Ralph Lauren, while reflecting on his career, stated in an interview with WWD that “It was a tie that started me on this journey 50 years ago. My ties were different, made out of fabrics I found myself in. They were handmade and, in those early days, Ricky and her parents would sew in the labels. I worked out of a drawer in the Empire State Building, then took them to the stores wearing my jeans, driving my vintage Morgan. Those ties were more than just ties; they were the beginning of a world and a way of living I dreamed of and believed in.” He was honored for his patronage by none other than Hillary Clinton, who presented the designer with the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal. The network of Ralph Lawrence stores showcases ” the world of Ralph Lauren, a world that portrays a lifestyle rather than any specific product. By 2022, Ralph Lauren had more than 150 stores in the world.