Ralph Lauren, Part 1: Celebrating 50 Years of Design

Summary

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Oprah's Super Soul:

Ralph Lauren, Part 1 – Celebrating 50 Years of Design

Release Date: July 29, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this in-depth, heartful conversation, Oprah Winfrey sits down with fashion legend Ralph Lauren to commemorate his 50 years in the design world. Set in one of Lauren’s iconic restaurants, the episode explores Lauren’s humble beginnings, creative journey, unwavering vision, personal battles, and his reflections on fame, success, and legacy. The tone is candid and reflective, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into both the spirit behind the brand and the man himself.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Humble Beginnings and Dreaming Big

• Childhood in the Bronx:
  • Lauren reminisces about growing up with limited means but limitless imagination.
  • “When I was very young, growing up in the Bronx, I saw the world through a glass window...the one that looked out on my dreams.” (04:07)
• Early Inspiration:
  • Movies and books fueled his imagination and aspirations.
  • Lauren didn’t initially know what a designer was, he just knew he wanted more.

2. The Launch of His Career & Polo

• Accidental Designer:
  • He started out working at Alexander’s and became interested in ties, launching his own line because he saw something new and different.
• Sticking to His Vision:
  • The famous Bloomingdale’s story:
    • “They wanted the ties. We want your ties. We want to put our name on them...I said, I can't do it. I can't sell you. I'd love to sell Bloomingdale's, but I can't do it.” (11:00 - 13:11)
    • Six months later, Bloomingdale's asked for his ties — with his label.
    • “That was the beginning of...my name Polo.” (13:23)
• Choosing “Polo”:
  • Lauren never played polo, but the word evoked glamour, style, and European elegance, all aspirational qualities.
  • “For some reason, maybe through the movies, the exposure to the world of wealth and privilege was desirable, as it is to many people.” (09:54)

3. Personal Integrity & Authenticity

• Designing for Real Life:
  • Collections are inspired by real, unembellished people, especially his wife and family.
  • “My wife is that girl...the natural sensibility is what works for me.” (06:14)
• Defining Integrity:
  • “With honesty. I love what I do...it's not the clothes, it’s the spirit behind it for me.” (17:21)
• Sticking to Principles:
  • From refusing to compromise with Bloomingdale’s to running his business with family and personal involvement.

4. Reflections on Time, Success, and Staying Creative

• Passage of Time:
  • Lauren doesn’t dwell on accolades or time passing—his focus is on family and joy in the work.
  • “I still think that I'm 22, 32, 42...I don't know where the time has gone.” (03:13)
• Endless Pursuit:
  • Every season is a new challenge; despite decades of success, the pressure to create never lessens.
  • “It’s always the beginning for me. It’s always — oh my God, what am I going to do now?” (20:36)
  • He confesses to feeling the weight of having to deliver, even immediately after each runway show.
  • “I didn't even give myself five minutes...to enjoy that pleasure.” (21:05)
• A Timeless Approach:
  • He values timelessness over trend —
    • “I don't like fashion...I've always believed in that. And I've been able to take a timeless sensibility and make it a dream.” (31:04)
    • Oprah, wearing several-seasons-old Ralph Lauren, agrees his pieces never go out of style.

5. Family, Legacy, and Empathy

• Family at the Core:
  • His designs and aspirations are deeply tied to his sense of family and home.
  • Reflects on his children and grandchildren, noting how privilege can alter one’s path and motivation compared to his own experience.
  • “I want them all to do what they want to do, and they're very creative...It offers you comfort...but it doesn’t offer you fulfillment of doing something that's coming out of you, that’s successful.” (27:07, 27:57)
• On Struggles and Empathy:
  • Life’s challenges, including health battles, have deepened his empathy and desire to give back.
  • “When you get sick, you’re in a different world. You’re out of the world all of a sudden, you’re stepping out ... it’s an out of body experience.” (41:17)

6. Facing Vulnerability: Health Crisis

• Confronting a Brain Tumor:
  • Lauren candidly discusses his shock and fear upon being diagnosed.
  • “It’s a major nightmare...I remember, you know, having it and saying, what am I going to do? What doctor should I see?” (36:17, 37:54)
  • His triumphant return post-surgery, feeling even stronger and more empathetic.
  • “I really think I got stronger than I ever was.” (38:41)
  • This experience fueled greater commitment to philanthropy, notably creating the Nina Hyde breast cancer foundation.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dreaming Big
  • “I saw the world through a glass window...the one that looked out on my dreams.” — Ralph Lauren (04:07)
• On Self-Belief & Taking a Stand
  • “On my heart and my miles, I can’t do it. I can’t sell you. I’d love to sell Bloomingdale’s, but I can’t do it.” — Ralph Lauren (13:08)
  • “That sense of power of being able to handle something itself.” — Ralph Lauren on a formative childhood snowball fight (11:00)
• On Integrity
  • “It’s not the clothes, it’s the spirit behind it for me.” — Ralph Lauren (17:21)
• On Timelessness
  • “I don’t like fashion because I don’t want things to go in and out...I’ve been able to take a timeless sensibility and make it a dream.” — Ralph Lauren (31:04)
• On Family and Fulfillment
  • “...It doesn’t offer you fulfillment of doing something that’s coming out of you, that’s successful.” — Ralph Lauren (27:57)
• On Facing Mortality
  • “You realize the world is—things are open to you. Anything can happen, and you just got to go and live through it and then hope." — Ralph Lauren (39:29)
• On Gratitude and Empathy Post-Illness
  • “Because when you get sick, you’re in a different world...when you live through it...I understood.” — Ralph Lauren (41:17)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Early Dreams & Aspirations: 04:07 – 05:55
• Creation of Polo & the Bloomingdale’s Stand: 09:38 – 13:27
• Defining Integrity & Early Struggles: 16:54 – 18:22
• Staying Creative Over 50 Years: 20:26 – 24:33
• Family, Children & Legacy: 25:23 – 27:57
• Health Crisis and Renewed Perspective: 36:02 – 42:16

