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A philanthropist and long-standing icon in the fashion industry, Ralph Lauren has had a stellar 2018 during which he celebrated 50 years of his namesake brand. After already being awarded CDFA Members’ Salute earlier this year along with the Lifetime Achievement Award and American Fashion Legend Award, the designer will receive the honour of being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II ahead of his 80th birthday.
Joining the ranks of knighthood with other Americans including Angelina Jolie, Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg, Lauren will become the first US designer to receive the honour, with his contributions both in and out of fashion recognised.
Antony Phillipson, British Consul General to New York and Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America, has said: “in his storied career in fashion, business, and philanthropy, Mr. Lauren has played a key role in forging transatlantic cultural and economic connections. As creator and visionary of the Ralph Lauren brand worldwide, Mr. Lauren has been a vanguard for the global fashion industry and American style for nearly half a century. In addition, monumental philanthropic efforts, especially in the realm of public health, cancer research and treatment in both the US and the UK, have led to benefits felt by citizens around the world.”
Following the ceremony, Lauren will be addressed with the suffix “KBE” (Knight of the British Empire).
