American Icon Ralph Lauren and His Family
Photo: George Burns/Harpo Studios
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Dylan says she doesn't think of her parents as public figures—they're just "Mom and Dad" to her. "They're real parents, and we're a unit as a family more than a celebrity family that maybe some people think of," she says. "You can see we're all close."
Andrew, David and Dylan say they didn't become aware of their father's fame until friends started asking for discounts and people noted their last name. "When people say, 'Oh my God, what's your closet like? Do you own this? Do you get your clothing for free?' and all those kinds of questions, that's the only time I really forget that he's not just my dad, but he's a well-known person in this world," Dylan says. And, contrary to popular belief, the Laurens don't get their father's clothes for free since his company is publicly owned.
When they were children, David says his parents were always there when they got home from school and when it was time for dinner. "It was never [said about us], '[The] parents are out at some big function.' We really felt like it was a family, and that was the priority—to be together," David says.
Today, the family's bond remains strong—the Laurens even vacation together. "We are all best friends, and we look at each other like best friends," David says. "We love to spend time together."
Even though Ralph is friends with his children, he's a father first. "You shouldn't get the impression that we're just buddies," he says. "We were watching our kids. We're guiding them, hopefully. They have to live their own lives, and we're there. ... There's no one I'd rather be with than my kids."
Andrew, David and Dylan say they didn't become aware of their father's fame until friends started asking for discounts and people noted their last name. "When people say, 'Oh my God, what's your closet like? Do you own this? Do you get your clothing for free?' and all those kinds of questions, that's the only time I really forget that he's not just my dad, but he's a well-known person in this world," Dylan says. And, contrary to popular belief, the Laurens don't get their father's clothes for free since his company is publicly owned.
When they were children, David says his parents were always there when they got home from school and when it was time for dinner. "It was never [said about us], '[The] parents are out at some big function.' We really felt like it was a family, and that was the priority—to be together," David says.
Today, the family's bond remains strong—the Laurens even vacation together. "We are all best friends, and we look at each other like best friends," David says. "We love to spend time together."
Even though Ralph is friends with his children, he's a father first. "You shouldn't get the impression that we're just buddies," he says. "We were watching our kids. We're guiding them, hopefully. They have to live their own lives, and we're there. ... There's no one I'd rather be with than my kids."
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