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Overall Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is inspirational, forthright, and filled with warmth. Oprah’s probing yet gentle questioning invites Ralph Lauren’s humility and wisdom to shine. Behind the glamour and global empire, Lauren’s message is clear: integrity, timelessness, and staying true to oneself matter more than trends or even professional accolades. His story emphasizes the importance of empathy, resilience, and cherishing both everyday joys and one’s creative calling.

For listeners, this episode is a masterclass in following your own path, honoring challenges, and building a life—and legacy—rooted in authenticity.

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To continue this conversation, download Part 2 of Ralph Lauren on Oprah’s Super Soul.

Transcript

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[Monica Reinagel]

Hi, this is Monica Reinagle of Nutrition Diva. Today's show is sponsored by Nature Raised Farms. Grocery shopping can be a little overwhelming, especially if you're reading labels. And in my opinion, chicken shouldn't be complicated, which is why I appreciate Nature Raised Farms. It's chicken. That's just chicken. And their lightly breaded chicken nuggets are free from gluten, dairy and soy. Look for Nature Raised Farms on your next grocery trip and feel more confident about your choices.

[Oprah Winfrey]

I'm Oprah Winfrey. Welcome to Super Soul Conversations, the podcast. I believe that one of the most valuable gifts you can give yourself is time, taking time to be more fully present. Your journey to become more inspired and connected with to the deeper world around us starts right now. Ralph Lauren. Welcome to Super Soul Conversations podcast and O Magazine's Year of Big Questions. Now, the last time we had a conversation like this was in 2011, and we were at the double RL and I told you the story about driving past and counting the miles to your fence, seven and a half miles, and how aspirational that had been for them.

[Ralph Lauren]

And now I think of you when I go to Colorado.

[Boost Mobile Announcer]

Do you think?

[Ralph Lauren]

And I think, is Oprah still looking at the fences?

[Oprah Winfrey]

Yes, I am.

[Ralph Lauren]

So it's been. Been a while.

[Oprah Winfrey]

It's been a while. But today we're at your iconic restaurant. You know, this is my favorite restaurant in the world.

[Ralph Lauren]

Isn't that nice? That's great.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Yeah. This one and Chicago. Because Chicago actually started before this one, right? Yes. And I. I remember telling you that when RLS opened in Chicago, it was a cold winter's night that was so deep, it was like a blizzard. And I remember saying, stedman, we've got to go, we've got to go. And we walked across the street because Ariel's was right across the street from the water tower. But I'm happy to be celebrating with the rest of the world your 50th anniversary.

[Ralph Lauren]

Well, it's very wonderful that I'm celebrating with you because I'm very, very. A little in love with you.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Thank you. Well, you know that you're an international fixture. You're an innovator and a true legend. And when you hear that all of the accolades and all the accolades to come as we're all celebrating what it means to be who you are for 50 years, what does that mean to you? Does it. Does it register?

[Ralph Lauren]

It doesn't register. I've been asked that question before. And, you know, life is very quick and time is quick. So I see things moving very fast. And I love what I do. I never stop to say what year it is and how many years I've done it. Every once in a while you have an anniversary. But 50 years is interesting to look at somebody else. I still think that I'm 22, 32, 42. And I really feel that way. So I don't feel. I don't know where the time has gone, really, in terms of how do I feel about it. I'm happy that I'm well and that I have a good family and I'm enjoying my work, and it's exciting, and I think I'm in the best place I've ever been.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Well, you know, I love the beautiful coffee table book, the Ralph Lauren book with you riding a horse on the front. And I actually love reading it as much as seeing all of the pictures. And you open by saying, when I was very young, growing up in the Bronx, I saw the world through a glass window. Not the one that looked out on the schoolyard where we played base basketball, but the one that looked out on my dreams. And like most young people, I didn't know if I would ever achieve those dreams. Because when you're not born with money and you have to go out and work to buy a shirt or pair of pants, you take nothing for granted. Take your time, because we're just taking. I was saying, how did you know to dream big enough to become Ralph Lauren? And what is your message, actually, to someone of any age on how to fulfill their dreams? Because you're just. I love the fact that you have the pictures of you as a kid, and we see this picture as a kid who became Ralph Lauren. And that's just because you had big ideas for yourself.

