Following a degree in Business Science and a period of military service, New York-born Ralph Lauren's first step on the road to building a multi-billion dollar fashion empire came in his designing of a range of ties originally sold at Bloomingdale's department store in Manhattan. With no formal design training, Lauren has gone on to expand his business into a holistic lifestyle brand that includes homewares and paint as well as fashion lines Ralph Lauren Collection, Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren and Polo Sport.