Q. about Ralph Lauren brand - YouLookFab Forum

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Q. about Ralph Lauren brand

Anonymous

I found this article that explains the various RL labels. The problem I have is that it pretty much disses the lower-priced Lauren brand that's in stores like Macy's and Nordstrom. This is the brand I buy, and I don't have a problem with it, but I wonder why such comments. It's like the author is suggesting that clothing offered at these stores is inferior. Also, I highly doubt that RL would sell bad quality garments with the RL label on them. Sure, the styles might not be sophisticated and the garments might be cut differently, but what the hay? Not all of us can buy designer brands.

This is the segment I'm talking about:

7. Lauren by Ralph Lauren (LRL, sometimes known as green label)
Ralph Lauren lost control of the ownership of this brand name to the Jones New York Apparel Group in a court battle. Contains clothing of almost-invariably inferior quality manufactured specifically for discount outlets and lower-end departmental stores. Do not confuse LRL with a 'real' Ralph Lauren product! Has a 'silver label' line with a slimmer cut, but the same poor quality - yum!

http://www.styleforum.net/t/94.....tive-guide

General

32 replies

Latest reply was from Diana

MsMary

Veteran

That is interesting. I have a piece or two of that brand and I find them to be of acceptable quality, but it is interesting that Mr. L himself may not be connected with them at all. I googled around a bit and apparently it was always a licensed line, which means Jones New York bought the rights to use the Lauren name. There was litigation between Lauren and JNY but I haven't been able to confirm that "Ralph Lauren lost control of the ownership of this brand name" entirely.

I am quite sure the LRL is much lower quality than the "real" Ralph Lauren much-higher-priced lines, but that really isn't any different than any designer who licenses his or her name for lower-priced lines. As I say, I find them good enough for me.

Anonymous

That's what I was thinking, too. Many designers have lower-priced clothing for the rest of us. The quality may or may not be as good, but I'm okay with that. I don't need to wear the same thing for 10+ years and I don't think higher prices guarantee better quality.

deb

Veteran

Many designers are offering their names to stores all of time now, Vera Wang to Kohl's comes to mind. Target and H&M have rotating designers now.

kkards

Veteran

bettycrocker --
that article was from 2008 --so not sure if all of that data is still correct and current. the jones group really doesn't exist anymore, it was bougth by a private equity firm who has been selling off the pieces.(they sold the staurt weitzman brand off just this week) and since they don't list lauren by ralph lauren brand on their website, i have to assume that it was sold to someone else (maybe even back to the Ralph Lauren company) a while ago.

Jennifer

I'm not really surprised by this. It's similar to the Elie Tahari/Tahari/Tahari by Arthur S. Levine situation. Brands change ownership all the time, and I hardly expect Mr. Lauren to oversee everything that bears his name. (Kind of like all the Gordon Ramsay restaurants. I bet he never goes to half of them.) But all I really care about is whether the clothes fit me, look good, and are of decent quality. And I am more than happy with my Lauren Ralph Lauren work dress, which is extremely flattering and which I found at Ross for about $10.

mushroom

Kkards, I also didn't notice the article was from 2008, thanks for pointing that out. On the Ralph Lauren official website, Lauren Ralph Lauren is one of the labels listed http://www.ralphlauren.com/sho.....cp=1766613 .They wouldn't do that if they didn't have ownership I think.

Anonymous

Believe me, I've been happy with my LRL stuff, so I will continue to buy as long as I get a great value & style for the $. It seems pointless to try to keep up with all this anyway.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I'm not surprised since this is a brand you can find at Kohls etc. I've always found it really sturdy and well made for the price, actually. Same with several other licensed lines available at Kohls, the names of which are escaping me at the moment. Similar to my thread the other day about Cynthia Rowley Woman, whice is a licensed line apparently only sold at Ross and TJ Maxx. I don't know that I've ever seen anything from her regular designer line, and I'm pretty sure she stops sizes at 12, so it wouldn't fit me anyway.

I wish there was a way to know the actual designer / pattern maker or alternatively the manufacturing site that some of my lower priced items have been from. I would happily buy more but sometimes even the same item or the brand aren't the same after time; they've changed factories or fabric sources and they're not as good.

Brands are all about name recognition and I'm sure it's a balancing act to try to keep some sort of consistency, which is what people expect, with lower prices, which is what people demand. And licensing the name gives you an infusion of cash - Diane von Furstenberg's recent biography goes through the various ways she sold her name or her entire line of clothes several times over the years, and then had to buy some of the IP back even though it's her name.

I've wondered about this with Lucky Brand - they used to be higher end for jeans, only available in their own shops and rarely on sale, and now you can find Lucky jeans in places like Tj Maxx regularly.

rachylou

Veteran

Hmm. Well, I can't say I've looked very hard at anything RL since 2000. The stuff in the department stores, versus the RL store, has always been decidedly less stylish to my eye. A lot of boxy and slightly too short lengths. That said, it seemed of good quality to me, if less refined. But honestly, I mean how refined can you get with a pair of madras shorts?