[Ralph Lauren]

Well, I didn't know what the ideas were. You know, I felt special, but I didn't know if I was Special enough. At that time, my world was very small. My friends lived on a cross street from a park and my friends were singing rock and roll songs. And I was just happy to have friends. And I never thought about where I was going. I never knew what a designer was. I had no concept that I would be that. I have two brothers. And I wore some of the hand me downs. And I thought it was cool. And it was cool because I felt like, hey, it looks like I went to college. And nowadays we call those hand me downs. Vintage.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Vintage, yes.

[Ralph Lauren]

And so vintage has a big word now. In fact, my show that I'm just doing right now has a lot of that spirit.

[Oprah Winfrey]

And you say, I always love the girl in the convertible with her hair blowing in the wind. When I started to design clothes for women, they were for that natural girl. I didn't like the girl with all the makeup and the high heels. I like the girls in jeans and a white shirt with rolled up sleeves. And you're still designing for that girl.

[Ralph Lauren]

My wife is that girl.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Yes.

[Ralph Lauren]

But that's still what I'm attracted to. When I pick models that are walking in, it's always the natural girl that gets to me. It's always the natural sensibility that I feel is what works for me. And through the years now and designing, it's all about my life, really. And it's about the clothes that I want for myself and for my wife and for my kids. And so my work has never been. It's never been another world. Never been in the face fashion world. I've been in the world that I created and how I did it from the Bronx, I don't know. I think I went to work. I went to work in a store called Alexander's when I was 16 years old, when I was going to high school and I hung up returns with a blue uniform on. And I never thought of any of those things. And then I went and went on. I got a job in one of the buying offices, but it was always very personal to me. It wasn't about being a designer.

[Oprah Winfrey]

It was about when you first created the. Because it all started with the ties, the big ties.

[Ralph Lauren]

I wanted to be Frank Sinatra.

[Oprah Winfrey]

You wanted to be Frank Sinatra?

[Ralph Lauren]

I wanted to be.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Didn't you want to be Joe DiMaggio, too?

[Ralph Lauren]

I wanted Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and, you know, and Cary Grant and some of those people I got to know. So, you know, I think what's been wonderful for me is, is really to relate to anybody in that growing up and Having a plan. My scrapbook said, one of the high school books, when they hand you, would you sign this for me, Ralph? And say, what do you want to be? It said, millionaire. And everyone holds that and says, you said it. You knew where you were going. I had no idea where I was going. I just said it was a good thing.

[Oprah Winfrey]

I didn't know what a millionaire was. It sounded like a good thing to.

[Ralph Lauren]

I loved what I did. And it was really not to design for the world, but to. I guess, at a young age, movies were very important to me. Books were very important to me. And I dreamed through the books. I dreamed through all of it. And someone once said, you write through your designs. And I think that's what comes out of me. I. What's been wonderful for me is I never had any formal training. I never went to fashion school. And I got in there and I got a job making. Selling ties for tie company. And then you had the idea for the bigger tie. I had the tie. I saw them making ties, and I said, look, I think we should do these wider ties. And I asked my boss, he said, the world is not ready for Ralph Lauren. And so I knew that I had. I liked the company I was with, but I knew I had to express myself. And so I spoke to some other one, and I got this job designing ties. I created a company, called it Polo. And I never played polo. And most of the people, when I saw them, they'd look at me and say, what is Polo? Is that Marco Polo? In reality, the world of polo was very glamorous to me. It was very stylish. It was very international. And for some reason, maybe through the movies, the exposure to the world of wealth and the world of privilege was desirable, as it is to many people.

[Oprah Winfrey]

So you had seen. Had you even seen a polo game?

[Ralph Lauren]

I had never seen a polo game till now. I've been to seen a few now, yes. But, you know, I did it. I named it Polo. Chords of that reason, you named it

[Oprah Winfrey]

Polo because it was aspirational. It felt like something.

[Ralph Lauren]

It was rich, and there's an international flavor to it. And women and men that went to polo matches all looked stylish. And there was a Europeanness to it as opposed to American ness. Even though I do a lot of American, what people call me American designer, you know, it really is not about America. It's about what I love. And I did. As I grew and as the ties started to sell and as consumers started to buy my things, I started to develop the idea of Doing more things.

[Oprah Winfrey]

What about this moment, Ralph? I love this moment when you have gotten Bloomingdale's to look at the ties. They want the ties. And then they say, yes, we want your ties. We like the ties. We want to put our name on them. And there was something about your young self even then, that you knew, I'm going to keep these ties. I'm going to give my own label or create my own brand around. How did you know that then? Because weren't you, like, 24?

