Wife and muse of designer Ralph Lauren, Ricky has managed to combine her work as a photographer and author with her role as mother of three children (Andrew, David and Dylan). In The Hamptons: Food, Family and History, her
fourth book, she shares treasured recipes and lifestyle tips,
illustrated with family photos and memories that give the reader close
access into the life of a quintessential American family, a kind of
family album and a legacy for her children.
RICKY LAUREN.
The Laurens are a close knit family. Mr. Lauren‘s
professional success, which has contributed to the family’s sound
finances, has never been an impediment for the sense of normalcy they
wanted to pass on to their children. On more than one occasion, the
designer has expressed admiration for the crucial role his wife has
played in the stability of their clan. Ralph and Ricky have been married for 50 years.
Although they own houses in Bedford (New York), Colorado and on the island of Jamaica, the Hamptons are their ideal getaway. The Laurens have been coming to visit and spend their leisure time since the 1970s. They have lived in several residences in different towns of Southampton and Montauk. However, since the 1980s they have decided to settle in Montauk, the most remote, private and casual of the towns that dot the south shore of Long Island, and a favorite with surfers and artists.
The Hamptons hold some of their most memorable and treasured moments, especially around the dinner table. Ricky always insisted that her children should have a solid and somewhat “normal” upbringing, removed from the fame and celebrity of their father. So at dinner time, the Laurens are just that, a loving bunch that shares the affairs of quotidian life, albeit with a certain degree of elegance and finesse. In addition to her own recipes, Ricky added some she inherited from her Austrian family, like her mother´s brownies.
Ricky dedicated the book to her husband, whom she considers “her guiding light, the person that made everything possible”. In it she discloses her personal feelings and experiences and conveys an implicit sense of gratitude for all the blessings in her life, most importantly her family.
The couple met in the ophthalmologist’s office where Ricky worked while she attended Hunter College. Eight months later, they married in New York City.
Down to earth and smart, Ricky Lauren was, and continues to be, the muse of one of the most important American designers in history. ■
