The VFG believes that informed selling and buying communities are good for the vintage-fashion industry as a whole, and all visitors to the website have access to the VFG resources. These are continually updated and constantly evolving, thanks to a dedicated volunteer staff.
Our blog features our picks of the freshest vintage items, member news and articles. We have also created a growing series of articles on some classic designers.
The Vintage Fashion Guild™ (VFG) is an international organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of vintage fashion.
The Vintage Fashion Guild™ (VFG) is an international community of people with expertise in vintage fashion. VFG members enjoy a wealth of resources, avenues for promoting their shops and specialties, and camaraderie with others who share a common interest and passion.
Ralph Lauren (b. 1939) was born Ralph Lifschitz in the Bronx, New York. It has been reported that his father, Frank, an immigrant Russian house painter, encouraged Ralph to formally change his name to Lauren to inspire his son to recreate himself in the image of a mythic upper class. He worked as a glove salesman for Brooks Brothers and later Rivetz, a Boston tie maker, while going to night school for business studies at City College. In 1967 he landed a job as a tie designer for Beau Brummel of New York. The company gave him his own style division, which he named Polo because of the sport’s refined image. The following year saw the launch of the Polo label in shirts and suits.
In 1971 Lauren adopted his polo-player-on-horseback logo for a line of clothing for women and he added shoes to the lineup in 1972. That same year the first Polo store opened on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and the first in-store boutique opened at Bloomingdale’s in New York. Lauren’s profile rose in the early 1970s when he won three Coty Awards for design and made costumes for the movies The Great Gatsby and Annie Hall.
Lauren led the designer pack into home furnishings, introducing his Home Collection in 1983 and a line of paints in 1996. He opened his flagship store in New York in 1986. The company expanded upmarket with its Purple Label in 1994, and downmarket with Polo Jeans in 1996. Polo went public in 1997 and re-organized the following year, closing nine stores and cutting 4% of its workforce. In 1999 Polo bought hip Canadian retailer Club Monaco to compete in the burgeoning youth market. In 2000 Polo purchased its European licensee to give the company greater control over its brand.
Timeline: 1967 – Polo established with ties and menswear 1971 – Women’s shirts; Polo Player emblem first used on shirt cuffs 1972 – The knit Polo shirt appeared 1974 – Designed men’s costumes for The Great Gatsby 1977 – Designed costumes for Annie Hall 1978 – the Prairie look 1979 – Polo Western 1981 – Santa Fe collection mid-1980s – Polo Hong Kong factory opened. All Polo was made in the USA and Canada until then 1991 – Lauren began licensing, Polo Player dropped from women’s wear label 1993 – Polo Sport, Double RL 1994 – Purple Label for Men 1996 – Polo Jeans Co.
Written by Kickshawproductions
See vintage Ralph Lauren from VFG members on Etsy (paid link)
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Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage
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Courtesy of pinupdresses.com
from a 1970s jacket
from a late 1970s tweed suit
from a late 1970s blazer
from a 1979 women's blazer
from a 1983 sweater
from a 1980s cardigan
from a 1980s denim vest
from a mid-1980s dress
from a late 1980s jean jacket
from a late 1980s sweater
from a late 1980s/early 1990s women's shirt
from a 1990s skirt
from a pair of 1990s wool trousers
from a 1990s blazer
from a pair of 1990s boots
from a 1999 shirt
from a 2000s silk dress