For Francis Scott Key, it was the majestic sight of an American flag waving over Fort McHenry at dawn in 1813 that inspired him to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.” For 25 hours, British ships had bombed the American fort. By morning the flag, as Key wrote, still waved … “o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” That flag, forever known as the Star-Spangled Banner, is now among the most-revered American treasures, with millions coming to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. each year to pay homage. The flag famously endured bombardment, but by 1998 it was falling apart from age, showing signs of wear and tear and in need of preservation. That’s when Ralph Lauren stepped in.

In his life and work, Ralph has been moved by the ways iconic symbols express our ideals and aspirations as Americans, with the flag representing both our past and our future as no other image can. Ralph took the lead in the fundraising needed to help save the Star-Spangled Banner. After careful preservation, the flag was moved to a custom-built environmentally controlled chamber at the Smithsonian, where the 34-by-30-foot Star-Spangled Banner is now the focus of a permanent exhibition that educates visitors about the battle that inspired our national anthem, details a century of efforts to preserve the flag itself, and explores flag symbolism in American history. “I am the product of the American dream,” Ralph says, “and the flag is its symbol. Its preservation and conservation is imperative so that those who succeed us will understand our nation’s heritage and the ideals on which the United States was founded. The Star-Spangled Banner was an inspiration to Francis Scott Key. It’s been an inspiration for me.”