Gaylene

Veteran

Licensing and having several lines at various pricepoints is common to most designers/manufacturers. Some, though, are better than others at regulating the quality level of what is sold under their brand label. I personally think that each line needs to evaluated on its own merits by the consumer. Just like assuming a higher price means better quality, assuming that having a well-known designer name on the label means the item is closely connected to the design house itself is naïve. But, I think it's totally inaccurate to assume all low-priced lines are of low-quality; I have $8 T-shirts that have stood up to a summer's worth of weekly laundering with the colors maintaining their brightness and the fabric looking good, while a pricey counterpart looked like a dingy, twisted rag after a month. Judge the item, not the label, is my motto.

Anonymous

The stupidity of it all is that the last time I went shopping with my older DD, we found the same stuff in all the stores at the mall that we had just found at Kohl's. Does that mean it was quality stuff? No, but it was the same stuff nonetheless.

Gaylene, you are so right. Some of my DH's cotton tees from Walmart have lasted longer than some of my pricey ones.

Rachylou, the chunky stuff is everywhere. Trust me, I spend a lot of my time trying to find stuff that isn't chunky! The short lengths don't bother 5'2" tall me. My youngest DD is even shorter, so we're thankful that we can find stuff that's not too long.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Browsing in thrift stores can be really interesting because it illustrates what lasts for a long time and what doesn't, and very little of it has to do with brand name or initial price. Aside from categories like formal wear or heels that there are a lot of just because people don't wear them that often, it's wovens in natural fibers that still look decent a decade or so on. Knits will wear out, sweaters will pill, eventually, no matter what brand they were or what fiber they were made of (although that affects the speed and severity of wear). Adding a little synthetic makes things last longer; adding too much makes things look dated and stiff.

We all wear a lot of knits these days, because they're comfy and comform to our bodies, but I also think it's to the advantage of manufacturers, because none of this stuff can be expected to last for years and years.

Gaylene, I agree and think that sometimes the cost of branding must get in the way of the quality of the object. I've seen stuff at, say, Anthropologie or local boutiques, that is so crazy thin and cheaply made that Walmart or target would never sell it, even though it's sold for twice or three times the price of a Walmart item.

shiny

Veteran

I've been a huge fan of the Lauren Ralph Lauren brand for a long time, because they were one of the first to offer petites, and something about the cut works well for me, especially when it comes to their dresses. I probably have 10 RL dresses, maybe more.... the jersey dresses wear very well. They are double lined and a high quality jersey. Great for work & travel. Reasonably priced for the value. I also have a sweater dress that's several years old now and still looks new (though a bit too tight at the moment).

I used to like Jones New York - back in my 20s/first job - for career wear. Something has changed about their cut. Their smallest petite size is enormous on me now -- and I am most definitely not as thin as I was back then! I wish they fit because I do like some of their work separates and dresses.

Anonymous

Good to know, Shiny. I only have one Lauren Petite dress; it's very flattering and I love it. The only other Lauren Petite clothes I have are the ones I recently ordered. I do plan to purchase more in the future.

shiny

Veteran

A year or so ago I was at a formal event and saw this woman around my age wearing this dress:

http://www.lyst.com/clothing/l.....ck-silver/

She looks so stunning in it... I asked her what brand it was... she said "Ralph Lauren. He understands a woman's body."

That comment stuck with me, so I went shopping and discovered the jersey dresses first. Something about these dresses work for my figure, and they are stretchy and comfy too. So I added ... in every color... with sleeves without. Etc. Then for this holiday season I kept stalking the dress in the link above, but could not find the full length version so I went with the same dress but knee length.

deb

Veteran

I am home now so was able to look up the Ralph Lauren site and the Lauren brand is on there as well as all his other brands. I say he owns Lauren Ralph Lauren.

http://www.ralphlauren.com/sho.....cp=1766613

Gigi

Veteran

Deb, I was going to say the same thing! I have ordered from Ralph Lauren's website, and the stuff I bought was the LRL label. That's the only one I can wear because it's the only line he has that offers petites' clothing.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Interesting. I bet they bought the license back from whoever ended up with it after the Jones Group dissolved.

Anonymous

It's precisely because the LRL clothing is on the RL website that I wondered about the article. Why would he include that line in with the others? The Chaps line isn't on there.

Still, it doesn't matter one way or the other as long as the quality is good for the price and it fits my body and my style.

I wouldn't be ordering anything of his if he didn't have the petite line. If he bought it back, that may be the reason. It probably generates a lot of revenue.

Runcarla

Veteran

Another LRL fan. I think I am a dress twin with Rhubarbgirl (white with navy blotches, shirred faux wrap) and I recently bought a pair of leather Chelsea boots that are beautifully finished, have an amazing feel and fit, and keep my feet warm!

