No brand is more iconic to America and the sport of polo than Ralph Lauren, originally known as Polo Ralph Lauren . With a mission to sell the American dream, Ralph Lauren was himself the embodiment of universal aspiration. For the young entrepreneur, polo symbolized a special connection to people, horses, fashion and, above all, status. He compiled the four pillars into a chic clothing brand that would bring polo style and comfort into everyone's lives days at a high level.
When it comes to American men's fashion, Ralph Lauren paved the way for future designers. Ralph Lauren is a brand that universally represents preppy luxury and a throwback to the college years. Ralph Lauren polo shirts became so popular that the brand had to drop the "polo" from its name. It then distinguished itself not just as a polo company, but as a full-fledged fashion house. The brand continues to carry the Polo Ralph Lauren capsule collection. Although Polo Ralph Lauren was founded in 1967, the brand seems to have been born much earlier. The knight and mace emblem on the polo shirts is timeless. Ralph Lauren had already been in the fashion industry when in 1967, then 28 years old, he convinced the president of the tie manufacturer Beau Brummell to let him start his own line. He took out a $50,000 loan and added "polo" to his name because it sounded more British. It was by adding "Polo" before "Ralph Lauren" that he immediately put his brand a few steps above the rest. He worked from a single drawer in the Empire State Building and even made his own deliveries. In 1969, the Manhattan department store Bloomingdale’s opted for exclusive access to the men’s line. They also gave Ralph Lauren his own store. This was the first time that Bloomingdale’s opened for a designer inside their store. Two years later, Lauren would launch a women’s line of tailored shirts. This was the birth of the iconic polo. Another year would pass and Lauren would launch the Polo in 24 colorways. What Ralph Lauren did wasn’t necessarily groundbreaking, but the way he did it was completely new. The ingenious marketing would nurture the customers they wanted to attract. The clothing had a mix of Ivy League and country club wear, married with everyday wear. The result was a simplistic sophistication that every American aspired to at the turn of the century. It represented a true American character and set the course for future designers to come. Everyone from Maine to the Greenwich Polo Club and Long Island would share one common desire: they absolutely needed a Ralph Lauren Polo. And having a Ralph Lauren Harrington jacket was the height of “cool.” The allure quickly intensified when Ralph Lauren dressed the entire male cast of The Great Gatsby in 1974. He notably dressed Jay Gatsby in his iconic pink suit. Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby wearing Polo Ralph Lauren. What else did Ralph Lauren pioneer? From clothes, Ralph Lauren went on to an entire lifestyle. In 1978, the brand was the first to simultaneously launch a men’s and women’s fragrance. Not only could you dress in full polo-club attire, you could also smell like the brand. The Polo brand became increasingly popular in the UK in the 1980s, when a pastel-colored collared Oxford shirt was a must-have for club entry. Ralph Lauren for the US Open
Ralph Lauren Just Focused on Polo? What Ralph Lauren did best was adapt to changing tastes and cultural obsessions. In the States, skateboarding and punk culture were on the rise. The Polo Sport and Polo Silver collections of the 1990s catered to that audience who was playing with their vibes and spunk. The brand never really reinvented itself with changing styles, but instead rebranded to suit the desires of its customers. Ralph Lauren unabashedly kept the polo style elevated in almost every scene. From polo players to cowboys, rappers (including Kanye West ), New England country club members, Ivy League students, skateboarders and everyone in between, it was a brand that all men could enjoy. In the 1990s, Polo Sport was born, the street style of these capsules that marked the first time a luxury fashion house added an entire sports line. What was then outrageous is now commonplace from the streets of New York to Tokyo. Ralph Lauren was truly ahead of his time. Perhaps with the popular trend of polo returns, the sport will now experience a resurgence in popular culture as well? From there, Ralph Lauren added the Polo Bear , a gift he once received. The bear would become an icon for the brand. Today, Polo Ralph Lauren is a true lifestyle brand; discover a wide selection of accessories and clothing at Little America Store in Rome's Eur district.