[Ralph Lauren]

I think there was a. There's a story I've said to many people that sort of works. I don't know why. When I was about 12 or 14 in the Bronx, we had a fight with the kids across the parkway. And I got on my. We had sleds and we had a snowball fight. And all during this snowball fight, it wasn't a serious one, but it was semi serious. The kids on the other side that we were throwing snowballs to said, we want Ralph. We want Ralph. And for some reason, I was incensed by their demand to sacrifice me. And it all came out. I got on my sled and I went down the hill, and I said to the guys, all right, come and get me. And they all ran away. And I don't know why that came out that way. I'm not a guy who's always looking for a fight or anything like that, but it gave me a sense of just watching these kids all of a sudden run away. Now, I'm not 6 4, and I was little as a kid, and all of a sudden they all ran away. And there was a sense of power, of a sense of being able to handle something itself. And I saw stars. I knew that I had to do what I had to do, but I didn't know what the consequence was going to do. But I. I was willing to go down and do it. Maybe that came from the movies, Maybe it came from my parents. Maybe it came from something that, I don't know, was unconscious. So when I went to Bloomingdale's years later and showed them the tires that I had developed, the store management. The buyers looked at the ties and said, ralph, I love the ties, but they're too wide. Could you make them narrower? And would you put the Sutton east label, which is our Bloomingdale's private label, and we really would love it. We had great times. And I said to him, I said, look on my hearts and my miles, I can't do it. I can't sell you. I'd love to sell you. I'm dying to sell Bloomingdale's, but I can't do it.

[Oprah Winfrey]

I can't do it if I gotta change it.

[Ralph Lauren]

And I said, I'm closing my bag. And I left.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Wow.

[Ralph Lauren]

And six months later, they called back and said, we can't find your daughter ties anywhere. And they put in a whole case of my ties in the store. And that was the beginning of.

[Oprah Winfrey]

With your name on them, with your label.

[Ralph Lauren]

My name Polo. And it was.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Can you imagine, had you given them the right to use their name, you might not have been here.

[Ralph Lauren]

So the idea that I didn't have a business, the idea that I was a young guy just starting out, I used to deliver the ties and label the ties and ship them myself. And occasionally my wife would help, and occasionally my father in law would help. And so could you imagine Thanksgiving when I'm packing these gifts to send out? I remember sending these ties to a few of the stores in Beverly Hills and one guy calls me back and says, hey, Steve McQueen just bought 17 of your ties. So I've seen excitement in my life that was very, very pure. It wasn't.

[Oprah Winfrey]

I bet in the beginning it was just thrilling. Now celebrities wear your clothes all the time, so it's quite a different kind of world.

[Ralph Lauren]

But, well, it was just being unknown with stores. You know when you're feeling that you're coming up with something and someone is liking your things and you say, wow.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Wow.

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[Monica Reinagel]

Hi, this is Monica Reinagle of Nutrition Diva. Today's show is sponsored by Nature Raised Farms. Grocery shopping can be a little overwhelming, especially if you're reading labels. And in my opinion, chicken shouldn't be complicated, which is why I appreciate Nature Raised Farms. It's chicken. That's just chicken. And their lightly breaded chicken nuggets are free from gluten, dairy and soy. Look for Nature Raised Farms on your next grocery trip and feel more confident about your choices.

[Oprah Winfrey]

So you hadn't even thought about being a. So you went from ties immediately to women's ties?

[Ralph Lauren]

Well, my goal was really to have the opportunity to do what I wanted to do and to make a living for my family. I had no grand thoughts. I had no thoughts except I felt like I can do certain things. And I was available to make it happen. I pushed it. I went. I was all alone. I had a little drawer in the Empire State Building. I didn't have a shower.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Ralph, when did this idea to become a designer?

[Ralph Lauren]

I think I went with the time. It just came. It started. I made the ties, I made the shirts. I made suits. All of a sudden, people coming to buy it and the store said, what else can you do? And all of a sudden, I was a name. And at that time, the names were coming from Europe. There was Hardy Amy's and Pierre Cardin and all European fashion designers in women's, not in men's. I guess I had a head start because when that happened, I had Bloomingdale's Loving My Things. And other stores were Neiman Marcus in Dallas, Texas. They all started to go and say, we want Polo. And I added Ralph Lauren to it. When they talked about designer names and it wasn't a brand, they wanted the name, the name. So that's how I added Polo and I added Ralph Lauren to the mesh.

[Oprah Winfrey]

And you describe your designs as I've heard you describe them as having integrity. And, you know, it's interesting because that's exactly how people describe not just you. It's the word that's most often used. I would say when people talk about you, they talk about your brand, your company, about how you live your life. The word integrity comes up more often than anything else. How do you define that for yourself? What does that mean?

[Ralph Lauren]

With honesty. You know, I love what I do. I think I've had a very good life as a child. I never knew where I was going to go. My parents didn't have a lot of money. My father was an artist. I had a loving family. No matter. I didn't have a bike as a kid. And I was able to never, never think that my parents didn't give it to me, but always sort of loved them because I felt the warmth. And as I grew up.