The LRL stuff must be cut for a fit model built like me, 'cause his stuff always fits and looks great. Maybe like Shiny's friend says 'he gets women'.

Anonymous

I like what I've ordered so far. I will continue to order the Lauren Petite items that I like, and report back to YLF as to whether I think he "gets women" or not. God knows somebody needs to get me. Finding petite clothing that both fits and flatters is not easy; hence the reason I spend so much time browsing and shopping online.

Nebraskim

Veteran

I like the style zeitgeist of Ralph Lauren, the whole preppy, "American," slightly cowboy, English manor house, layers, collegiate Ivy League, boots, leather and wool thing. It's that je nes se quois that says "Ralph Lauren" and that extends across the entire brand family, from Chaps to RLR, to the haute couture. I buy items at the outlet store near my town. I go for the look, which really fits my style persona (classic, preppy, collegiate). I try not to get swayed by designer names and labels but go more for the actual look and feel of the garments, how they fit, and how they work with my wardrobe. I looked at a beautiful RLR wrap sweater at Dillard's yesterday. At $225, it's a little spendy for me, but it's wool and appears well made and it's really cool.

retailgirl

Veteran

Lauren Ralph Lauren used to be produced by the Jones Group but Ralph Lauren took control back over ten years ago. In department stores, Lauren is positioned as a " better" brand, under bridge or designer. The RL labels go as follows: Collection, Black Label, are designer. Slim fit, high prices. What used to be called Blue Label but is now called Polo would be bridge. Still a slim fit, prices below Black Label. Lauren Ralph Lauren is considered better. It's a true missy fit, (plus the petites and plus.) prices would be comparable to Michael Michael Kors, Anne Klein. The line sold at Kohl's is Chaps, which used to be a RL brand but now I think it's Kohls exclusively. (Like Dana Buchman, which used to be bridge but is now Kohl's. And Liz Claiborne used to be better but now it's QVC and Kohl's.) So the clothing you see with a Lauren label are perhaps better quality than Talbots, not as good as Brooks brothers. The article bettycrocker referred to is old and probably incorrect.

Anonymous

Thanks for the updated & correct information, Retailgirl.

retailgirl

Veteran

I hope it's correct! I love LRL and it's a big part of my wardrobe. I usually buy from the website and quite often get some good deals! They carry a lot of it in my local Macy's, but I don't like to shop Macy's...messy, things are picked over, you can never find a salesperson, even to just check out, let alone give you some real help or advice. But Lauren has a good fit for me. True missy fit, I'm tall, slender but other than that average figure. I know it's really a good option for petites, and for plus. And I forgot to mention the dresses! I can't tell you how many people I know, who had gotten away from wearing dresses or skirts, needed a dress for an occasion and found something nice from Lauren.

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I've come across Lauren Ralph Lauren pieces in thrift and consignment stores, and they are always quite nice. Not quite luxe, but very attractive designs, and very nicely made. The fabric always has a nice feel. Lots of subtle details in their zippers, buttons, pockets that give a plain piece some polish. I notice that these pieces uniformly have a nautical or "New England" flair. I don't know if that theme is something Lauren Ralph Lauren still follows.

I bought a pair of Chaps pants at Kohl's a couple of years ago. I can't recall whether they still have Ralph Lauren on the tag - I don't think they did. I just automatically made an assumption. They were petite, and looked quite nice for the first several wears. But despite carefully laundering, following the label instructions, by the third wash, the length had shrunk noticeably, and the stomach area bagged out

MsMaven

Veteran

I am tall and have a hard time finding dresses that fit, but some of the LRL have been good for me--the problem is finding the right color and style as well as fit.

Just like rachylou, I find the clothes in RL dept at Macy's to be boxy and often too short. Good quality though, although I haven't really bought anything there for a long time. Just dresses from that department.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Runcarla, you're right; I just checked and the surplice white and navy inkblot knit dress is Lauren Ralph Lauren. I could have sworn I bought it at Kohls but maybe it was somewhere like Macy's. I've got a Chaps dress that is nearly identical in shape, but plain blue and with shorter sleeves. Both are in that nice feeling poly knit that wears like iron.

LRL and Chaps both remind me a bit of Charter Club, which I think is a Macy's house brand. Generally well made with a few pieces that look cheap, regular woman kind of fit, good basics and decent prices. A lot like Talbots with the general prep / equestrianne vibe.

chadya

Veteran

Sort of a snotty article ( I didn't read the whole thing just the quote upthread)
There is Ralph Lauren line for Kohl's which isn't too bad, I bought a dress there and to me it was not to different from any Lauren (green label) knit dress I would buy at Lord and Taylor or Bloomingdales.

Sounds like someone just wanted to complain about something that day

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