American designer Ralph Lauren is founder, chairman and CEO of Polo Ralph Lauren, the company he launched off a fat necktie that bloomed into a multibillion-dollar global brand.

The Bronx, N.Y. born Lauren, whose name is often mispronounced (the accent belongs on the first syllable), did not attend design school. After enrolling in business courses at Baruch College, the young Lauren designed neckwear for New York tie designer Beau Brummel in 1967; later that same year, he launched his Polo line of ties.

Ralph Lauren women’s wear debuted in 1971, and one year later the familiar Polo shirt was born, sporting its mallet-wielding polo player emblem. Later that same decade, Lauren dressed Robert Redford in “The Great Gatsby” and Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in “Annie Hall,” kicking off a craze for menswear-inspired, preppy chic.

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Polo Ralph Lauren went public in 1997. By 2007, its 40th year in business, Polo Ralph Lauren was a $4.3 billion enterprise with a presence in 80 countries. Offerings at nearly every price point — value to luxury — cover men’s and women’s apparel, home goods including paint, accessories, fragrances and eyewear.

Ralph Lauren was presented the Menswear Designer of the Year Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America and also CFDA’s American Fashion Legend Award.