[Oprah Winfrey]

You didn't have a bike because they couldn't afford it.

[Ralph Lauren]

Yes. And as I grew up, I work with lots of young people and having the team work together and support me and feel the camaraderie that's so important is where the integrity is, because it's not the clothes, it's the spirit behind it for me.

[Oprah Winfrey]

How has your integrity actually been tested over the years? Because I would imagine that you would have challenges that would test your integrity, the integrity of your work, integrity of the company.

[Ralph Lauren]

Well, companies go up and down, you know, and I've lived through good times and I've lived through some tough times. I've also lived through a brain tumor. You know, life doesn't go one way, and those days that challenge you tremendously, and you live that life and you're going through it and you don't stop and think about it. You just go through it. But there is a foundation that I think I have. I've had success, I've enjoyed that success. And I like when I work with people that have success with me, it's no fun having the success alone.

[Oprah Winfrey]

And you know, from everything I've read about you in previous conversations that your central goal was always something bigger than the design or the name for the design. You know, your central goal, the reason why we all relate to your design, is because it comes from a sense of living and family.

[Ralph Lauren]

Yeah, right.

[Monica Reinagel]

Yeah.

[Oprah Winfrey]

And experiencing life.

[Ralph Lauren]

And I think that carried through. And as I've had more success, I was able to somehow feel almost like a teacher. I wanted to be a teacher when I was a young kid.

[Oprah Winfrey]

As did I. Yes.

[Ralph Lauren]

I wanted to work with people. And I had a teacher who had tweed jacket and crepe sole shoes, and he smoked a pipe at that time. And it was a very interesting role model because there was a sense of when I was talking about teaching, I never thought about money when I was working. I didn't have a lot of money, but it was about doing what I love to do. And I also, once I started to have some form of success, I worked with people and I loved that they were part of it. And what you learn when you work for a company is you don't wait for them to say, we have to give you a raise. You want to give. And I work my company people work hard, but at the same time, I want them to feel my success with them.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Is each season or some seasons easier than others? I mean, after 50 years, is it hard to come up with what is the thing?

[Ralph Lauren]

It's always. I have it every six months.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Months.

[Ralph Lauren]

I'm working on so many things at once, and it's always the beginning for me. It's always, oh, my God, what am I going to do now?

[Oprah Winfrey]

I don't know.

[Ralph Lauren]

What am I going to do? I feel it now.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Really? Already.

[Ralph Lauren]

I remember walking down the Runway of my first show and people stood up and applauded. And on the way back, I said, oh, my God, what am I going to do next? I didn't even give myself five minutes. You can give yourself to enjoy that pleasure.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Yeah. The trip down the Runway.

[Ralph Lauren]

You didn't give yourself 50 years. Did not change that. 50 years. I have maybe a little more expertise in areas I didn't have. But basically, the love of what I'm doing and the passion for it and the working with other teams and working together is very good for me. And I find that that's one of the good things in life. And I'm not a poet, and I'm not going to talk to you about how great I am as a human. I'm a good person. I want to be a good person. But, you know, we all make mistakes. Life has got lots of ups and downs. But I think.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Speaking of that, what's the lesson? It's taken you the longest to learn?

[Ralph Lauren]

Well, I think for some reason, believe it or not, it was always very. As a kid, I was always sensitive. I was always very thoughtful. Even when I was 12 years old, I wasn't. I was a regular guy. I played ball in schoolyards. I was a kid. I went roller skating. But I think my parents gave me something special. They gave me a good sense of honesty and integrity.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Do you think it's because your parents were immigrants in that experience shaped your life, being new in America for them. What did it teach you?

[Ralph Lauren]

I saw them struggle. I saw them worry. I experienced that. But I had sensitivity towards them because they were kind people. So getting to love something or. What did I learn over the years? You know, one year goes by after another, and you work, you work. And if you work hard, you know, you're living your life, and you have some days when it's hard, and you have some days and you're so elated, you can't believe that this is happening to you. And sometimes I would feel. I remember someone was coming over to do a story on me, and I was up in Bedford, New York, and I was all dressed up, and I felt like, oh, my God. I really. Look at me, and I was sort of thinking that to myself, and I said, why do I have all this? Why am I getting all this and other people don't have it? Why is so much coming my way? And I found that to be overwhelming. And I'm much happier sometimes when the day is just easy and I'm watching tv.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Really.

[Ralph Lauren]

I work hard. I. I love what I do. I'm a competitor. I love work. I like to do best I can. I like to learn.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Are you still even competitive? Because now you are Ralph Lauren 50 years. I mean, the New York Times says this about you. No one else has conveyed A design vision as broad, as consistent, and as successful as Ralph Lauren. So in a world, in an industry that's constantly changing, and for you to be proclaimed as you know, this stable of integrity in design and in life,

[Ralph Lauren]

those are the good stories. You haven't heard the bad stories. If you read some of my reviews, you say, oh, my God. You know, you live through everything and you work and you think. You work hard and you think, well, when I get there, I'm gonna.

