Ralph Lauren Outsources Olympic Uniforms to China

Outrage this week developed over the Team USA Olympic uniforms for the Opening Ceremonies in London in not just the style, but the Ralph Lauren decision to outsource. 


A huge public relations firestorm was discovered when Ralph Lauren's made-in-China label was noticed by all.


Ralph Lauren, at a time when American's are not interested in China or the outsourcing message, promises not to do the same for 2014; but that satisfied nobody.


Shame, Ralph Lauren, shame.

Polo Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE: RL) downgraded

Polo Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE: RL) was downgraded by investment analysts at Wells Fargo & Co. from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report issued to investors.

Ralph Lauren: A sick dog of a stock for the holiday's

Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL) continues to look for hope and economic signs of life on the NYSE, with the stock down over 4% over the past month of trading. Analysts are asking questions about how the company can continue to stay anywhere near its 52-week high of $164 amid dismal personal consumption data and awful economic news from Europe daily.

Polo Ralph Lauren: How Real is this Momentum Play?

What a momentum play Polo Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL) has been during 2011 so far.

This retailer thinks it is a dot.com from the Web 1.0 days.

Currently trading at about $ 155 per share, it is up a cool 37 % so far in 2011.

Investors, speculators and fashionable people around the world are looking at RL and asking whether it can continue. Well can it? The answer is no Polo Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL ) carries over a billion of goodwill and other intangibles on its balance sheet. Not a good sign. Other issues such as global consumer spending in Europe is raising red flags. Enjoy the lofty values with RL while they last.

There are OTM put options on RL that are surprisingly not that expensive.

Polo and David Lauren Discover the Internet Independently Without Help from Al Gore

Fast Company, the business magazine that has still not discovered what it wants to be after all this time and that continues to see circulation fall year after year; has fallen in love with Polo's David Lauren.

Naturally.

Polo [the "acquired" trademark of Ralph Lauren] continues to get on magazine covers with ease [regardless of any actual measurable successes]

Meanwhile, it is true that Fast Company has still not discovered itself after all these years.

Here is the central question that Fast Company editors have been toying with over the past 10-15 years: Should Fast Company be a) a Silicon Valley version of GQ? b) a hip-hop business rag? c) a contra-company indicator for hedge fund shorting d) [supply your own idea here].

Yeah, Fast Company has provided some really amazing winners on their covers over the recent months: Arnold Love Child Schwarzenegger, Matt Water Boy Damon, John Chambers and Cisco, Lance EverReady Armstrong, Barack Unemployment Rate Obama, Conan Where's My Ratings O'Brien, and far too many others to list.

David Lauren: who talked you into the "interview" and cover of ..... Fast ?? Company???

Glasgow hairdresser defeats Ralph Lauren

In a defeat for the global brand that has largely gone unnoticed, Lord Glennie of the Court of Session decided that a Glasgow hairdresser was entitled to lease the space in a shopping district, which had been empty for ten years.

Lawyers for Ralph Lauren attempted to bully the court and bully the hairdresser into not allowing this. Lawyers for Ralph Lauren lost this one.




article

Should You Short Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) ?

Update On Ralph Lauren (RL) Short

via Serge Berger, Head Trader at Blue Oak Advisors LLC

Why Does Everybody Love Ralph Lauren?

Everybody loves Ralph Lauren.

Excepting, the Think Billions blog, we suppose.

For some particular reason, there have been an incredible recent flury of articles from Barron's, Forbes, and elsewhere on Ralph Lauren Inc. It is like the Ralph Lauren public relations department is compensated solely by direct article placements these days.

Now, everybody loves Ralph's daughter. There she is on another magazine.

“When your dad is worth $5.8 billion, it’s not like you need to work for a living. But Dylan Lauren, 36, daughter of fashion mogul Ralph Lauren, devotes round-the-clock energy to her ten-year-old retail sweets business, Dylan’s Candy Bar.” (Forbes)

How sweet and touching, Dylan.

Again, we applaud the Lauren public relations department (wherever they are). Really. Here's Dylan, doing her best to increase blood sugar levels and maximize diabetes victims worldwide and nothing but admiration and praise are sent her way. Sweet. Very sweet.

What we at Think Billions don't get is why some enterprising business writer or blogger hasn't looked into Ralph Lauren's business practices over the years. (see Ralph Lauren: Engine of Style )

Yes, we get the part that there are huge advertising budgets at play here. But still, some writer somewhere should consider looking into his business practices and looking into how his business was formed.

It would be a great article, book or even movie.

Best of luck.

Ralph Lauren: Engine of Style

He is 71 years old. He is a college-drop-out and former store salesman with Brooks Brothers.

In 2010, Forbes estimates his wealth at $4.6 billion dollars which would make him the 173rd richest person in the world.

He is the world famous fashion designer and business executive, best-known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand. He is Ralph Lauren.

Ralph Lauren is applauded and lionized in the Wall Street Journal's (weekend edition) "OFF DUTY" section with the article entitled "Engine of Style."

It is rather interesting that Mr. Lauren is never asked how he happened to "acquire" the Polo brand name. You'd probably have to ask someone who was playing Polo at the time for the most interesting and true story.

Enjoy your auto collection, Mr. Lauren.




WSJ article