Celebrate Ralph Lauren’s 2025 CFDA Win With a Look Back at His Work in Vogue

Ask almost any designer who they idolize and the answer is likely to be Ralph Lauren. A guy who got his start with neckties, he expanded into clothing, fitness wear, and interiors, and came to epitomize the idea of lifestyle in fashion.

Lauren, who once told Vogue, “I’ve always believed optimism was the core value of the American spirit and [that it] provides a kind of energy to propel our lives forward in so many positive ways,” has projected a blue-sky version of the American dream in his advertising campaigns. And why not? He’s living it. Nearly 60 years after launching Polo, the 86-year-old Ralph Lauren was presented with this year’s Womenswear Designer of the Year Award. Proof that the designer has always been a winner is offered below in a selection of Ralph Lauren’s best looks in Vogue over a span of more than five decades.