[Boost Mobile Announcer]

Really.

[Ralph Lauren]

It would be amazing. And then I realized today is, where is there? Where am I getting to?

[Oprah Winfrey]

Where is there? Aren't you there? If you're not there, I don't know who is.

[Ralph Lauren]

I'm there. I'm there physically, but I have that there is a morning peace. Honestly, as you do get older and you realize that life is not forever, and as things change, change, you realize that you don't want it to change, and you see some wonderful connections, you start to see life a little clearer because time has gone by and you're getting older. And so, as much as I love what I do and I love dreaming and I love. I feel good about life, and I enjoy beauty and I enjoy all the things that the world has to offer, I really love having my family and my wife.

[Oprah Winfrey]

And the last time we spoke, you had two children who were engaged, and now you have four grandchildren.

[Ralph Lauren]

Yes.

[Oprah Winfrey]

How's that changed you?

[Ralph Lauren]

It hasn't changed me. They walk right by me and they. Start, what's it like to see the

[Oprah Winfrey]

offspring of the offspring?

[Ralph Lauren]

I don't know. You're gonna have to ask them soon. But I see my children changing. What is interesting is I see how they're handling their children. And you see another dimension of your children instead of yours. I mean, you're seeing them grow, and you see them talking to their children. You see the struggle they're having, and you see the anxieties.

[Oprah Winfrey]

The same ones you had when they were kids.

[Ralph Lauren]

The same ones I had. Some of them. They have more anxiety than I had. I think on some levels, I had less. But why?

[Oprah Winfrey]

Because the world's so different now.

[Ralph Lauren]

I think you realize that it's not so easy doing all these things. It's not so easy working. It's not so easy to express yourself and to take care of your family and be an individual. And also, as some of them kids say, dad was not easy being your son. And I said, what are you talking about? You have everything. You can do anything you want. No, dad, it's not the same. They want to make it on their own.

[Oprah Winfrey]

How do you find yourself in that?

[Ralph Lauren]

Yes, they want to make their own statement. And sometimes that's added to. Not only am I living my life, I'm living their life to understand and want them to be happy and realize that time does go fleeting and they have to learn to feel ideally.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Would you have wanted all of the children to be part of the business?

[Ralph Lauren]

No.

[Oprah Winfrey]

No. You wanted them to find their own way?

[Ralph Lauren]

I want them all to do what they want to do, and they're very creative, and they all have different talents. I find that it's a struggle for them on some levels. You know, I had no choice when I was growing up. I had to get a job. I had to go to work. I remember sitting, trying to. Calling an agency up and saying, I want to get this job. And they offered me. There was a job offered to me at Saks Fifth Avenue, and this employment agency said, we think you'll get that job. And I said, you know, I'll take nothing. Give me that job. I'll show you how good I was. I don't need to. Let me. I'll show you.

[Oprah Winfrey]

And your kids don't have to do that.

[Ralph Lauren]

They don't have to do that.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Is that a good thing or better?

[Ralph Lauren]

I think it's just a different thing. It offers you comfort. It offers you the sense that you don't have to worry about certain things, but it doesn't offer you fulfillment of doing something that's coming out of you, that's successful. And the joy that I have found is loving what I do and working. And when I work on a show, sometimes in the beginning, it's a mess because you don't know where you're going. You sort of find your way, and then all of a sudden you hit their stride and you say, I got it. And that excitement is very inner. It's very exciting for yourself to catch that moment where you feel like you've done a job and you've done it. Really. You hit a home run.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Do you feel that way every season?

[Ralph Lauren]

Every season I find. And every season I come back to the same spot where I do the shows, and I say, oh, my God, another opening, another show. And I go through the. It's sort of you inside yourself in a way, as everyone's working and everything's going on, and you're inside yourself and say, oh, my God, I gotta go through this again. Because creating a show, especially in women's, is very complicated. And women's clothes change so often. Shapes change and lengths change. And, you know, I don't worry about that except I just wait for the spot where I said, I got it.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Got it.

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[Monica Reinagel]

Hi, this is Monica Reinagel of Nutrition Diva. Today's show is sponsored by Nature Raised Farms. Grocery shopping can be a little overwhelming, especially if you're reading labels. And in my opinion, chicken shouldn't be complicated, which is why I appreciate Nature Raised Farms. It's chicken that's just chicken. And their lightly breaded chicken nuggets are free from gluten, dairy, and soy. Look for Nature Raised Farms on your next grocery trip and feel more confident about your choices.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Do you have a favorite design, a favorite or iconic look that you created? Or is that like asking, you know, do you have a favorite child?

[Ralph Lauren]

You know, I grew up loving Army Navy surplus. I love rustic things. I love safari. I like things that are romantic and rugged at the same time. I don't like fashion. I don't like fashion because I don't want things to go in and out.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Yeah.

[Ralph Lauren]

What you're wearing is beautiful, but it's timeless. There's no age. I've always believed in that. And I've been able to take a timeless sensibility and make it a dream. And when I saw you walk in today, you look great.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Thank you. And I think this is like four seasons old or something.

