Fine until it all went to hell in a handbasket - Art Director/Design Director Ralph Lauren Employee Review

3.0
Jan 22, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Brand caché. Everyone has heard of it - reads great on the resumé. Lots of history to work with. Some really talented coworkers, and a broad network of ex-coworkers throughout the city as a result. Opportunity to shift role/department if you find the right advocates. Promoted 3x in 5.5 years. Full 401K plan match. Retention stock bonuses possible.

Cons

Slow to adapt to new ideas, processes, technology. Year-end bonuses range from 1-3%, if you get one at all. Hangers-on from the good ole days dragged down the company, wasted time and money (decorated their apartments on corporate CCs, etc.) Ultimately, this lead to several rounds of brutal layoffs that still continued after I left (of my own accord). Truly devastating to sit through. Lots of young talent asked to leave the company in the interest of keeping nonproductive executives. The continued involvement of the family in the company is questionable, especially in the marketing department. Again, a lot of time and money is wasted on egos and self-referential ideas. Nothing truly innovative. Very much a "boys club" in the creative teams (advertising, web) and especially the editorial team.

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Ralph Lauren Response
7y
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5.0
May 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Employees enjoy comprehensive welfare programs and a generally favorable working environment.

Cons

The decision-making process can be overly top-down, often disregarding the professional dignity of the employees.

1.0
Jul 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Discounted coffee, insurance, some hardworking co workers.

Cons

The first West Coast location of Ralph’s Coffee Newport Beach is the worst place I've ever worked. Under the management of David Peterson, people work short-staffed very often, and his working style is very passive, and his timing is terrible. I don't know why they made him manager without proven experience and a lack of leadership. Chronic understaffing paired with a manager who avoids weekends, holidays, and difficult conversations creates a compounding problem staff burnout rises, morale drops, and unaddressed poor performers make things worse for everyone else. The irony is that understaffing often ends up costing the business more through overtime, turnover, and lost productivity than fixing it would but he they never try to fix it.

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