfers, built with comfort in mind);
(3) Ralph Lauren Rugby (a line aimed at rugby players and university students);
(4) Polo Sport (general sportswear).
In case you see Ralph Lauren clothes coming from these discontinued brand lines, know that they are either older models or capsule collections (limited-edition product lines). More colorful and clothes coming from the former and almost all clothes coming from the latter are worth lots of money on the resale market.
RLX clothes have a black label with RLX written on top of it (one of them can be seen in the picture above). Their MSRPs are from $130 to over $1,700 and they’re mostly made in China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
From what I’ve seen on the Internet, RLX clothes are of good quality and are somewhat slimmer compared to their Nike and Adidas counterparts.
Launched in 2000, the Pink Pony brand line featuring a selection of men’s and women’s sportswear which is of the same quality as their RLX counterparts, whose MSRPs are from $100 to $600.In the picture above, you can see one example of their products look like. The main thing that makes this line stand out from others is that a percentage of all its sales goes to the Pink Pony Fund and other major cancer charities around the world. If you want to contribute in a fight against this scourge, buy their product(s) from the Ralph Lauren AD’s and/or their online store.
As its name suggests, clothes coming from the Pink Pony brand line feature a pink polo player logo. Their logo, seen in the picture above, contains Ralph Lauren’s signature and is of a slightly different shade of blue than their Polo Ralph Lauren/Ralph Lauren counterparts.
From what I’ve seen, RLX (and all the brands it absorbed) and Pink Pony clothes aren’t counterfeited.
Read: Are Giorgio Armani Suits REALLY That Good?
Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply
Launched in 2011 and discontinued in 2016, Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply was a line which blended denim culture with bohemian and military influences. It was aimed at hipsters a younger clientele who’s starting to “grow out of” brands such as Zara, Abercrombie & Fitch, H&M and looking to try new styles. It offered a selection of jeans, jackets and dress shirts of very interesting designs (one of which I’m wearing in the picture below) of decent quality. A lot of them feature the US flag in some way, like the one seen in the picture at the bottom of this section.
From what I can see, the majority of Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply clothes are made in Asia, in countries such as China, Vietnam and Bangladesh.
Clothes from the Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply line weren’t ever counterfeited because this line wasn’t that popular.
Read: 5 Reasons to Shop at Thrift Stores
#4 – Low-end Ralph Lauren Lines
Lauren Ralph Lauren (LRL)
The Lauren Ralph Lauren (LRL) brand line has a troubled history since its launch in 1996.
Originally licensed to the Jones New York Apparel Group (now known as Premier Brands Group), the LRL label was eventually reclaimed by the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation after a lot of court drama (if you’re curious and speak Legalese, you can find the case brief summary here) after its license expired in 2006 (which, for oblivious reasons, wasn’t renewed).
While under Jones New York Apparel Group, LRL manufactured clothes for lower-end departmental stores intended for both men and women. As a result, the quality (and price) of LRL clothing was significantly lower compared to the ones made by the Ralph Lauren Corporation. From what I’ve seen, they were made in various Asian countries – mostly China, Vietnam and Bangladesh and can be recognized by silver and green logos with “Lauren Ralph Lauren” written on them. Be aware that some logos (like the one in the image above) can be of black color as well, causing some sellers on eBay to believe that they’re RLBL items.
After the Ralph Lauren Corporation’s reclamation of LRL, it received a new logo (picture below) and is now aimed at men and women who prefer more classic styles without breaking the budget. LRL clothing costs anywhere from $50 (tops) to $300 (jackets, like the one pictured above).
The newer iteration of LRL clothes are (still) made in various Asian countries – mostly China, Vietnam and Bangladesh. Since LRL isn’t sold in Europe, I can’t say if this line is better compared to H&M and Zara quality-wise. All I can say is that LRL it’s a low-end line.
Being of low quality and relatively unknown, LRL clothes aren’t counterfeited.
Read: The BEST Guide to Ermenegildo Zegna Lines IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM (and Beyond)
Chaps
Established in 1978, Chaps (formerly Chaps Ralph Lauren) is a diffusion line which offers a selection of men’s and women’s casual sportswear (apparently, it stopped producing womenswear in early 2022). This brand line is of low quality and it should be avoided. Its logo can be seen in the image below.
Unlike other Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation labels, Chaps doesn’t have an online store – clothing from this line can only be bought at Belk, Boscov’s, Hudson’s Bay, Meijer and Walmart. And eBay, of course.
At the time of this writing, all Chaps apparel is made by O5 Apparel under license in various Asian countries – mostly in China and Bangladesh. Due to its low quality, this line isn’t counterfeited.
Read: The WORLD’S ULTIMATE Guide to Prada Lines
#5 – Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ralph Lauren a High Quality Brand?
It depends on the line – there’re good, OK and horrible ones.
Clothes (as well as accessories) from the Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Black Label and RRL lines are considered by many to be some of the the best ones the money can buy. Their Polo Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren, RLX , Pink Pony and Denim & Supply counterparts aren’t as good, but they’re still worth your money.
On the other hand, clothes from the Lauren Ralph Lauren and Chaps lines are of poor quality and are best to be avoided – their quality is on pair with Zara and H&M.
Read: Where is Hugo Boss Made? Is it in Germany?
Is Ralph Lauren Expensive?
It depends on the line – there’re (very) expensive lines, as well as more affordable ones.
Being some of the best clothes on the market, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Black Label and RRL unfortunately come with a very hefty price tag. Fortunately for us non-billionaires, you can find used ones (as well as brand new, with and without tags) on eBay and in some other places.
Other Ralph Lauren lines (such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren, RLX, Pink Pony, Lauren Ralph Lauren and Chaps) are, apart from Italian-made Polo Ralph Lauren suits, blazers and sport coats) relatively affordable – especially on eBay.
Read: The MOST COMPREHENSIVE Guide to Corneliani Lines IN THE UNIVERSE
Is Ralph Lauren Faked?
Most Ralph Lauren lines, with the exception of Polo Ralph Lauren and RLX, aren’t faked.
Thank you for reading. If you’ve liked this article and want to see more like them, make sure you bookmark this site and to follow me on Instagram!
Until next time.
Your man,
-Leon
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