Ralph Lauren buys fake Rolexes

[jdfaker]

Just because you throw a rolex on the mannequin doesnt make the clothes any less crappy.

I buy RL stuff... when its 75% off on clearance.

lollerskates

[RLudlowe]

...are you sure they are fakes or just empty cases without movements in them?

I'm sure they're manufactured by Rolex, or at least by their display/promotions department. But they're not real watches.

[b16a2]

I disagree completely. Ralph Lauren built his clothing business (more of an empire) on a lifestyle -- The Ralph Lauren Lifestyle, which epitomizes traditional luxury. And Lauren has always been associated with Rolex, Mercedes & similarly traditional luxury brands. Fitting a Swatch or Seiko, although both are quality brands, to 1 of his mannequin's wrists would not promote the image that RL is trying to infer.

I concur, this is all relevant. To the normal person, associating Rolex with Ralph Lauren is all part of differentiating said clothes from brand x. If someone see's Ralh Lauren clothes as being associtaed with a brand like Rolex, then that would create a much different perception than if it were a Rotary on the wrist.

[jdfaker]

How many people who aren't watch nuts would notice what kind of watch the mannequin was wearing?

I promise its not many. Before I got into reps I NEVER bothered to see what people had on their wrists. I didn't care. Most people in the world don't.