Genuine Authentic: The Real Life of Ralph Lauren (Hardcover)

by Michael Gross (Author) "There's a year-old black Bentley parked just up the street from the red-brick street-level space where Ralph Lauren is mounting his fashion show of women's..." (more)
Key Phrases: creative services executive, design staffer, tie salesman, Ralph Lauren, New York, Calvin Klein (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Like his previous book, Model, Gross's new work will undoubtedly be mined for the more gossipy nuggets embedded in his meticulous research and artful prose. This is a shame, because the crackerjack journalist simultaneously tells a compelling story and gives it meat enough to be satisfying. It does help, however, that his subject is intriguing enough to fill multiple volumes. Lauren (ne Lifshitz) embodied a certain kind of American dream from early childhood, a kid who didn't just want to be rich, but to be of the rich, a Jay Gatsby made manifest who didn't have a penny, but fantasized about expensive cars, lush vacation spots and preppy girls in loafers. Gross details Lauren's story chronologically, and with a resolute pace: the icon's tale of ambition and meteoric rise unfolds smoothly as the awkward Jewish boy grows into the personification of grim determination. Gross provides surprisingly little commentary, given the book's slightly bitter introduction about Lauren's ping-ponging relationship to the project. What Gross does offer is a rich portrait not just of Lauren, but of the Bronx in the early and mid-20th century, the type of class clash that transcends time or place and the effects of ambition on a teenager who hates his name and burns with desire whenever a Rolls-Royce cruises by. There are passages that will delight the celebrity-obsessed, but the full story is much richer. Most importantly, and delightfully, Gross delivers a portrait of a man who's constructed a flawless image, but whose real self is far more fascinating and deeply human. Photos.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
The author of Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women explains how little Ralphie Lifshitz came to create the ultimate in WASP stylishness.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (January 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060199040
• ISBN-13: 978-0060199043
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #727,777 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mass-querading as Class, February 9, 2003

By A Customer

"Clearly, people want things that make their lives the way they wish they were." That's a quote that always appeared at the front of the J. Peterman catalogue--the one that was immortalized on "Seinfeld." It's an excellent piece of marketing advice, and Ralph Lauren understood it and capitalized on it. I'm stating the obvious.

First, I'll give credit to Ralph (Lifschitz) Lauren for being so clever as to repackage the classics and build an empire based on the Great WASP way of life--the one that so many people aspire to. It was brilliant, and if I had been the one to pull it off, I would smile all the way to the bank.

Secondly, I give well-deserved credit to Michael Gross for sweeping away the pixie dust and writing about what is actually behind this purveyor of "lifestyle goods." I wouldn't say that there are a great number of surprises; rather, the story he tells confirms (in detail) what most of us already know--that the fashion industry is so much smoke and mirrors, and why would Ralph be any different? He hasn't been innovative and shocking in the way that you see styles emerge from other designers, but he chose to reinvent himself and at the same time, package it all quite nicely and ready-to-consume by the insecure masses.

Michael Gross reveals that the real money in the Lauren company is made on khakis and polo shirts and that Ralph may be out of touch with who his customer really is. That polo shirt with the pony logo shows up on the backs of so many beefy, paunchy, male members of the corportate bourgeousie (middle class strivers) as opposed to those of the old Blue Book families for whom L.L. Bean is just fine, thank you. I recall once seeing a Ralph Lauren navy blazer for women with this obtrusive gold "Ralph Lauren" crest on the chest and thinking, "You must be kidding. That's downright embarrassing."

So, why would you want to read this book?

1. There's an all-American Horatio Alger type story within these pages.

2. You'll see how one man pulled all this off, and read about the realities and the pitfalls of his journey from the Bronx to his vast stage-set estates.

3. Learn something about the rag trade and licensing. Your own closet may not look the same upon close examination.

4. Realize that "discontent is the cornerstone of our consumer culture." (Sorry, I can't remember who said that.) The need to express status runs deep, and people in social distress often consume their way into "meaning." It can be costly to be a victim.

5. Dig a little deeper into this story and see that it is truly an authentic American tale based on choreographed gentility (down to the last threadbare oriental rug). The Ralph Lauren stores are pretty, and the ambience romances the all the stuff nicely, but be aware that it's all facade--a "fop house."

In summary, this book was interesting and worth the read. I'll let Henry James have the last word here:

"You are rich if you can meet the needs of your imagination."

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fairly good review of Lauren's work, February 25, 2003

By	Anton B. kuzmanov (new york, ny) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The book gives a fairly good overview of the major stages of Lauren's life and accomplishments. While the chronology is fairly informative, I feel that it focuses more heavily on the personal relationships in Lauren's life. The book falls short in its description of the creative process that Lauren uses and the source of his inspiration and his ability to reinvent itself. The discussion on the business and financial aspects of Lauren's success is fit more for a magazine article than a serouos biographical study -- don't look for any insights here either.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars terrific book, January 28, 2007

By	Baird Jones (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Genuine Authentic: The Real Life of Ralph Lauren (Hardcover)

I have now read all of Michael Gross' books and each has been a pleasure - all I can ask is, "What next?" All the hallmarks of Gross' style are here, incredibly readable, covering a wide range of topics in a comfortable manner and with a sweeping sense of the history of the subject. Gross is equally at home in the technical details of the garment business, the sociocultural aspects of growing up Jewish in the Bronx and the aesthetics of high fashion photography and his tone is never shrill or polemic. I would have liked to have known more about Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein but at 369 pages the book is already weighty, and I absolutely loved every page on Lauren's childhood. I could have used a bit less business writing. But this is my bias. Who knows maybe there is another Gross book about to spring upon us about Hilfiger, whom Lauren repeatedly mispronounced Hilfinger early on, a perfect example of Gross' eye for the exquisite detail. Gross is a master at his trade and this book is a gem.