[Ralph Lauren]

Yeah. Never going to go.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Never be out of stock. Yeah.

[Ralph Lauren]

So that's what I love. I love the ability to. When I did a show last year, I did a show with cars that I've collected and clothes, and I wanted to show how the cars have a timelessness as well as the clothes. This is not about fashion. It's about forever. And I think there's something about the clothes that becomes identity as to who you are. If you had to show new clothes all the time, it's not the same as being someone has their own clothes and has her fashion and they make a statement about themselves. At the Academy Awards, sometimes when you see people coming up to talk about master ceremonies, would say, what are you wearing? Who are you wearing? Who are you? I hate that. Sometimes I squirm in my seat, say, oh, my God. If I had to go through one of those runways and have someone ask a question, who are you wearing?

[Oprah Winfrey]

Yes. It's become the thing now.

[Ralph Lauren]

You know, it's over.

[Oprah Winfrey]

It's over.

[Ralph Lauren]

It's over.

[Oprah Winfrey]

I hope it's over. Hope it's over. After five decades, you're still creating Runway shows, hit Runway shows, and releasing innovative collections. Where does the inspiration come from? Is it come from? You can just be someplace and you get an idea. Where does it actually come from? Is it with your team? Do you talk about what's in it?

[Ralph Lauren]

Sometimes it's something you see. I see someone walking. It really comes from anywhere. That painting. I bought that painting at Sotheby's years ago. And I love the way they looked in the park, and I love the way it looked. And all of a sudden, the painting

[Oprah Winfrey]

on horses beginning a hunt. Yes.

[Ralph Lauren]

They're riding through Central Park. You know, whatever it is. I'm reading through it. What I'm seeing there is a beautiful life with a lifestyle that is sort of a little old world, but it has a romance to it. And I guess I am somewhat romantic. I love movies. I guess I always wanted to do a movie if I could, but I realized as time went by that, you know, you gotta earn your way. So my inspiration comes from so many different places. It comes from people. It comes from someone walking by.

[Oprah Winfrey]

You'll see something or see a fabric or see a.

[Ralph Lauren]

And I'll never know why it's not. Sometimes it comes when the most unexpected things and the ideas that come. I think if that was. There was a gift given to me, honestly, that I. How did I do this? I finish a show and it's over, and people are standing and applauding, and they're coming up to me and saying, how did I do this?

[Oprah Winfrey]

When you looked at the WWD's 50 Years of Ralph Lauren and all of the various designs and stories about those designs over the years, were you a little bit in awe yourself?

[Ralph Lauren]

I like to look at the guy. He's handsome at that time. I see the changes, I think, when you see your body of work. When I finished this book, but this one, particularly my 50 years,

[Oprah Winfrey]

the coffee

[Ralph Lauren]

Table, one of the young people that I was with who helped me with the book, she said, well, Ralph, how do you Feel about the book now. And I burst out crying. Sounds terrible, but it's like it's draining because it's like your whole life is

[Oprah Winfrey]

in that book, Ralph. I'm looking through 50 years of Ralph Lauren. Beautiful coffee table book, by the way. I hope people get it. And this is your life. I would cry, too, if I was looking at this. I would be in awe of my own life, as I am, and I am in awe of my life.

[Ralph Lauren]

I don't know who this is.

[Oprah Winfrey]

You don't know who this is in

[Ralph Lauren]

the pages of the book. You know, the difference is, I think we all feel we earn our way. We know who we are, we're working, but we would look at. All of a sudden, I'm looking at that guy, and I said, who is he? You know what? Yeah, I'm looking at the. I like them, but I.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Does this feel like your life? Does it? It does.

[Ralph Lauren]

Yeah, it does.

[Oprah Winfrey]

It does.

[Ralph Lauren]

It does. It's a dream. It's the life that I always wanted, and it's the life that I've gotten.

[Oprah Winfrey]

I love, though, that you, Ralph Lauren, can say, even to yourself now that you look at your life sometimes and say, how did this all happen? How did this all come to me? How did it.

[Ralph Lauren]

Well, I do that, and I've done it for years, but you keep going.

[Oprah Winfrey]

You've done a lot of right things in order to make that happen. Well, you mentioned earlier about a brain tumor and something that nobody can prepare for. How did that inform the way you lived?

[Ralph Lauren]

Well, it's a major nightmare.

[Oprah Winfrey]

That's it. That's a major interruption. Balance.

[Ralph Lauren]

This guy goes down, who's walking down the Runway, who's getting a sanding ovation, and this other guy whose doctor says, ralph, we saw something and we'd like to have an X ray.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Did you feel something first before they saw something?

[Ralph Lauren]

No.

[Monica Reinagel]

No.

[Ralph Lauren]

My ears were ringing. So if anyone has ringing ears, forget it. It's called tinnitus. It's not the same thing. My ears were ringing. I don't know if I yelled at my kids. One night, I don't remember, I woke up and my ears were ringing. And I was somewhat panicked. I said, this doesn't stop. What is this? So I went to a few doctors, and one doctor said, let's take a CAT scan. I took a CAT scan and had nothing to do with the ringing of the ears. But he said, we see a little small punio meningioma, they called it. And I said, what? I mean, so if you want that surreal Person who said, look at, I've gotten all this. Why did God give me all this? And then this guy is saying to me, you have a brain tumor, Ralph. I'm in the top of the world at I have a brain tumor. At the same time, that's about the most extreme thing that you could live with. The nightmare of your life. It's one of the nightmares because then

[Oprah Winfrey]

you start immediately going, I mean, listen, I had a swollen salivary gland a couple months ago. And I was like, oh, my God, what does this mean? Before I could get to the doctor, you start playing the story in your mind of everything.

[Ralph Lauren]

Yes, right, exactly.

[Oprah Winfrey]

How you're going to have to alter your life.

[Ralph Lauren]

And so very quickly, it just goes right through you. And so I had that. I went through it, but it was. I remember, you know, having it and saying, what am I going to do? What should I do? What doctor should I see? Who's going to help me? And it was very frightening. But I met the surgeon. He said, we can take care of this. This is nothing. You know, and believe it or not, I went running in the park the next day, and I did get, you know, was operated on. And fortunately, I think I came back with a vengeance, because after it was over, after I was recuperating, I really think I got stronger than I ever was.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Did it scare you, though?

[Ralph Lauren]

It's a nightmare of your life. I mean, there's very few things that you ever want to be told. Because I remember walking past a friend of mine on fifth Avenue when I was told that I was going to have to have an operation. And I saw him, and he had a tumor of some sort, and his right leg was paralyzed. And I said, oh, my God, what happened? How did he get this? And is this going to happen to me? And you realize the world is. Things are open to you. Anything can happen, and you just got to go and live through it and then hope some people don't make it and some people do.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Did it make you appreciate all of these. The stuff, the things, the life, certainly the family?

[Ralph Lauren]

You know, I appreciate things, but it doesn't last long enough. We tend to forget, and maybe that's how we're made. Because forgetting helps you live. Because if you sat there and just thought about the brain tumor and wallow in your pain, you go nowhere. So after that was over, fortunately, I was lucky. I'm still very handsome. Fortunately, I was lucky, and I was able to go through it and rise and rise. And I actually, when anyone. I started this breast cancer Clinic for a woman who was in Washington, who was an editor in the fashion business. Nina Hyde.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Yes.

[Ralph Lauren]

And I saw her after I got out of the hospital and I saw her and she didn't, she didn't smile back. I said, nina, Ralph. She said, oh, you know, I said, what's the matter? You don't. She said, well, I have breast cancer. And she said, you know, I, I met a good doctor and I, I wanted to get the fashion industry involved and I wanted to ask him, you know, and she said, they didn't really pay much attention. Said, would you, you know, so you created Nina. I said, I'm going to help you.

[Oprah Winfrey]

You did.

[Ralph Lauren]

I didn't help her enough, but I. I did start the Nina Hyde foundation, the Pink Pony, and then gone into Pink Pony and then to.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Did your own experience with the brain tumor actually impact your sense of service to all of your other organizations? Because once you've had the tumor, you understand cancer.

[Ralph Lauren]

I understood. I understood. What you don't realize is because when you get sick, you're in a different world. You're out of the world all of a sudden, you're stepping out of the world you were in and you're not that same person. It's an out of body experience. And when you live through it, I live through the nightmare of someone opening up my head, and that's a very, very tough thing to live through. And wonder if you can walk and see getting bandages all over your memory.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Will you know who you are, know

[Ralph Lauren]

who your family is? I think I was, as I said before, I think I was very, very lucky. And it absolutely made me very sensitive. Every time I would meet somebody that might have had that they would tell me that they had, I would choke up a little bit. It took a long time to get past it.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Yeah. Did it give you more empathy for anybody going through anything?

[Ralph Lauren]

I would say absolutely, absolutely. Because I felt like I wanted to take care of. I knew what they were going through and I felt. And it was a very sensitive time.

[Oprah Winfrey]

Our conversation will continue in the next episode. You can listen by downloading part two. I'm Oprah Winfrey and you've been listening to Super Soul Conversations, the podcast. You can follow Super Soul on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. If you haven't yet, go to Apple Podcasts and subscribe, rate and review this podcast. Join me next week for another Super Soul conversation. Thank you for listening.

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[Monica Reinagel]

Hi, this is Monica Reinagel of Nutrition Diva. Today's show is sponsored by Nature Raised Farms. Grocery shopping can be a little overwhelming, especially if you're reading labels. And in my opinion, chicken shouldn't be complicated, which is why I appreciate Nature Raised Farms. It's chicken that's just chicken, and their lightly breaded chicken nuggets are free from gluten, dairy and soy. Look for Nature Raised Farms on your next grocery trip and feel more confident about your choices.